NEWSLETTER
We may have ourselves a new frontrunner in the DeMar DeRozan sweepstakes! When the offseason began, the Clippers and Sixers appeared to be the two most likely landing spots for the 34-year-old forward, but after Philly signed Paul George and the Clippers opted for Derrick Jones Jr, the chances of DeMar ending up with either have slimmed significantly.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is reporting that the Lakers could be emerging as a serious candidate to land DeRozan. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin had previously reported that LeBron James would take a pay cut if it meant bringing in James Harden, Jonas Valanciunas, or Klay Thompson. This morning though, Windhorst said that you can add DeMar DeRozan to that list of names as well. Harden and Valanciunas have both signed elsewhere, and Thompson is reportedly deciding between the Lakers and Mavericks.
DeMar DeRozan & The Lakers
LeBron James officially opted out of his player option with the Lakers for the 2024-25 season that would have paid him just north of $50 million. LeBron is now eligible to sign a three-year max extension with Los Angeles. However, according to this new report, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer may consider a pay cut if it meant DeRozan joined the team. While LeBron is technically a free agent, the chances of him leaving LA are very slim.
This isn’t the first time the Lakers have been linked to DeRozan. Last season, LA was rumored to have an interest in the Bulls’ veteran forward. Obviously, nothing ever came to fruition there as the Bulls and Lakers both essentially stood pat at the trade deadline.
DeRozan’s fit with LA is an interesting one. He’s an incredibly skilled scorer and as durable as they come. DeMar led the NBA in minutes per game (37.8) and total minutes played (2,989). That’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment for a 34-year-old in today’s NBA that seems to emphasize load management.
For as good of a player and a teammate as DeMar is, he’s not really a three-point threat at all though. And those are the types of guys that usually get the most out of LeBron James-led teams. When LeBron can play with shooters who can space the floor, his teams usually have the most success. For as good as DeRozan is, there is the potential for LA to be a bit redundant offensively.
DeMar is a Los Angeles native, and he’s fairly close with LeBron James. Plus, when Brian Windhorst has a LeBron James rumor, there’s almost always some legs to it. That’s not to say DeRozan to Los Angeles is an absolute lock, but given the report from Windhorst, it would seem like they’re the leaders in the clubhouse as of now.
