DeMar DeRozan held talks with LeBron James to join the Lakers before Russell Westbrook deal eliminated that option

The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan several times this season.

In fact, DeRozan reportedly spoke with four-time MVP LeBron James about a potential partnership before the Lakers agreed to a deal to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards.

“San Antonio Spurs unrestricted free agent DeMar DeRozan was in talks with James, sources said, but the Westbrook deal eliminated that option because it would have required a sign-and-trade scenario and a [Kyle] Kuzma inclusion,” wrote Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

DeRozan, 31, is one of the better guards available in free agency.

The four-time All-Star averaged 21.6 points, 6.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game last season. He’s been a solid contributor for the Spurs for the last three years.

However, the Spurs have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. As a result, it makes sense for DeRozan to be looking elsewhere as he exits his prime.

The guard hasn’t hidden his feelings about potentially joining the Lakers. One recent report suggested that the Compton, Calif. native is interested in joining the Lakers at a discounted price.

The Lakers are also linked to Spurs forward Rudy Gay.

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