DeRozan could soon be playing in front of his home crowd.
Many NBA teams are keeping an eye on the Chicago Bulls following a recent report by The Athletic showed the team’s heightened willingness to trade standout guard Zach LaVine. This has piqued the curiosity of a number of teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.
While LaVine would certainly help a Lakers offense that struggles for scores when LeBron James sits, Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni believes the Lakers would be better suited pursuing another Bulls player.
The Lakers angling to add another star
To begin the season, the Lakers’ offense has struggled to score points. The squad has a low offensive rating and is in the bottom half of the league in terms of points per game. Trading for LaVine, who has averaged more than 24 points per game in his last seven seasons in Chicago, could help. However, Nadkarni believes the Lakers should shift their concentration elsewhere.
“Los Angeles currently has an offense in the bottom half of the league, and is getting run off the floor whenever LeBron James sits. LaVine would be a fit here, and playing in front of James and Anthony Davis should help mitigate his defensive struggles. The thing is, if the Bulls are going to blow it up, shouldn’t the Lakers try to hold out for DeMar DeRozan? In fact, the Lakers could try to trade for both DeRozan and Caruso—who combined make less money than LaVine,” Nadkarni wrote.
DeRozan makes more sense
Caruso’s return would be a godsend for the Lakers, as his defensive skills would be just what the doctor ordered. A trade for the former Texas A&M standout, however, would be difficult because the Bulls’ asking price is two first-round picks. As a result, DeRozan is the only feasible option.
“The bottom line is this: If Chicago is going to become a seller—and if LaVine is gone, it would make sense for at least DeRozan to follow—then the Lakers probably make more sense as a DeMar destination than a LaVine one,” Nadkarni added.
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