DeMar DeRozan believed he was joining the Los Angeles Lakers until the Westbrook trade scuttled plans.
Five time All Star, DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls sure has a soft spot for his hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers; so much so that the 33-year old thought he would pitch tent with the Gold and Purple.
Prior to signing a three-year, $82 million deal with Chicago in the summer of 2021, the 14-year veteran believed he was joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles.
“To my knowledge, I thought it was a done deal,” DeRozan said on a recent episode of “The Old Man And The Three” with ex NBA player, J.J. Redick.
“To my knowledge, I thought it was a done deal.” DeMar DeRozan really thought he was going to be a Laker.
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) September 29, 2022
Watch the full episode with @jj_redick and @talter: https://t.co/iFQ3jKqn9N pic.twitter.com/SV73O5jdyy
DeRozan said he was in Mexico when former teammate and friend Kyle Lowry called to intimate him about Russell Westbrook being traded to the Lakers. “I’m confused,” he retorted. “I’m looking at my phone like, damn, that did happen. Well, I guess that’s out the window.”
The Lakers’ acquisition of the services of Westbrook took up cap spaces available to sign DeRozan and bring him home to Los Angeles, which he was ‘hell-bent’ on.
In comparison, Westbrook shot under 30 percent from three while averaging 18.5 points, his lowest point total since 2009-10. DeRozan, meanwhile, shot over 50 percent rom the field while averaging a career-high 27.9 points for the Bulls.
The Bulls made the playoffs, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in five games, while the Lakers did not, after winning just 33 games in a disastrous season.
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