At this point, it appears that all of the Los Angeles Lakers’ eggs are in the DeMar DeRozan basket. LA is desperate to add some star power to their roster this season after LeBron James agreed to take a significant pay cut to make this happen.
The Lakers, however, have anything but a clear path toward acquiring the services of the six-time All-Star from the Chicago Bulls.
Los Angeles Lakers to Contend With Sacramento Kings for DeMar DeRozan
A new team has reportedly emerged as a “dark horse” candidate to land DeRozan via free agency. According to NBA insider Marc J. Spears, the Lakers will need to contend with the Sacramento Kings for DeRozan’s signature:
The Sacramento Kings are a ‘dark-horse’ for DeMar DeRozan, per @MarcJSpears pic.twitter.com/Hb6rCCpJOu
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 2, 2024
You can be sure that LeBron won’t be happy if the front office strikes out again for a fourth time this offseason after failing to lure James Harden, Klay Thompson, and Jonas Valanciunas to Hollywood.
Miami Heat Also in the Mix
To complicate things even further, it is now being reported that the Miami Heat are another team that is in the mix for DeRozan. According to reports, there have already been discussions between both sides:
The Miami Heat have been talking to DeMar DeRozan and expect to receive an update in 24 hours, per @flasportsbuzz pic.twitter.com/FcsYlHhpnv
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 2, 2024
You also have to note that the Lakers aren’t going to be able to sign DeRozan outright. They will need to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls in order to have enough cap room to accommodate DeRozan’s contract demands.
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