The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the 2021 NBA Playoffs after losing their first-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
Having gotten a head start on their offseason, the Lakers will surely be looking to improve their roster in order to contend once again for a championship.
They are reportedly interested in point guard Derrick Rose, according to Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network. Rose is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
“The Knicks would absolutely love to bring (Derrick) Rose back for another year or two,” said an NBA executive to Massey. “He was a perfect fit and Tom Thibodeau would like to keep him on the roster. However, there will be plenty of other suitors, including the Lakers, who will be looking for a new point guard with Dennis Schroder leaving town. L.A. is a serious threat to land Rose.”
Schroder made it clear after the Lakers’ season ended that he intends to return to the team next season. However, it’s unclear whether he will actually be back. Rose would serve as a strong replacement at the guard position.
Rose, 32, is coming off a season in which he averaged 14.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The University of Memphis product finished third in the 2020-21 NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting and has shown that he can still produce at a high level late in his career.
It’s unknown whether or not Rose would start for the Lakers, but what’s sure is that he would be a valuable contributor for the team.
