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San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan wants to play in his hometown, and the LA Lakers definitely listened in as the four-time All-Star expressed his desire in an interview. DeRozan and the Lakers could be a good fit next season if things work out.
"It's all about winning,” DeRozan said. “Going into my 13th season, seeing all these guys competing for a championship.”
When asked if it’s all really about winning and not about the team that will pay him the most, DeMar DeRozan talked about balancing both.
“You try to balance it as best as you can at this point,” DeRozan said. “You’ve got to weigh out the opportunity to win a championship kinda more, especially with the career I’ve had. I've been fortunate to make a lot of money, but the ultimate goal is to always compete for a championship."
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The LA Lakers could create a formidable super team with DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which would make them the overwhelming favorites to win the 2022 title.
Here are the 4 salary options for the LA Lakers and DeMar DeRozan to discuss this offseason:
Landing DeMar DeRozan in free agency isn’t as simple as it seems. For all his talk about a championship opportunity having more of an impact in his free agency decision this offseason, the money that he could potentially lose by signing with the LA Lakers could be too much for him even if he were to play in front of family and friends.
1. Sign-and-trade
The sign-and-trade option for DeMar DeRozan would give the 13-year veteran the salary he deserves (possibly $15 to 20 million), as well as the chance to play for a title contender and come home at the same time.
But the LA Lakers are unlikely to agree to this arrangement, and the same may be true for the San Antonio Spurs.
Since the LA Lakers would be the team that acquires the signed-and-traded player, they would be hard-capped for the entire 2021-22 season, leaving them with only six players under contract. They would then have to fill out their roster using the veteran’s minimum as they won’t be allowed to exceed the $143 million hard cap.
Additionally, the LA Lakers would have to give up at least one of their players, presumably Kyle Kuzma, and maybe Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or the 22nd pick in the 2021 draft. Doing so would remove key players from their roster, and they would be hard-pressed to win a title next season, thus negating one of DeMar DeRozan’s reasons for wanting to play on the Lakers in the first place.
For the Spurs, salary cap expert Larry Coon explained it best during an interview with Spectrum SportsNet that this trade doesn’t benefit them much, even though they would receive a player with the potential to be a star in return.
“I don’t know that there’s any reason that San Antonio with all the cap room they have would be looking at doing sign-and-trade,” Coon said.
It's likely that the Spurs, the LA Lakers and Demar DeRozan will not see this arrangement as beneficial to any of them.
2. $9.5 million full mid-level exception
Another option would be for the LA Lakers to offer DeMar DeRozan the full mid-level exception amounting to $9.5 million. However, this would also hard cap the Lakers just as the sign-and-trade option would.
It would be a much larger pay cut for DeMar DeRozan. It would also limit the LA Lakers’ spending power, even though they’re willing to pay the luxury tax to build a championship contender.
The only way that the LA Lakers can sign him to the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception is if Montrezl Harrell declines the second year of the mid-level exception deal he signed last season. If Harrell opts in, DeMar DeRozan can no longer sign with the Lakers under this salary option.
3. $5.9 million taxpayer's mid-level exception
Should Harrell opt in and exercise his player option at $9.7 million, the most that DeMar DeRozan can sign with the LA Lakers is $5.9 million, which is the taxpayer’s mid-level exception.
This is the most ideal scenario for the Lakers as it doesn’t hard cap them the entire season and allows them to retain some of their own free agents, including Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker.
The only question is whether the 31-year-old California native can swallow the discounted rate, which also keeps him from re-signing with the LA Lakers next season at nothing more than 120 percent of his 2021-22 salary.
If DeMar DeRozan really wants to have the best opportunity to win a championship, play for his hometown and earn a little bit from the experience, this is the best and most feasible way for him to go about signing with the LA Lakers.
4. $1.5-2.6 million veteran’s minimum
It’s unlikely that DeMar DeRozan will sign for the veteran’s minimum, but if he does, he will be doing the LA Lakers a huge favor. Not only does he prevent the team from being hard capped, but he will also be setting an example for the other free agents who will be coming to L.A.
This gives vice president of basketball operations and GM Rob Pelinka more money to work with without financially strapping the LA Lakers for the next few years. A signing like this would be a similar move to Karl Malone signing with the Purple and Gold for $1.5 million during the 2003-04 season. Unfortunately, the all-time great got injured during the 2004 Finals and the Lakers fell to the Detroit Pistons in five games.
Would DeMar DeRozan agree to this deal? If Malone can do it, maybe he would as well. But don’t bank on it.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Montrezl Harrell part of LA Lakers package to acquire Buddy Hield
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