NBA Insider says DeMar DeRozan's options were Heat and Kings, Lakers never made substantial offer
DeMar DeRozan inked a three-year, $73.7 million deal with the Sacramento Kings this free agency. The six-time All-Star was one of the marquee names in search of a new home for the upcoming season.
After he was linked to the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, he finally decided to head West and link up with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
According to NBA Insider Shams Charania, DeRozan's options were the Heat and the Kings. After being closely linked to LA initially, Charania added that the Lakers didn't make a substantial offer:
“It was really down to the Kings and Heat as far as DeMar DeRozan’s new home … I’m told the Lakers never went beyond expressing simple interest in DeRozan.”
DeRozan was given a brilliant welcome in Sacramento when he showed up at the Summer League skirmish between the Kings and China at Golden 1 Center. As for the trade, the three-team deal saw the Bulls receive Chris Duarte and two second-round picks. The Spurs received Harrison Barnes and an unprotected 2031 pick swap.
Lakers have now lost 2 big targets in DeMar DeRozan and Klay Thompson
The LA Lakers were favorites to land either Klay Thompson or DeMar DeRozan in free agency. But as things panned out, both superstars inked contracts with different teams, leaving the Purple and Gold as one of the few teams with next-to-zero moves this summer.
While Thompson forms a 'Big 3' alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the Dallas Mavericks, DeRozan takes on the scorer role in Sacramento alongside Fox and Sabonis.
The Lakers have now shifted their focus to signing utility players in Spencer Dinwiddie and Gary Trent Jr., as per recent reports. Earlier, LeBron James shed light on the dull free agency the Lakers had:
"So we don't sit here and lie about or cry about it. We move on and Klay's a great player. Obviously DeMar's a great player. Valanciunas was one of those guys who ended up going to Washington, was someone that was in talks with us, but we move on to see how we continue to get better. I'm looking forward to this fall when I get back out there."
What the Lakers still have at their helm though are James and Anthony Davis. Now, only time will tell if they missed a beat by losing out on Thompson and DeMar DeRozan in the summer.