Report: Lakers Could Make Blockbuster Trade for 4x All-Star

The Los Angeles Lakers will have to work really hard in the offseason and they may also work on a blockbuster trade. This means that some of the players on the current roster will have to go somewhere else.

General manager Rob Pelinka brought a lot of new names last offseason. He spent a lot of money on top players but the team struggled to make the first round of the playoffs. They defeated the Golden State Warriors but lost to the Phoenix Suns.

Bobby Marks from ESPN was assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets for five years. According to him, LA may target Spurs free-agent DeMar DeRozan. The Lakers could really use his help and yes, this sign-and-trade deal looks like a good option now. The veteran guard had a $27.7 million salary in the 2020-21 season. He is under a five-year deal worth $139 million.

Lakers front office needs to get a third star through a blockbuster trade

The former NBA exec also said this deal is “highly unlikely. DeRozan averaged 21.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds for the team this season. He had 61 starts. LA fans would like to add that the veteran shot just 25.7% behind the three-point line.

“For example, the Lakers could trade Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, an unprotected first-round pick in 2027 and the right to swap firsts to San Antonio for a signed-and-traded DeMar DeRozan,” Marks explained.

“Although such a trade works on paper, it is highly unlikely the Lakers could make that move and remain below the $142 million threshold while still retaining Schroder, Caruso, Horton-Tucker and perhaps Drummond,” Marks continued.

The Lakers really struggled with their long-range shooting this season. DeRozan can easily be the third star behind LeBron and AD.

In November, DeRozan talked about the potential trade to LA. His reaction was priceless.

“For me it’s just I’ve learned being in the league so long that you always want to be wanted,” DeRozan admitted, via NBC Sports. “So when you see things about teams wanting you, you can’t feel a certain type of way. You’d better feel good about it because there’s some motherf—— that’s not wanted. You don’t want to be that person. So to be wanted by a championship team that just came off a championship, to see that, how could you not feel some type of way? Especially me, being from L.A., it’s like ‘damn, my hometown team want me? They just came off a championship and they want me?’ It’s definitely crazy to be able to see that.”