Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers have to carefully maneuver another offseason of championship team building, although the easiest decision for them may already be made as it has already been reported that Anthony Davis is likely to sign once he opts out of his deal and becomes a free agent. The team will also have to sign many other players to build out their roster, whether that’s bringing back players like Rajon Rondo or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, or bringing in players from other teams. Pelinka may even use a trade to do that, as one possible trade has been reported recently in an exchange of Danny Green and Kyle Kuzma for DeMar DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs.
DeMar DeRozan was asked about this while appearing on an episode of the “All The Smoke” podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, responding with only nice things to say about the idea of his hometown Lakers wanting to trade for him (h/t to @ShowtimeForum on Twitter):
“Without a doubt. You always have them dreams of doing it, you know what I mean? For me it’s just I’ve learned being in the league so long that you always want to be wanted… So when you see things about teams wanting you, you can’t feel a certain type of way. You’d better feel good about it because there’s some motherf—ers that’s not wanted. You don’t want to be that person. So to be wanted by a championship team that just came off a championship, to see that, how could you not feel some type of way? Especially me, being from L.A., it’s like ‘damn, my hometown team want me? They just came off a championship and they want me?’ It’s definitely crazy to be able to see that, but anybody knows that whatever jersey I got on, I’m gonna lay it out there on the line and represent in the best way I can.”
👀 @DeMar_DeRozan was on with @Matt_Barnes22 & @DaTrillStak5 on the #ALLTHESMOKE Podcast talking about the Lakers trade rumors. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/jNlpjLbuJG
— ShowtimeForum (@ShowtimeForum) November 13, 2020
DeRozan definitely doesn’t sound like he’d be opposed to the idea. In fact, it sounds like he’d love the idea of playing in Los Angeles. DeMar DeRozan was born and raised in Compton, LA and, as stated in the video, grew up with Kobe Bryant being his Michael Jordan. DeRozan even stayed in the California area for college, going to USC to play basketball.
The Lakers would reportedly trade a package to the Spurs that would include Danny Green and his $15 million annual salary as well as Kyle Kuzma, who is reportedly wanting a “sizable” contract before (or during) his upcoming 2021 free agency. The deal has been met with a mixed bag of emotions from Lakers fans on Twitter, with some questioning the roster fit, three-point shooting, and defense that would come from acquiring DeRozan. Still, the move would form a tantilizing offensive “big three” in LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and DeMar DeRozan with many All-Star appearances between those three guys.
We’ll see if the Lakers make a move for him with free agency set to begin next week on the 20th.
