the Lakers Sign a $82 Million Star on a Cheap Deal
Because to LeBron James’ generosity, the Los Angeles Lakers may have more room to recruit talent this summer than previously anticipated.
On Saturday, January 29, James decided to forego the last year of his contract with Los Angeles. But there was a lot of conjecture that James did this to sign a deal with a maximum value of more than $160 million, which was set for three years.
James might still do so, of course, but he hinted on Saturday that he might be ready to accept a lower salary if it means the Lakers are able to acquire respectable players through trades or free agency, which would improve their chances of winning the loaded Western Conference.
“LeBron James is thinking about creating a path for the team to get the full midlevel exception for the right targets, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport,” Chris Haynes wrote on Saturday, June 29. James opted out to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.
DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls is one of those possible players, according to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports.
The birthplace of DeMar DeRozan is Los Angeles. Before they settled on Russell Westbrook, he was on the verge of joining the Lakers in 2021, Quinn reported on Saturday. “With the addition of Josh Giddey to the roster, who the Bulls intend to lead the offense going forward, DeRozan no longer has a clear role, especially in light of the fact that Zach LaVine is becoming more and more untradable and Coby White is staying put.”
The Lakers Could Give DeMar DeRozan a Chance to Be Relevant and Go Home After Several Years With the Bulls
DeRozan has spent the most of his NBA career playing on contracts that are very different from the entire midlevel exception (MLE).
According to Hoops Hype, the typical MLE will earn slightly under $13 million in 2024–25. DeRozan, who will be 35 years old when he plays in 2019–20, is coming off of a $82 million three-year contract with the Bulls.
For an Eastern Conference squad that was never really anywhere, DeRozan averaged 24 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game the previous campaign. When he was a player for the Toronto Raptors in the middle of the 2010s, he lost to James in every playoff game. Now, he has the opportunity to sign a one-year flyer with the Lakers for around half of what he could get paid yearly on a multi-year deal from another team.
Nevertheless, DeRozan, an L.A. native, would be returning to his hometown and joining a team that will be far more relevant in the loaded Western Conference than the Bulls have been in the lackluster Eastern Conference over the past few years if he signs with the Lakers.
