Los Angeles Lakers rumors: Ranking the rumored targets by likelihood

1. DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan would be an interesting fit on the Los Angeles Lakers. On one hand, he is exactly the kind of guard that the Lakers need to add. The Lakers need a playmaker but they do not necessarily need a traditional point guard. What would really work is a ball-handling two-guard.

That is what LeBron had in Miami, it essentially is what Kyrie Irving was despite being listed as a point guard and it is what Avery Bradley was (in a far smaller extent) during the 2019-20 season.

DeRozan is a ball-handling two guard that can help create and bring the ball up the floor while also being able to succeed off-ball. That being said, DeRozan is not a good three-point shooter in the slightest and is not a great defensive player.

There is a reason why the teams with DeRozan as its best player have not been that great. As the third-best player and the third scorer, though, the Lakers could be in business with DeRozan.

DeRozan has expressed his desire to join the Lakers and it seems as if he is even willing to take a pay cut. That pay cut likely won’t happen in free agency, though, as it would have to be taken all the way down to the mid-level exception, which is expected to be between $9-10 million.

DeRozan is still worth more than that and a pay cut to him is in the $18-22 million range. That means that it would take a sign-and-trade with the Spurs where the Lakers can offer Kuzma, KCP and potentially a draft pick.

That is a fair return for someone who can leave anyways, especially considering Gregg Popovich is high on Kyle Kuzma. That being said, the Spurs can absolutely just be stingy and decide not to help out their rival Lakers.

I doubt the Spurs would let pettiness get in the way of getting assets for a player that is going to walk anyway, especially when that player was acquired for one of the best players in the league, Kawhi Leonard.