DeMar DeRozan always thought he would be playing for his hometown team. In the summer of 2021, he was going home to become a Los Angeles Laker.
However, things did not work out the way he thought they would. He had a deal to go home to the Lakers to join forces with two of the game’s best – LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, the deal fell through. The team then went out and got Russell Westbrook instead.
Him playing for the Lakers is not dead yet.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report recently suggested a hypothetical trade scenario for the Lakers to land DeMar DeRozan. He reports the Lakers would need to form a trade package featuring Malik Beasley and the 2029 first-round draft pick to land the 33-year-old.
“The Lakers need more shot-creation and shot-making around LeBron James and Anthony Davis,” Buckley wrote. “That’s why they initially gambled on Russell Westbrook, and it’s why they targeted D’Angelo Russell at the deadline. They need more scoring than either could provide, though. That’s why they could consider swinging a deal for DeMar DeRozan, the Compton native who’s on course to average better than 24 points on 50-plus percent shooting for the second consecutive season.”
Buckley also added: “He isn’t the outside shooter L.A. would ideally pair with its two stars, but the trade budget only stretches so far. Turning one future first-rounder and a shooting specialist into a top-tier scorer and solid secondary playmaker is a win, even if the fit isn’t perfect.”
So far this season, DeRozan is averaging 24.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 5.1 APG while shooting 51.0% from the field.
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Adding a player like DeRozan could stop the Lakers from fighting for the bottom few playoff spots in the Western Conference every year.
