Quick Bytes
- Lakers yet to sign any players in free agency, pivot to DeMar DeRozan as an option.
- LeBron James open to a pay cut to facilitate impactful signings, with DeRozan being a potential target.
- Bulls open to sign-and-trade deals for DeRozan, who has shown interest in playing for his hometown Lakers.
Lakers Eye DeMar DeRozan as Free Agency Continues
The Los Angeles Lakers are actively seeking to bolster their roster during free agency, with DeMar DeRozan emerging as a key target after Klay Thompson’s decision to join the Dallas Mavericks.
General Manager Rob Pelinka is exploring options to strengthen the team, especially with LeBron James’s willingness to take a pay cut to add an impact player. With limited choices available, the Lakers’ interest in DeRozan is genuine, and the Chicago Bulls are open to discussing sign-and-trade possibilities. However, any deal would require DeRozan to accept a lower annual salary than he desires.
The Lakers hope to acquire DeRozan using the $12.8 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which would allow them to retain assets for additional trades. DeRozan, a Compton native, has previously expressed his desire to play for the Lakers, and this offseason presents a new opportunity for both parties to reach an agreement.
LeBron James, after a disappointing first-round exit, is prepared to take a pay cut for the first time in his career to help the Lakers return to contention. DeRozan is among the few players for whom James would consider this financial sacrifice.
