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By now, it’s already been established that the Los Angeles Lakers will be busy this offseason.
Assets such as Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Andrew Wiggins will be on the 17-time NBA champions’ radar in the summer.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, a 36-year-old six-time All-Star could soon be added to Los Angeles’ growing list of potential offseason targets.
“At the trade deadline, there were some whispers that (DeMar) DeRozan and his camp were exploring ways to get him to one of the two Los Angeles-based teams (Lakers and Clippers),” Siegel wrote Friday.
“While nothing ever really materialized on that front, it is worth noting that DeRozan is from Compton, California, and he has long wanted to finish his career in Los Angeles.”
“I would not anticipate DeRozan being bought out at this point, especially since his contract for next season is partially guaranteed for $10 million. How the Kings navigate this situation in the offseason will be interesting.”
From a team success standpoint, DeRozan’s tenure with the Kings hasn’t gone as planned.
Sacramento missed the postseason last season after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 Play-In game and is on track to finish last in the Western Conference this season.
Regarding individual contributions, though, DeRozan has made the best of his unfortunate situation in Sacramento.
The well-known mid-range assassin and clutch playmaker is averaging 18.4 points per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc in 61 games with the Kings this season.
Despite his advanced age and subpar perimeter shooting, DeRozan could be a high-level wing addition to pair with Luka Doncic in Los Angeles.
Considering DeRozan was linked to the Lakers the last two trade seasons, it wouldn't be surprising to witness Los Angeles target the former Toronto Raptors star this summer.
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