DeMar DeRozan is one of the more intriguing All-Stars available on the market this summer. Multiple NBA teams have expressed interest in him, albeit not as their No. 1 option.
It goes without saying that DeRozan’s time with the Chicago Bulls was something of a mixed bag.
In his first year, he put up MVP numbers and made Chicago into one of the Eastern Conference scariest regular season teams.
Year 2, sadly, didn’t go as planned. The Bulls struggled mightily and DeRozan couldn’t do much to help them.
It was widely expected that Chicago would ultimately re-sign DeRozan, despite his recent comments about the Los Angeles Lakers and previous links to the Miami Heat, but this week a new team entered the fray.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Los Angeles Clippers have emerged as a dark horse suitor for DeRozan.
“However, one team worth monitoring as a potential suitor for DeRozan via sign-and-trade is the Los Angeles Clippers, should the franchise fail to re-sign Paul George in free agency, HoopsHype has learned. George — who never received an offer higher than Kawhi Leonard’s three-year, $153 million extension — is HoopsHype’s top-ranked unrestricted free agent this summer.
“DeRozan is a Compton native who has continued to perform at a high level as he approaches his 35th birthday.”
While losing George would hurt L.A., obviously – DeRozan is a heck of a player. He isn’t as versatile defensively, but he is inarguably a superior talent offensively.
And given that the Clippers have enough defensive talent on the roster to make up for George’s absence (as made abundantly clear during his many injury-riddled seasons), DeRozan could actually prove to be a better fit on this particular roster.
The next few months promise to be interesting.
Where will George and DeRozan ultimately be playing by the time next season tips off? Time will tell.
Related: NFL Fans Worried About Charissa Thompson After Jimmy Fallon Appearance
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.