The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly still looking to add depth to their roster following the Deandre Ayton trade on Friday. After acquiring combo guard Jaden Hardy in the Ayton deal, LA still has some holes to fill.
The Lakers have some options, but a recently released six-time All-Star seems to be out of their reach, according to an NBA insider.
Report: Lakers Not Viewed as Serious Contender for 6-Time NBA All-Star
DeMar DeRozan was waived by the Sacramento Kings on Monday. Deebo had $10 million guaranteed on his $25.7 million contract, but was released by the Kings to accommodate his interest in joining a championship-contending team.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on Monday, DeRozan isn’t keen to play for his hometown team.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are not considered to be a potential landing spot for veteran guard DeMar DeRozan after he was released by Sacramento on Monday, multiple league sources told ESPN. The Southern California native had dialogue with LAL in the past – notably in 2021,” McMenamin tweeted.
The Los Angeles Lakers are not considered to be a potential landing spot for veteran guard DeMar DeRozan after he was released by Sacramento in Monday, multiple league sources told ESPN. The Southern California native had dialogue with LAL in the past – notably in 2021.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 7, 2026
DeRozan expressed his interest in joining the Lakers on multiple occasions.
He said in a 2021 interview with Draymond Green that he “wanted to come home.” The former Toronto Raptors star was also reportedly on the Los Angeles Clippers’ radar, but he eventually ended up with the Chicago Bulls.
The 6-foot-6 veteran’s dream of going home to Los Angeles nearly came true in the summer of 2021. In a 2022 interview with “The Old Man and The Three,” DeRozan said that a trade to the Lakers was a “done deal” before he was taken by surprise while on vacation.
DeRozan said in JJ Redick’s podcast that the Lakers shifted course and traded for Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards.
Two seasons later, before he signed with the Kings, the Compton, California, native said on Paul George’s podcast that the Lakers were one of multiple teams that were “legitimate options.”
During the 2025-26 season, DeRozan was one of the Kings’ few bright spots. He averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game.
DeRozan’s impact was often felt late in games.
The Kings would routinely turn to him in clutch situations. According to StatMuse, DeRozan’s 3,045 fourth-quarter points since the 2019-20 season are the best in the NBA. LeBron James, the top free agent left, scored 2,977, putting him third on the list.
The Lakers could potentially use the three-time All-NBA to help ease the offensive load on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. DeRozan, who sometimes played power forward for the Bulls and the Kings, could also add positional versatility in certain matchups.
However, despite the option to join the Lakers now on the table, DeRozan may not end up at Los Angeles after all.
