The Los Angeles Lakers are running out of options in NBA free agency with DeMar DeRozan remaining as the team’s top possible target. The challenge is the Lakers may need to clear additional cap space in order to sign DeRozan.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey offered a three-team proposal that has Los Angeles pulling off a sign-and-trade for DeRozan. The deal involves the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons.
In the proposed deal, the Lakers move D’Angelo Russell and a 2025 second rounder. Los Angeles lands DeRozan as well as a 2030 second-round pick from the Pistons (via Minnesota Timberwolves).
The Bulls are trading DeRozan and veteran Torrey Craig in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick (from Lakers) and a 2028 second rounder (from the Detroit Pistons, via New York Knicks). Russell heads to the Pistons, not the Bulls, along with Craig in the trade pitch.
Detroit lands Russell and Craig for just two future second-round picks (2028, 2030). This seems like a low price for Russell, but let’s explore the full details of the three-team trade proposal.
The first question is why Russell would not simply go to the Bulls in this proposed deal. Chicago may prefer to begin shedding some salary with Zach LaVine’s $215 million contract still on the books.
Yet, for this trade to make more sense, the Pistons may need to give up more in the deal to add Russell. Detroit is facilitating this deal to allow the Lakers to land DeRozan, but the point guard has a reasonable contract.
Russell has just one season remaining on two-year, $36 million contract and is slated to have an $18.6 million salary in 2023-24. The Bulls may prefer just take back Russell as a one-year experiment before the former All-Star becomes a free agent in 2025.
After striking out on Klay Thompson, DeRozan appears to be the best remaining free agent option for Los Angeles. DeRozan is a Southern California native who has been linked to the Lakers throughout his career.
The six-time All-Star just completed a three-year, $81.9 million deal with Chicago. DeRozan averaged 24 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game in 79 starts for the Bulls in 2023-24.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that DeRozan was on LeBron James’ wishlist of players that he would be willing to take less money in order for the Lakers to sign. It does not look like a pay cut is in the cards as James agreed to a new two-year, $104 million contract, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“Now, LeBron and Rich Paul met with the Lakers on this topic last week and they agreed, from what I am told, on a short list of players that LeBron would feel good about taking less money to get on the Lakers,” Windhorst said in a July 1, 2024 episode of “The Hoop Collective” podcast. “… I think there’s more than three [players].
“I think DeMar DeRozan is on that list as well and there may be another one or so. But here’s the thing… they don’t have those players to sign and to even get LeBron to take [less money]. Right now, it would take LeBron taking a 50% pay cut, five zero, about $25 million less, to get the Lakers in position to do that. Over the course of multiple years, that would potentially be a lot of money.”
