The Los Angeles Lakers are in the hunt for a big-name free agency signing after they failed to lure James Harden and Klay Thompson to Hollywood. One name that has been linked to LA is DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls
Despite DeRozan being an unrestricted free agent, however, the Lakers’ path to the six-time All-Star is not as simple as it would have been if LA wasn’t held back by salary cap constraints.
Los Angeles Lakers Could Trade D’Angelo Russell to Get DeMar DeRozan
One of the weightiest salaries the Lakers have on their payroll is that of D’Angelo Russell. The former All-Star picked up the player option of his deal for the upcoming season, which means LA will need to pay him the $18.7 million he is owed for 2024-25.
That is unless they are able to trade his contract away. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Brooklyn Nets could step in to help facilitate LA’s move for DeRozan:
“For the Lakers to bring on DeRozan, Los Angeles may have to work with a third team to offload some salary, such as D’Angelo Russell or Gabe Vincent, sources said. The Nets have been open to welcoming Russell back to Barclays Center since this past trade deadline, sources said,” Fischer wrote.
Russell’s lone All-Star campaign came during his time with the Nets, so there’s no denying that he found significant success in Brooklyn. This is likely why the Nets are reportedly open to a potential reunion, despite how other teams have balked at DLo’s hefty salary.
This could turn out to be a win-win situation for all parties involved, but the Lakers will obviously need to act fast as their options keep dwindling by the day.
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