DeMar DeRozan believed he was joining the Lakers in the offseason, says he was going to ‘come home’

Chicago Bulls veteran DeMar DeRozan put on a show against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.

The 32-year-old went for 38 points, three rebounds and six assists in a Bulls victory.

After the game, he talked about how he thought he was going to find himself wearing a Lakers uniform this season.

“I felt like going to the Lakers was a done deal and that we were going to figure it out,” DeRozan told Yahoo! Sports. “I was going to come home. The business side of things just didn’t work out. A couple of things didn’t align. It didn’t work out. It’s just part of the business, part of the game. My next option was definitely Chicago. So, looking back at it, it worked out well.

“But there’s always motivation. It may be just to come home and play in front of friends and family, competing against teams you grew up watching. There are all sorts of motivations that you carry and you try to channel that energy into the game. I find that in every game, but definitely coming back to your hometown, you want to play well and you have that motivation to put on a great show.”

It’s early in the season, but some Lakers fans are certainly wishing that L.A. had landed DeRozan’s services. The four-time All-Star is proving that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

Over 14 games this season, DeRozan is averaging 26.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest. He’s shooting 51.0 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.

DeRozan’s Bulls are off to a fantastic start this season, as they’re 10-4 so far. The Lakers’ campaign hasn’t been as smooth, as the team is just 8-7 to this point.