As it usually happens with the Los Angeles Lakers – and with every LeBron James team, there has been plenty of speculation regarding the new faces that could join the team this offseason.
Among all the players that have been brought up, DeMar DeRozan seemed like one of the likeliest to sign with the Lakers, even if that meant giving up on a lot of money:
As a matter of fact, he recently opened up to Shannon Sharpe during an interview, citing that he’d embrace the chance to play for his hometown team and talking about how winning is his priority right now:
“It’s all about winning at this point,” DeRozan started. “Going into my 13th season and seeing all these guys just competing for a championship. At this point, you got to weigh out the opportunity to winning a championship kind of more. Especially with the career I’ve had. I’ve been fortunate to make a lot of money, but at this point, the ultimate goal is to compete for a championship.”
“You can’t ask a kid if they want to play at home (and think) they’ll say no. At some point, you will definitely want to have that opportunity, and especially if they want you. Why not? It’s a great opportunity,” he concluded.
Nonetheless, Sam Amick of The Athletic recently reported that his homecoming now seems unlikely, as the Russell Westbrook addition pretty much sealed his fate:
“Sources say DeMar DeRozan had serious interest in finding a way to play for his hometown Lakers via sign-and-trade with San Antonio, but the Westbrook move ended that possibility and it remains very possible that he returns to the Spurs,” reported Amick.
The Dallas Mavericks are also reportedly interested in acquiring his services and it seemed like his tenure with the Spurs was over. But now, we’ll have to wait and see how this situation unfolds.
