Getty Chicago Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan.
The Los Angeles Lakers may have lost their bid to hire Dan Hurley as head coach but that doesn’t mean they’re going to punt on the 2024-25 season. The team’s roster wasn’t good enough last season and there needs to be improvement.
There’s been speculation that the team could add another max player but it could be a smarter move to target an aging star willing to take a discount. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes that DeMar DeRozan could be that player.
“The Lakers are reportedly in the market for a third star, steady support scoring and additional shot-creation,” Buckley wrote in a June 12 column. “DeRozan checks every box as a six-time All-Star who was one of only 15 players to average at least 24 points and five assists in each of the past two seasons. While he wouldn’t help with their shooting shortage, he could help enhance the shooters they have (or add) by setting them up on drive-and-kicks or pulling defensive attention away from them.
“The Lakers may not have more than the taxpayer’s mid-level exception to offer DeRozan, but maybe that’s enough for him to go championship-chasing in his hometown alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.”
DeRozan has admitted his desire to play for the Lakers in the past. He’s a Los Angeles native and grew up a fan of the team. At 34, going back home to play for his favorite team could be worth a smaller salary.
Would DeMar DeRozan Still Want the Los Angeles Lakers?
DeRozan has gone down the Lakers path multiple times and the team has turned him away. It’s likely that he would still be interested in joining the team but might not be as open to taking a major discount. He’s still playing at a high level and averaged 24.0 points a game last season.
He’d be a big upgrade over D’Angelo Russell as the team’s third scoring option. The big concern with him is that he’s a bad 3-point shooter. He’s only hit 29.6% of his 3-point attempts over his career. LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t known as great 3-point shooters so having three stars who aren’t consistent shooters could be an issue.
That said, if he’s willing to take less money, he could be worth it for the Lakers. The team wouldn’t need to give up assets to get him as he’ll be a free agent.
Could Los Angeles Lakers Be Heading Toward a Rebuild?
After Hurley turned the Lakers down, there wasn’t much optimism around the team. The team’s best player, James, will be turning 40 in December. Davis had a very good season but his injury history is still a concern.
The Lakers got knocked out of the first round of the playoffs this season and don’t have a head coach. James can opt out of his contract and hit free agency. While it appears he’ll stay in Los Angeles, it’s still possible he’ll decide to jump ship. If that happens, the Lakers need to consider a rebuild. The team hasn’t been close to the NBA Finals since the 2019-20 championship run.
They have almost no young players worth building around and have limited draft capital. Considering the New Orleans Pelicans own the team’s first-round pick next year, they should focus on winning in 2024-25 but beyond that, it could be time to start from scratch.