After miserably failing in their pursuit of Klay Thompson, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly turned their gaze on six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who himself was an unrestricted free agent.
Ultimately, it was the Sacramento Kings who landed the 6-foot-6 swingman in what turned out to be a massive sign-and-trade deal. Once again, the Lakers were left with nothing to show for.
Los Angeles Lakers Never Made an Offer for DeMar DeRozan
As it turns out, however, the Lakers were never really in the game to begin with. NBA guru Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed LA’s interest in the 34-year-old before he signed with the Kings, but the renowned league insider also revealed that the Lakers never actually made an offer to the Bulls for DeRozan:
“It was really down to the Kings and the Miami Heat as far as DeMar DeRozan’s new home,” Shams said. “… I’m told the Lakers never went beyond expressing just simple interest in DeRozan. There were no offers or tangible conversations with the Bulls on a sign-and-trade deal.”
“It was really down to the Kings and Heat as far as DeMar DeRozan’s new home … I’m told the Lakers never went beyond expressing simple interest in DeRozan.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania gives us the latest on DeMar DeRozan. pic.twitter.com/F7OUBNMx0Y
— The Rally (@TheRally) July 8, 2024
For some reason, the Lakers were not aggressive in their pursuit of the three-time All-NBA guard/forward. As Shams touched on, this is not the first time DeRozan has been linked to a move to Hollywood, but once again, it just wasn’t to be.
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