DeMar DeRozan needs to be key focus of Lakers

DeMar DeRozan is getting an irreplaceable chance to prove to Los Angeles that he’s worth the investment.

With plenty of speculation still going around regarding who the Los Angeles Lakers will decide to invest in when it comes to the free agent market this off-season, DeMar DeRozan is certainly at the top of the list.

Being a huge part of the success of the Toronto Raptors this season, DeRozan is riding alongside teammate Kyle Lowry as his team looks to square off against the Cleveland Cavaliers as soon as Tuesday.

This series is a franchise first for the Raptors, which speaks to how determined both DeRozan and Lowry are this year to make a name for themselves and show that any hype they’ve received is worth it’s asking price.

Lowry won’t be a free agent for a while, as he signed an extension with Toronto in 2014 for four years and $48 million, but DeRozan is preparing to hit the market no matter how far the Raptors make it in this postseason.

Even if they get to and possibly win the NBA Finals.

DeRozan is a Los Angeles native and a former star at USC, so his roots with the city and the Lakers are stronger than with other potential free agent signings.

One of the major reasons he remains a top interest of the team is because the young talent in Los Angeles — aside from the potential draft pick this year — needs a veteran leader to help them find their way.

DeRozan is having a year to remember this season, averaging a career-best 23.5 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game.

The Lakers need all the help they can get, and with the direct interest they’ve received publicly from DeRozan, getting him into purple and gold would be one of the strongest ways to start off the new season.

Los Angeles can’t seem to do without a sports superstar, something we learned from watching the way Kobe Bryant went out at the end of this season.

DeRozan would fit right into what the Lakers have lined up, with a new head coach and other free agents, including some players from Golden State, up for grabs.

But before any of that, the franchise will now get to see how DeRozan handles the pressure of a third round match-up against a team lead by LeBron James and determined to bring a championship to Cleveland.

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If he can hold his own, even in a series loss, it’s all the more reason for the Lakers not to hesitant to grab their next best guy for the immediate future.