The Los Angeles Lakers had all the opportunity to sign DeMar DeRozan last summer in free agency, but they dropped the ball. Instead, the organization went out and traded for Russell Westbrook. Needless to say, we all know how that's turned out.
DeRozan recently made an appearance on JJ Redick's TheOldMan&TheThree and discussed just how motivated he was to play for LA before ultimately heading to the Chicago Bulls.
Redick: “Was the Lakers thing even remotely close?”
DeRozan: “Yeah, yeah to my knowledge, I thought it was a done deal. I remember I took a trip to Mexico just to get away because I could just feel the anticipation of everything coming to play. So I was like ima get away for a couple days, take my mind off it. And by the time I come home it be free agency..hey, I'm signing with the Lakers. I'm sleeping one morning in Mexico and I get a call from Kyle Lowry and he said “They just made the trade for Russ, what's going on? I thought the deal was done for you to go to the Lakers?” And I'm just confused, I look at my phone and say damn, that did happen. Well, I guess that's out the window. You know, in my mind, that was my only option to go to, I was sold on that. I didn't even entertain anything else, because I'm letting this situation play itself out. So at that point, I knew there was no chance of me going to the Lakers.”
That is wild. DeRozan truly believed he'd be in the purple and gold until his good friend Kyle Lowry informed him of the Westbrook trade. Lakers fans probably would've loved to have DeMar instead, an LA native and one of the better players in the Association. Instead, he inked a three-year, $85 million deal with Chicago after a sign-and-trade with the San Antonio Spurs, making the All-Star Team and leading the Bulls back to the playoffs.
Oh, what could've been in Los Angeles. But, DeRozan definitely has more chance to shine and do his own thing in the Windy City. That's for sure.
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