A blockbuster trade proposal has the Los Angeles Lakers landing that coveted third star to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers are coming off a trip to the Western Conference Finals as a seventh seed, but they were easily swept by Nikola Jokic and the eventual champion Denver Nuggets. It’s obvious that the Lakers need a third star if they’re to win another title in the James-Davis era.
With James entering his age 38/39 season, LA general manager Rob Pelinka is surely feeling the pressure to make a blockbuster move (or two) that will maximize the Purple and Gold’s championship window.
Could a team from out East be of assistance?
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed a massive blockbuster deal that would see the Lakers land All-Star DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for a package of Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2029 first-round pick:
“From the Lakers’ perspective, this is an easy sell. DeMar DeRozan is an ace shot creator who can bail out a stagnant offense by getting to his mid-range package. He can concoct decent looks from nothing and is an underrated passer who capitalizes on his ability to pull defenders into the middle of the floor by firing kickouts to shooters.
Los Angeles’ defense was championship-caliber this past season, ranking first in the league after the trade deadline. The Lakers were just 15th on offense after that cutoff and finished ninth in postseason scoring efficiency, the worst of any team that logged at least 15 playoff games. DeRozan is limited as a three-point shooter and leaves much to be desired defensively, but he can cure what ails the Lakers in the scoring department…
The Bulls aren’t showing any signs of pivoting into a long overdue rebuild, but Hood-Schifino, Christie and a 2029 first-rounder might be enough to entice them if they ever decide to face reality.”
DeRozan is a six-time All-Star who’s coming off another productive season with the Bulls. The soon-to-be 34-year-old averaged 24.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 74 contests.
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The Bulls are nowhere close to competing for a championship. So DeRozan should be keen on joining a championship contender after spending the last five years on non-contending teams .
For his career, DeRozan has averaged 21 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
