Los Angeles Lakers: Homegrown stars who should end their careers in L.A.
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.