DeMar DeRozan is getting squeezed on NBA free agent market, but Lakers still make sense

DeMar DeRozan is still performing at a near NBA All-Star level after 15 seasons in the league. The veteran wing had an excellent three seasons with the Chicago Bulls, scoring a ton of points, producing plenty of great moments when it mattered, and rarely losing the ball. Now, DeRozan is an unrestricted free agent shy of his 35th birthday, and he’s on the hunt for a new team as the Bulls look to pivot towards a long-awaited rebuild. There’s just one problem: With most of the free agent talent already drafted, there doesn’t seem to be a player who can fit DeRozan at a salary bracket that matches his talents.

Despite DeRozan being the best unsigned player currently in the NBA, there doesn’t appear to be a market for him, and according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, DeRozan may be open to accepting a one-year deal in the summer of 2025 to earn more money.

“The kind of contract (DeRozan) wants is not available,” Woj reported on SportsCenter. “It’s not like there isn’t one left on the market. It might not be as attractive for him, but it could be a one-year deal somewhere. Let’s reset the market next year.”

Woj said: Los Angeles Lakers Any team interested in DeRozan could only do so at a reasonable cost. The most the Lakers could offer would be $12.8 million, the mid-level exception. Even then, LeBron James might have to take a bargain. It would be a big pay cut for a player who has clearly made more than $27 million in average salary over the past three seasons, but it might be the best offer he can get.

DeRozan is a talented player, but a tough one to fit into an existing team structure because he needs the ball to perform at his best. With the ball in his hands, DeRozan is a master at getting to his spots, knocking down mid-range shots, and taking tons of free throws. At the same time, he demands a role so close to the ball that he would have to be an absolute superstar to drive a team’s success. DeRozan is very good, but right now he’s not on the same level as Luka Doncic or even a prime James Harden.

As a lead player, DeRozan is good but not good enough, and as a supporting player, he lacks two key ingredients every good role player needs: spot-up shooting and defense.

DeRozan entered the league in 2009, right before the NBA’s three-point boom. It’s amazing how well he’s performed in this era, when he barely mastered the three-point shot. DeRozan has shot 29.6 percent from three-point range on just 1.6 attempts per game for his career. He shot a bit better with Chicago, shooting 33.8 percent from three-point range on 1.9 attempts per game over three seasons. At the end of the day, he’s still not a willing or able shooter in the half-court that defenses will trick him into paying the price.

DeRozan isn’t very good defensively either, often having to shadow the opposing team’s weakest offensive player, struggling to avoid screens, slow rotations and not putting up much resistance.

Despite his limitations, there’s a world of room for both sides on the court if DeRozan were to join the Lakers. LeBron James is preparing to turn 40 and still plays more on-ball than most, but James has also become a prodigious spot-up shooter late in his career. James attempted 2.6 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers per game last season, hitting 47.3 percent of them. NBA Tracking DataWhen James tires, DeRozan goes on the offensive and LeBron spreads the floor.

The Lakers need to add talent at all costs in an improving Western Conference. This team has won 47 games but only won one playoff game last year. He may not be the perfect player, but acquiring DeRozan at this point in the offseason would be a smart move, especially if he can be acquired at a discount.