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With the Los Angeles Lakers looking to get healthy in time for another championship run, they aren’t spending too much time worrying about free agency this offseason. The team has their big stars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis locked up for a long time. As long as those two are still on the squad, they will be title contenders.
However, that won’t stop the Lakers from trying to get better in the offseason. Andre Drummond, Dennis Schroder, Talen Horton-Tucker and Alex Caruso will all be free agents. Losing any of those guys could be a blow to the team for next season. Luckily, they could have some really good options available. According to Sam Amick and John Hollinger of The Athletic, San Antonio Spurs star DeMar DeRozan is planning on keeping an open mind in free agency.
A source with knowledge of DeRozan’s outlook said he’ll be taking a “wide open” approach to free agency in terms of possible landing spots. But after these past three seasons in San Antonio, where he was asked to sacrifice on the scoring front and evolve as a playmaker in the process, the master of the midrange has put himself in prime position to take advantage of this well-earned reputation as a more versatile offensive threat.
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DeRozan Appeared More Interested in Lakers Last Offseason
DeRozan has been linked to the Lakers a couple of times in his career. The Los Angeles native grew up with the team and it would make sense for him to play with them eventually. Back when the Lakers were bad, they wanted DeRozan to try and help turn the team around. He decided to stay put with the Toronto Raptors.
Last offseason, the Lakers were rumored to be interested in a trade for DeRozan. His tune changed real quick.
“So to be wanted by a championship team that just came off a championship, to see that, how could you not feel some type of way? Especially me, being from L.A., it’s like ‘damn, my hometown team want me? They just came off a championship and they want me?’ It’s definitely crazy to be able to see that,” DeRozan said on the All the Smoke podcast last year.
He sounded a lot more interested in joining the Lakers last offseason than he did in the past.
Will Lakers Traget DeRozan?
A couple of things would have to happen for the Lakers to conisder DeRozan. They’d have to let Dennis Schroder and Andre Drummond walk in free agency. They might also have to trade Kentavious Cadwell-Pope considering DeRozan is going to have plenty of suitors. While it’s clear that he’d be happy to play for his hometown team, it’s doubtful he’ll take a pay cut.
If the Lakers end up winning the championship this year, it’s hard to see them making a run at DeRozan. However, if they fall to the Brooklyn Nets, the team will have to figure out how to upgrade the roster. That could lead to a push to land DeRozan, who is a full-fledged star. He would give the Lakers a big three.
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Lakers Rumors: L.A. Native, 4-Time All-Star Expected to Test Free Agency