DeMar to LA?
Prior to the Russell Westbrook trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards two seasons ago, many believed DeMar DeRozan would be a Laker. There was even a brief belief the Lakers would eventually land Kyle Lowry to reunite him with his former Raptors teammate.
Instead, the Lakers chose the Westbrook route, and ever since that stunner, everything has largely been in freefall out West. The Lakers didn’t even qualify for the play-in tournament last season which led to Frank Vogel’s departure. Fast forward to the second half of the 2022-2023 season, and the Purple and Gold remain outside the playoff picture.
This, despite LeBron James continuing to put up amazing numbers at age 38.
Meanwhile in Chicago, DeMar DeRozan, currently in his second season with the Bulls, is averaging 26.3 points, 5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1 steal, and shooting 51.1% from the field. However, the Bulls remain 4 games below .500 and could be in line to hit the reset button ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
If a deal between the Lakers and the Bulls is to happen, analysts believe it would be centered around 2x NBA All-Star Zach LaVine.
However, if you dive into the numbers a bit more, a DeMar DeRozan-to-LA scenario could ultimately work out better for the Lakers.
Why DeMar?
With February 9th just around the corner, the Lakers are among the teams expected to make significant moves. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers general manager, said immediately after the Rui Hachimura acquisition that they are still looking to make moves to break out of their slump. The Lakers stand with a 24-28 record but are somehow miraculously still only 3 games back of the Mavericks for 5th in the West.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe has previously said that the Lakers have been monitoring the Chicago situation since September so one would assume that their scouts are well versed with their personnel by this point.
“Since September, the Lakers have been saying ‘We want to see what happens if that team craps the bed this season, what might shake loose.’ And you don’t have to be a brain surgeon to understand that in September, that meant DeRozan,” Lowe explained during his appearance at Ramona Shelburne’s podcast.
The Lakers need more firepower from the wings rather than from the backcourt. Even after sending Kendrick Nunn as a part of the Hachimura deal, Coach Darvin Ham still has Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Max Christie on the roster. That logjam means many donning the purple and gold are either getting infrequent minutes, or currently have unclear roles on the team.
On the other hand, DeMar DeRozan in a Lakers uniform would be something every Laker fan would want to see. Not only is he a hometown player, hailing from Compton, but his willingness to shoot the ball is something the Lakers lack at the moment at the wing position. If healthy, the trio of LeBron, AD, and DeRozan could erupt for 75 to 90 points on average. And, DeRozan, at 33, remains one of the elite small forwards in the association.
Keep in mind however, that DeRozan’s quick trigger finger is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the Lakers have a true small forward to help LeBron and AD at the frontcourt. On the other end, DeRozan shoots just 31.4% from the three-point line.
So while he may not solve the Lakers’ three point shooting woes (they currently rank 26th in the league with a 33.7% mark as a team), he would at least help space the floor with his midrange game and ability to slash and kick.
More so than that, he provides the Lakers with another late game option to help close out games. Something the club has struggled with this season. DeRozan currently ranks inside the top 5 for 4th quarter points thus far in 2022-23, so he could help ease the scoring burden currently placed on LeBron in the games dying minutes.
As they’re currently constructed, LA is an easy out in the playoffs if they were able to make it that far. So with only a week remaining until the trade deadline, expect Pelinka & co. to be making regular calls to the Windy City.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Iam Chihang. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.