Chicago Bulls newcomer DeMar DeRozan recently offered some insight into his attempts to join the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.
He even detailed the conversations he had with Lakers superstar LeBron James about potentially joining L.A.
New Bulls star DeMar DeRozan sits down with @Stadium: “I haven’t played with a talent at that wing position like Zach (LaVine). I want to put everything I’ve been through in my career, share that with him, win together.” Also: Lakers, disrespect in free agency, being more vocal. pic.twitter.com/3dWWSZY5PC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 8, 2021
“They was great, honestly,” DeRozan said of the conversations he had with James about joining the Lakers. “Tried to make it work. Had plenty of conversation with Bron. Tried to make it work. Just didn’t work. You know how the business go. One thing can just change the whole dynamic and everything, but it was a hell of a opportunity that we tried to make happen. Me being from L.A., would have been crazy, but some things just didn’t work out, but it’s always great just to have the opportunity.”
It sounds like DeRozan was very open to the idea of joining the Lakers. He would have been another very intriguing veteran addition to the team.
In the 2020-21 season, the 32-year-old averaged 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. He has averaged at least 20.0 points per game in eight consecutive seasons.
He certainly would have been a nice piece for this Lakers team, but L.A. clearly opted to go in a different direction.
The former first-round pick will hope to have a big year for the Bulls in the upcoming campaign. Chicago’s roster looks a lot different than it did last season, and the team is in great shape to contend for a playoff bid.
