DeMar DeRozan truly thought he was coming back home to play for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.

Before signing with the Chicago Bulls, DeRozan was in consistent contact with LeBron James over potentially joining him and AD at The Staples Center. However, the Lakers eventually went in a different direction and traded for Russell Westbrook when the Washington Wizards made him available.

DeRozan got the chance to play in LA on Monday night for the first time since joining Chicago rather than the Lakers and was asked about the whole process following the Bulls' big win. Via Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports:

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“I felt like going to the Lakers was a done deal and that we were going to figure it out. I was going to come home,” DeRozan said. “The business side of things just didn’t work out. A couple of things didn’t align. It didn’t work out. It’s just part of the business, part of the game. My next option was definitely Chicago. So, looking back at it, it worked out well.”

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6jjkFoPgsWSa93BywQzORJ?si=8a545535d66d4bc3

Saying it worked out well would be an understatement. DeRozan is averaging 26.9 points per game, which is currently just third in the Association behind Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. He's been a perfect fit for the Bulls alongside Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, helping them enjoy a 10-4 start to the campaign.

The Lakers meanwhile haven't exactly gelled, with Russell Westbrook struggling to co-exist when LeBron James is on the floor. The King is expected to return from injury later this week. Even though Russ is turning the ball over at a concerning rate, DeRozan still believes LA made the right decision in trading for him:

“Nah, Russ is a Hall of Fame player,” DeRozan told Yahoo Sports. “It’s hard to turn down that caliber of player. I can’t speak for the Lakers, but they went with what they felt was best for them. And all due respect to them. No hard feelings. No animosity, but I just look at it as part of the game. A deal is never done until it’s done. I learned that. It just didn’t work out. I’m just happy I’m in Chicago.”

Although DeRozan is content in the Windy City, there's undoubtedly a part of him who would've loved to play in his hometown. But, everything happens for a reason and now he's title-chasing with the revamped Bulls.