Building an NBA champion isn’t easy. There’s a lot to consider. A champion needs roster balance. At the same time, they need as much talent as they can get. This has been a balance that the Los Angeles Lakers have been trying to strike as long as LeBron James has been on their roster.
Granted, they struck it once. James and the Lakers won the 2019-20 NBA championship. Now, the goal is to try to do it again. For some time, the Lakers thought adding Russell Westbrook to their roster would help. It didn’t. Westbrook’s inability to shoot made him a questionable fit alongside James.
It raised some interesting questions. Does a player need to be a knockdown shooter to play with James? Or, are Westbrook’s struggles just especially severe? Could the Lakers target another playmaker with a subpar jumper if he was different from Westbrook? How about DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls?
The Trade Proposal
Chicago Bulls Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G Gabe Vincent, 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F DeMar DeRozan
We don’t mean to say that James is difficult to build around – at least, he hasn’t been. Throughout his prime, James was easy to build around. He was always his team’s primary playmaker – all you had to do was put floor spacing and shot creation around him.
Now, James is aging. His ability to stave off the effects of time has been remarkable. James can still perform at a near-peak level. With that said, he’s still old. James needs more rest. He’s become more prone to taking defensive possessions off, and – most significantly here – he needs help with the playmaking load.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
That’s why the Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell. Can he provide enough secondary playmaking for the Lakers to make a title run? That remains to be seen, but if it looks like the answer is “no”, the Lakers could acquire another playmaker. Would DeRozan be a good option?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
The Lakers do this deal to acquire DeRozan. He’s the best player in this trade, and they’re contenders. There’s nothing especially complicated about this – at least, on the surface. Let’s dig deeper.
There would be concerns for the Lakers if they made this deal. DeRozan, like Westbrook, isn’t a reliable floor spacer. With that said, DeRozan is also a better decision-maker. He won’t launch ill-advised shots. DeRozan will take a three if he’s open, and otherwise, he’ll penetrate in an effort to make a play for himself or a teammate.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
No, the Lakers won’t have elite spacing following this deal. They will have elite talent. With James and DeRozan being such smart players, it feels like they could figure out their offensive dynamic. This is a gamble worth taking for the Lakers. What does it do for the Bulls?
Why The Chicago Bulls Do The Deal
Something has to give for Chicago. This team had a severely disappointing 2022-23 season. The Bulls need to make some changes. The only question is whether they’re rebuilding, or just retooling.
This deal makes sense either way. After all, Hachimura is a ready-made contributor, and so is Vincent. The Bulls get younger here, but they could still justify hanging onto Zach LaVine and trying to build a better team in a two-year window. On the other hand, they could move LaVine and get their rebuild officially underway.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
in that event, they’ll be happy to have this unprotected pick. The Lakers are getting older – who knows where they’ll be by 2029? After all, they’re built to contend now. It won’t be easy for the Lakers to build another contender by 2029 – it never is.
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