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DeMar DeRozan is going to make a layup.
THE the Los Angeles Lakers should be active this offseason, looking to fill holes on their roster. With a record of 37-32 and sitting in 9th place in the Western Conference, the Lakers have a lot of growing to do. Among the main priorities, adding a third star around LeBron James And Anthony Davis should be at the top of their list. With players on the market who meet this need, DeMar DeRozan might be the best solution.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey gave his player optimism that the Lakers could land, naming DeRozan as that player.
“If DeRozan is happy with all the money he has made thus far during his illustrious career, the opportunity to play for his hometown team for the lowly taxpayer’s mid-level exception could be intriguing.
“And while he might not make much sense for a starting five that already includes ball dominance from LeBron James and a lack of shooting from Anthony Davis, he could be a dominant sixth man.”
DeRozan, despite being 34 years old, has been as good as ever since Chicago Bulls. He is averaging 23.2 points on 47.5% shooting, marking his third straight year averaging at least 23.2 points in Chicago.
Lakers offseason plans
The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to stay put during the trade deadline. It was a surprising move considering James’ age, but one that allows them to sign a player of DeRozan’s caliber this offseason.
Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and Jovan Buha of The Athletic On February 14, he wrote about the Lakers’ offseason plans, hinting that they were looking to add a third star this summer.
“The Lakers plan to continue their quest for a third star this summer, armed with three first-round picks, four pick swaps and several second-round picks to make a compelling bid for any available star. According to team sources, the organization has discussed three names internally: Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell and Irving.
DeRozan will be a free agent, so they can sign him without trading a pick.
Is DeRozan helping the Lakers?
Adding another aging star next to James has its drawbacks, but DeRozan is a different scenario.
The six-time All-Star has aged well, just as James hasn’t slowed down. Although DeRozan is not the same player as James, his play has not regressed at this point in his career.
In fact, it’s safe to say he’s playing some of the best basketball of his career. DeRozan’s 27.9 points per game two seasons ago was the highest mark of his career, and the 24.5 points he averaged last season was the third-highest mark.
Adding another dynamic scorer next to James and Davis gives this Lakers team a dynamic it didn’t have during his time in Los Angeles. Take into account that DeRozan would take some pressure off James and Davis and landing him or a player of his caliber makes even more sense.
DeRozan is from California, and given that he is in the latter stages of his career, he might be interested in playing for his hometown team.
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com, focusing on the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Commanders. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared on Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. Learn more about Jon Conahan
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