DeMar DeRozan Swiftly Responds to Rumors About Wanting to Join the Lakers
After an early playoff exit, the Los Angeles Lakers will be significantly active toward reconstructing the roster. It’s led to recent rumors emerge concerning star guard DeMar DeRozan‘s interest in joining the Lakers. All that didn’t take DeRozan long to respond to the chatter.
DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry rumored to have interest in joining the Lakers
As the Lakers move further away from the disappointing playoff exit, the focus shifts more intently on the upcoming offseason.
The front office sits geared toward building a championship-contending roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It’s sprouted another rumor as LA Times’ Brad Turner reported that former All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are eyeing joining the Lakers.
Turner’s report came with the caveat that either Lowry or DeRozan would need to take a significant pay cut to make that scenario a feasible option. Nonetheless, it adds two more backcourt options to the list the Lakers could bring aboard to take the offensive pressure off James and Davis.
The two former longtime Toronto Raptors teammates are heading into free agency, where they will have several intriguing options for the next chapter of their NBA career. The opportunity to join the Lakers may be on the table, which DeRozan chose to respond to the chatter by using one emoji.
DeMar DeRozan swiftly responds to rumors about wanting to join the Lakers
As the start of free agency sits less than a month away, the rumor mill continues to gain traction.
After completing his five-year, $139 million deal, DeRozan will hit the open market. He’s remained heavily tied to the Lakers after recent chatter regarding him and Lowry wanting to join the franchise together.
DeRozan quickly responded as he sent out a single tweet with an emoji of a person sitting behind a laptop. There is no concrete evidence it’s a direct correlation to the Lakers rumors. Still, it’s hard to see it in any other light, given the message’s timing coming shortly after the report surfaced.
DeRozan didn’t send a straightforward response, but it at least shows that the 31-year-old hears all the outside noise. He’s coming off another highly productive campaign with the Spurs after averaging 21.6 points and a career-high 6.9 assists while shooting 49.5% from the floor. He registered 13 double-doubles, including 10 games with at least 10 assists.
The four-time All-Star also notched more than 1,000 points this past season, marking the 11th straight year he reached that feat putting him alongside Russell Westbrook and LeBron James as the only players to accomplish that since 2010. Beyond all the outside noise, DeRozan is certainly a potential option for Los Angeles.
Lakers will explore several offseason options
The Lakers will enter the offseason eyeing to revamp the roster around its two stars.
Los Angeles will explore various backcourt options beyond DeRozan and Lowry. Other prominent names such as Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Spencer Dinwiddie, Lonzo Ball, and Collin Sexton have been mentioned as possibilities.
The Lakers’ front office will likely attempt a sign-and-trade to acquire a premium ball-handling guard that will involve moving Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Kuzma is entering the first year of his three-year, $39 million deal that will pay him a $13 million salary in the 2021-22 season.
Meanwhile, Caldwell-Pope is moving into the second year of his three-year, $39.1 million contract. He will make roughly $13 million next season. All that makes it crystal clear the Lakers will go the extra mile to vie for another NBA title.
Contract figures courtesy of Spotrac.
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