In honor of the popular “returning home” narrative in today’s NBA, we take a look at a few homegrown stars who should sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in the future.
We’ve seen it before and we’ll certainly see it again — maybe even with the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA stars have recently made it a thing to sign with their hometown teams, returning to their roots to help the clubs they cheered on as children contend for a title or two.
The fad started with LeBron James, who returned to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers after originally giving them the cold shoulder to create a Big Three with the Miami Heat. Since that fateful day in July 2014, James has delivered a championship to the Cavaliers — a first for the franchise. Dwyane Wade made a similar move last year, but the results weren’t nearly as impressive.
It was also expected that Kevin Durant would do the noble thing and sign with the Washington Wizards. Instead, he joined the Golden State Warriors with his sights set on a ring. Even though that instance didn’t have a fairytale ending for the hometown team, it’s still a common assumption that local ties will play a role in free agency decisions.
That’s why I’ve decided to take a look at a few products of the Los Angeles area who could end their careers with the Lakers. All are scheduled to be free agents at different times, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t decide to take their talents back to SoCal before calling it a career.
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So without further ado, let’s look at five local legends who could definitely be on the Lakers’ radar when they eventually hit free agency. There’s obviously no guarantee that anything will ever materialize with these stars, but it’ll be an interesting storyline to follow nonetheless.
Paul George, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder
Place of birth: Palmdale
Let’s start off with the obvious choice here.
Since early this year, the Lakers have been trying to bring Paul George back to Los Angeles. While they failed to do so prior to the 2017 trade deadline and during the offseason, that doesn’t mean a reunion between PG-13 and his hometown team can’t happen somewhere down the road.
In fact, there’s still a chance he decides to join the Lakers next year when he becomes a free agent. Los Angeles’ odds of convincing him to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder took a sizable hit when they acquired Carmelo Anthony last week, but there’s no guarantee the team can keep him from making his triumphant return to the City of Angels.
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In the end, it could come down to whether or not the Thunder can make a legitimate run at the NBA Finals in 2017-18. Overcoming the Warriors in the West won’t be easy, but the presence of Carmelo definitely helps. It’s still to be seen if three ball-dominant players can thrive in the same starting lineup.
So will we ever see George in the purple and gold? There’s a decent chance, but the Lakers are essentially in a holding pattern until next offseason. Even if he decides to stick with the Thunder for the time being, George is young enough to join his hometown team somewhere further down the line.
DeMar DeRozan, SG, Toronto Raptors
Place of birth: Compton
During the 2016 offseason, the potential for DeMar DeRozan to ditch the Toronto Raptors in favor of the Lakers had gained momentum. The Compton native seemed interested in a return to this roots, but ultimately decided to stay north of the border.
The next time he hits the open market, that may not be the case. If he was tempted once, I can only imagine those feelings will crop up again for the Raptors’ dangerous slashing guard. When that time comes, he could decide Los Angeles should be the next stop for his NBA career.
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Unfortunately for the Lakers, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. DeRozan’s current contract isn’t up until 2021, although he can decline his player option and become a free agent in 2020. By then, though, Los Angeles will likely have spent most of its exorbitant cap space on a couple of different stars.
Still, the opportunity could arise somewhere down the line for DeRozan to come back to California. He has the Los Angeles ties, which will continue to play a prominent part in any free agency decision he’s forced to make. If the right pieces fall into place, he could be taking his talents back to SoCal before long.
Chances are it doesn’t happen anytime soon. However, don’t be surprised if DeRozan lands with the Lakers at some point before he unlaces his kicks for the last time.
Kevin Love, PF, Cleveland Cavaliers
Place of birth: Santa Monica
For years now, Kevin Love has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Cavaliers. Despite his underrated presence as the No. 3 option (for some reason), his impact continuously and undeniably helps LeBron’s team compete for a championship.
Honestly, I’m sure the Lakers would love to have Love on their roster. They’d at least be able to appreciate what the four-time All-Star can bring to the table. He’s a tremendous rebounder, underappreciated option on offense and impacts the game in a number of ways with his hustle and tenacity.
Right now, Love may not seem like a great fit. The Lakers currently boast the talents of Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. at power forward, which is more than enough for the time being. However, when he hits the open market in 2020, Los Angeles’ situation at the 4 may not be so exciting. If that’s the case, you’d better believe they’d kick the tires on Love.
Every time Love’s name comes up in trade rumors, the Lakers enter the conversation. His talents would be much more appreciated in Los Angeles, and the local ties obvious help. If they really want to bring him back to California, though, waiting to sign him in 2020 may be best.
Especially as his career winds down, Love could become a cheaper option. If that ends up being the case, the Lakers could easily sign him and allow him to finish his career in his old stomping grounds.
Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs
Place of birth: Los Angeles
Born in the heart of LA, Kawhi Leonard played his college ball not far south at San Diego State. Despite his ties to Southern California, he has the makings of a San Antonio Spurs lifer. In the rare case he does test the market, though, maybe the Lakers will be a consideration.
Los Angeles would absolutely be interested in bringing the Spurs’ dynamic wing home. First and foremost, he’s arguably the top talent in the NBA despite his 26 years of age. Leonard worked his way into the MVP conversation last season, and likely should have earned more votes than he eventually received.
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The Spurs’ new superstar has asserted himself as easily the best two-way wing (or overall player) in the league today. He’s won two out of the last three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and is regarded by most as an elite lockdown defender. Especially considering the Lakers’ recent struggles on that end of the court, Leonard would be a welcomed addition.
Realistically, the door could open for a homecoming in the near future. Leonard is under contract with San Antonio only until 2020, and he has a player option that could make him a free agent in 2019. If, for some strange reason, he decides he’s done with Texas, he could test the waters.
In that hypothetical situation, the Lakers would absolutely throw the recruiting kitchen sink at him. He’d be the new hero of Los Angeles, especially since he’d still be in his prime at that point in time.
Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
Place of birth: Long Beach
Let’s be honest — Russell Westbrook is going to re-sign with the Thunder. He hasn’t accepted the team’s super-max offer yet, but he’s going to before the mid-October deadline. That, however, doesn’t mean he’s going to be in Oklahoma for the rest of his life.
The deal on the table is for five years, meaning he’d be under contract with the Thunder through 2023 once it’s signed. That would make him 33 years old before he found himself wading around the free agency waters again. While that doesn’t necessarily guarantee his elite status will have been revoked, he’ll absolutely be on the back end of his illustrious career.
Still, at that point, the Lakers would likely still consider bringing him aboard. Seeing as he just won the NBA MVP award, a small regression would still put him among the best point guards in the league.
By that point, maybe him, George and Anthony have won a couple of rings. Maybe he’s achieved everything he’s wanted to achieve in Oklahoma City, giving him that sense of fulfillment. That could open the door for him to go home, reuniting with the city that helped him develop into the transcendent talent he is today.
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If/when that time comes, Westbrook would have to at least consider putting pen to paper to join the Lakers. Maybe him and a couple of other players on this list can come together to form a star-studded Los Angeles reunion of sorts.