DeMar DeRozan is a player that has seemingly been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers for years now although it has never come to fruition to this point.
DeRozan again came into focus for the Lakers this summer though as they looked to make roster improvements. He wasn’t their first choice as L.A. unsuccessfully chased Klay Thompson at the start of free agency before he decided to sign with the Dallas Mavericks.
Lakers star LeBron James was trying to help the team’s free agency efforts by offering to take less money on his new deal if it would help them land an impact player. James wouldn’t take a pay cut for just anyone, but DeRozan was one reported player that he would for.
Ultimately though, James wound up signing a max deal, which took the Lakers out of the running for DeRozan. And it appears the 34-year-old will be heading to Sacramento to join the Kings, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
ESPN Sources with @TimBontemps: The Sacramento Kings are agreed on a sign-and-trade that will land DeMar DeRozan on a three-year deal, send Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs and Chris Duarte, two second-round picks and cash to the Chicago Bulls. pic.twitter.com/eopPkSPBvc
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 7, 2024
Coming to the Lakers a cool homecoming for DeRozan, who grew up in Compton as a massive Lakers and Kobe Bryant fan. And even though he will be turning 35 before next season starts, DeRozan is still an effective player, coming off a season in which he averaged 24.0 points 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 79 games for the Chicago Bulls.
While the fit is a bit clunky next to James and Anthony Davis due to DeRozan’s lack of outside shooting, there were no other options that the Lakers could have added at this stage of free agency that would have been a difference-maker.
If the Lakers are going to make roster upgrades now, it will have to come via trade as the roster is full and they have no cap space.
Meanwhile, a division rival in the Kings added an impact player so the West is only getting tougher.
DeMar DeRozan didn’t rule out playing for Lakers
Even though he has been trying to come to the Lakers for years and the organization was never able to acquire him, DeMar DeRozan continued to not rule out playing for L.A. even as recently as this past May.
“I mean, when I was a kid, everybody knows I’m a Kobe guy at the end of the day. Always been a Kobe guy, been a Laker fan since day one. You can’t never say no about playing at home, especially playing for a historic team like the Lakers. So time will tell, we’ll see where the cards fall. Until then, I’ll see what happens. Always want to be where I’m wanted and I know what I’m gonna do from there, so we’ll see how it plays out.”
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