The Los Angeles Lakers will explore every single avenue to improve their roster ahead of the upcoming NBA season. LeBron James put them under plenty of pressure with his comments on retirement, and everybody knows it.
So, we can expect Rob Pelinka to be quite aggressive in his pursuit of more talent and All-Star caliber players in the offseason. And with Kyrie Irving likely going back to Dallas, he’ll have to look somewhere else.
With that in mind, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report believes the Lakers could finally get DeMar DeRozan in return for D’Angelo Russell (sign-and-trade), Mo Bamba, Max Christie, and their 2029 unprotected first-round pick.
NBA Rumors: Lakers Could Get DeMar DeRozan In Blockbuster Trade
“Point guard is still an issue with Lonzo Ball projected to miss most, if not all, of next season following a third knee surgery,” explained Swartz. “After a disappointing playoff showing, Chicago should be able to acquire Russell as a reasonable contract number to be their new starting floor general. While he’s not a true pass-first guard, the combination of Russell, Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso should be enough ball-handlers to navigate through a season.”
“Bamba gives the team insurance in the frontcourt if Nikoka Vucevic leaves in free agency, and Christie shot 41.9 percent from three as a rookie and doesn’t turn 21 until February. Getting the Lakers’ unprotected first-round pick in 2029 could prove to be a valuable selection or future trade asset as well,” Swartz continued. “DeRozan gives the Lakers a third All-Star to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, putting Los Angeles back into true championship contention.”
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Of course, this is just a mock trade and it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll go down. Then again, it makes sense for both parties, as DeRozan would finally get to play for his hometown team and pursue a ring, while the Bulls finally kickstart their long-overdue rebuild.
