5 free agency destinations for DeMar DeRozan
By Leah Smith
Los Angeles Lakers
Outside of the Raptors, the Lakers seem to be the team most committed to going after DeRozan, stating that they will be offering him a max contract when he becomes a free agent. All other teams on this list are tied for a distant third behind the Raptors and Lakers.
The reason for all the interest is that DeRozan was born and raised in L.A. He even spent his one year of college as a Trojan at the University of Southern California.
With Kobe Bryant retiring at the end of the season, who better to be the next face of the franchise than the local boy that is already a proven NBA talent? The Lakers would definitely have the money available to pay for the maximum contract.
The downside of going home to L.A.? The team is years away from being contenders, a story that DeRozan has already lived through as a Raptor. It will be years of waiting to see if first-round picks will live up to their potential with no guarantees.
However, if DeRozan could one day bring a championship back to L.A., he would be a legend right alongside Kobe.
Next: 1. Toronto Raptors