DeMar DeRozan is staying in California. The six-time All-Star agreed to a two-year, $8.4 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, per Shams Charania of ESPN, ending a six-week stretch on the market and landing alongside Stephen Curry for the 2026-27 season.
Player: DeMar DeRozan
Team: Golden State Warriors
Contract: 2 years / $8.4 million
Source: Shams Charania, ESPN – August 13, 2026
What Golden State actually needed
Jimmy Butler tore his ACL last spring. Without a second creator alongside Curry, Golden State finished out of the playoffs for the second straight year. After missing out on LeBron James, the Warriors needed a proven scorer who could start and absorb offensive load. DeRozan fits that profile precisely.
In two seasons with Sacramento, DeRozan (20.3 pts, 3.4 reb, 4.3 ast) never got close to a playoff appearance. The Kings rebuilt around younger pieces, released him in early July, and Golden State was already listening.
Why $8.4M – and why he took it
The number is steep. DeRozan made $24.6 million last season, and even at 37 his production holds. But the market for a non-shooter his age has limits, and he made his preference clear: stay in California, stay competitive, play with someone worth playing with. Curry qualifies.
“The first basketball I got was from my mom as a gift, and that basketball became my best friend,” DeRozan said earlier this month at the Hall of Fame ceremony. The same drive – urgency, loyalty to roots, legacy – runs through this signing.
The real test starts now
DeRozan likely slides into a starting role while Butler’s recovery timeline takes shape. The question isn’t production – he’ll score. The question is whether a Curry-DeRozan duo can hold a playoff seed long enough for Butler’s return to matter.
Golden State hasn’t made the playoffs two years running. DeRozan hasn’t been on a winning team since Chicago. Neither man has time for another wasted season.
