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Lakers: Expert Floats LeBron James Summer Trade For LA Native All-Star

The Lakers have had discussions with DeMar DeRozan in the past

Ryan Menzie

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While the original hope was to bring in DeMar DeRozan to pair up with LeBron James, it seems that ship has sailed. Instead, the Lakers may choose to bring in DeRozan in a trade for James. 

There's no question that the trade radar for James is only growing and is a player any team can use to boost championship aspirations. The Lakers will have some decisions but perhaps one that is a real possibility is sending James to the Bulls.

Insiders suggest bringing DeRozan along with bringing back fan favorite Alex Caruso and a big man Patrick Williams. Not quite the haul to put the Lakers over the top, but building around DeRozan and Anthony Davis may be the Lakers best shot next season (via The Athletic).

DeRozan and the Lakers courted in 2021 before he agreed to the sign-and-trade deal with Chicago. DeRozan and Davis could create all kinds of pick-and-roll mayhem for opponents, getting the Lakers’ opponents into the free-throw penalty early and often.

The Lakers get some talent they can really work with and once they get rid of Russell Westbrook's contract there is plenty of opportunity to bring in another superstar. DeRozan still remains one of the elite scorers in the league while Caruso and Williams bring a strong defensive presence in their respective positions. 

It's strange to fathom an idea to get rid of James, but it's a smart move for the Lakers to make. Get value while you can with James as he will inevitably start trending downward. 

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Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Kobe Bryant  Favorite Moment: Kobe Bryant Final Game. Too many moments to choose from between Derek Fishers 0.4 second buzzer beater, the Lakers 3-peat or game seven against Boston, but can't beat a final memory like Kobe's final game. 

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