Los Angeles Lakers: Does trading for DeMar DeRozan make sense?

The Los Angeles Lakers are likely in pursuit of stars this summer. One star new to the trade block may become Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.

The Los Angeles Lakers have an agenda to fill this summer that likely includes bringing in at least one, and probably two, superstars. The team has opened $61 million in practical cap space to make this happen, which should be enough for two stars as long as one takes a slight pay cut.

However, this would leave the Lakers will very little flexibility in the rest of the roster. The team still needs to re-sign Julius Randle and add depth at guard and potential size at center. While the superstars are the most talked about narrative, there are other things the Lakers need to consider this offseason.

Thus, trading for a star could be a possibility. In doing so, the Lakers would be able to offset the salaries by including Luol Deng. Not only is LA getting a star, the team is also opening cap space in the future to surround that now established star with more pieces.

We have already talked about DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George. Both scenarios present an interesting opportunity and both could be done for different reasons.

Now, after being swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors could be shopping pieces. If so, DeMar DeRozan becomes an interesting name on the market.

Bill Simmons proposed the trade we are going to work around on The Bill Simmons Podcast. The trade was as followed.

First and foremost, this was suggested as a hypothetical trade to fuel discussion. This is not an inside scoop that Simmons has, at least he did not suggest it was. However, the deal is a rather interesting one and is very realistic compared to other deals, so it would not be crazy to see this happen.

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Right off the bat, my answer is that the Los Angeles Lakers say no to this trade. And this is not because of an inflated evaluation of Brandon Ingram. Not at all. I have been no stranger to giving up Ingram if the price is right.

However, for what the Lakers are getting, this trade does not make a whole lot of sense. Sure, the team is getting an LA guy and that hometown narrative is always interesting to play with. On the same note, they are trading for a guy with a terrible track record in the postseason in an area they can fill with better positions.

If the Lakers do plan on bringing in LeBron James he will likely play the four, leaving Ingram at the three. If you bring DeRozan in, you are essentially creating a gap at either the three, four or even the five if Julius Randle reverts to a full-time power forward. All of a sudden, you need to add a center on the open market with the only star being an injured, risky, DeMarcus Cousins.

However, if you make a deal for say Cousins, you can also bring in George to fill that shooting guard position. Now, you have George, Ingram, LeBron and Randle playing the two, three, four and five. All the Lakers need to do is add depth behind Lonzo Ball and some size in the draft and the team is set.

Next: Three ways the Lakers can trade their pick

It is not to say that DeRozan is a bad player, he simply does not fit the system in LA. As intriguing as getting rid of Luol Deng may be and as quick as the Raptors may jump on this deal, it just does not make much sense for LA.

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