Lakers News: LA's Actual Free Agent Interest Level in DeMar DeRozan Revealed

Did the Lakers ever truly intend to sign the six-time All-Star?

Feb 3, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) goes to the basket against the Sacramento Kings during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Before former Chicago Bulls All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan signed a three-season, $76 million deal in a sign-and-trade to get flipped to the Sacramento Kings, he had been connected to his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, though the team would have needed to offloaded significant salary to offer him anything beyond the $5.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception.

Per Stadium's Shams Charania, during a fresh appearance on "The Rally," the Lakers never even made an offer to DeRozan in free agency this summer.

“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

“It was really down to the Kings and the Miami Heat, from what I'm told, as far as DeMar DeRozan’s new home," Charania said. "He really wanted to land in a competitive environment, and also, I'm told, wanted to go back West at the end of the day. The Kings they pushed the hardest, they pushed the fastest, throughout free agency, to get a deal done."

"I'm told Vivek Ranadive, the Kings' owner, really clinched this in their in-person meeting over the weekend in Sacramento. The Lakers were bandied about," Charania added. "They have been over the last couple free agencies for DeMar DeRozan [who's from Compton], but 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.”

In 2021, then-free agent DeRozan, who eventually made a pair of All-Star teams and one All-NBA team with Chicago, chatted with the Lakers about forming a "Big Three" alongside All-NBA stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Instead, the team opted to trade for Russell Westbrook.

Oops.

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