DeMar DeRozan Calls Out Lakers for Decision Not to Sign Him

The six-time All-Star Compton native once wanted to return to L.A. in free agency.

Jan 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) moves the ball ahead of Los Angeles Lakers forward Taurean Prince (12) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Six-time All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan has twice considered suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.

The three-time All-NBA Compton native, 35, had a conversation with Los Angeles All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis initially during the 2021 offseason about potentially forming a new "Big Three."

But he was passed over in favor former league MVP Russell Westbrook, for whom the Lakers offloaded a ton of 2020-era championship equity. So DeRozan pivoted, inking a three-year, $81.9 million sign-and-trade deal with the Chicago Bulls. Only one team made the 2022 playoffs — and it wasn't the Lakers.

“Obviously I have my selfish reasons of wanting to be able to play at home, (but) sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way,” DeRozan relayed to Sam Amick of The Athletic. "And sometimes it probably isn’t the best decision for me either. So after that didn’t happen, I didn’t dwell on it. I wasn’t mad. They made their choice, and I just left it at that.”

After DeRozan's agreement with Chicago expired this summer, he became an unrestricted free agent once again. Though he had interest from the Lakers, L.A. Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, he ultimately opted to sign a three-season, $73.9 million deal with the Sacramento Kings. He'll play alongside All-Star point guard De'Aaron and All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, as ex-Lakers head coach Mike Brown looks to guide the team back to the playoffs in 2025.

According to DeRozan, it seemed likelier than before this summer that he was going to wind up wearing the purple and gold.

“Yeah, it did," DeRozan told Amick. "But after the last time, the last situation, you really don’t get your hopes all the way up. I think the first time before I went to Chicago (in 2021), that was the closest it had been. And even for me, I thought it was going to be that. But when that didn’t happen, I didn’t have high hopes because you already see how it could play out.”

Instead, the Lakers' personnel remains largely unchanged. The Kings, meanwhile, will look to ride a roster light on defense deep into the postseason.

"I am extremely excited, just for the opportunity of feeling like I could be the missing piece that they needed. Me just being a fan of the game, I pay attention to everything that comes about in our league," DeRozan said of Sacramento. "You see the fan base. You see the winning culture that they were fighting towards. And anything (related to) winning — when you see it from the outside, it lets you know as a competitor and as a winner, that it’s something you want to be a part of... And it’s just something I see myself being a part of and feel like I can take it over the top."

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