Magic Johnson needed the Lakers to pursue DeMar DeRozan within the offseason over Russell Westbrook.
The Lakers legend was discussing this season’s roster make-up Monday, throughout consecutive appearances on ESPN’s morning exhibits, “Get Up” and “First Take.”
After giving reward to the Lakers’ main scorer, LeBron James, Johnson mentioned the franchise face is responsible for L.A. passing up DeRozan — who signed a three-year, $82 million deal final August by way of a sign-and-trade with the Spurs.
“The blame that he’s obtained to take is the truth that DeRozan ended up in Chicago and never with the Lakers. DeRozan needed to play for the Lakers and after I obtained the decision from his agent, [Aaron Goodwin], I known as the Lakers, mentioned, ‘Hey [DeRozan] needs to return dwelling,'” Johnson mentioned on “Get Up.”
“We might’ve made that deal. However when Russell and LeBron began speaking, that’s once they nixed that deal and went with Westbrook… In the event you signed DeRozan and also you solely commerce [Kyle] Kuzma for Buddy Hield, we'd be enjoying within the Western Convention championship this 12 months with these two guys.”
DeRozan is a Compton, Calif. native, and attended USC for a 12 months earlier than the Raptors took him No. 9 general within the 2009 NBA Draft.
The Lakers acquired Westbrook final summer time in hopes of forming a Large 3 with James and Anthony Davis, however their grasp plan by no means got here to fruition. Accidents stored James and Davis sidelined all through the season, and Westbrook has struggled on each ends of the ground for almost all of the season.
“I known as [Lakers general manager] Rob [Pelinka] and mentioned, ‘DeRozan needs to return play.’ So I obtained out of the best way… I went on trip and the subsequent factor I hear is we’re not gonna signal DeRozan however commerce for Westbrook,” Johnson mentioned on “First Take” later within the day.
“That they had the Buddy Hield commerce already carried out after which backed out of it. You will have DeRozan and Hield, then you might’ve stored [Alex] Caruso and KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]. These guys are defenders. They’re on-ball defenders… We’d be competing for the Western Convention Finals.”
Hield was rumored to be heading to the Lakers from the Kings in a deal centered round Talen Horton-Tucker. Caruso signed a four-year, $37 million contact with the Bulls final August — 4 days after the Lakers traded Caldwell-Pope to Washington as a part of a bundle for Westbrook.
Westbrook is the highest-paid participant on L.A.’s roster, incomes $44 million, forward of LeBron James ($41 million). The previous league MVP and the Lakers reportedly have mutual curiosity about discovering him a brand new workforce in the summertime.
Final November, DeRozan himself even mentioned he believed he was going to be a Laker.
“I felt like going to the Lakers was a carried out deal and that we have been going to determine it out. I used to be going to return dwelling,” DeRozan instructed Yahoo Sports activities. “The enterprise facet of issues simply didn’t work out. A few issues didn’t align. It didn’t work out. It’s simply a part of the enterprise, a part of the sport. My subsequent possibility was undoubtedly Chicago. So, trying again at it, it labored out properly.”
The Put up’s Marc Berman beforehand reported the Knicks have been one of many groups DeRozan was most concerned about becoming a member of earlier than he dedicated to Chicago.
Johnson expressed his disappointment within the Lakers, who entered Monday within the eleventh spot within the Western Convention with 4 video games left within the common season. Westbrook’s failure to search out his rhythm inside the injury-plagued roster closely contributed to the Lakers’ season-long struggles.
In the meantime, DeRozan is enjoying history-making basketball in Chicago, placing up career-high numbers in scoring.
As of April 3, the Lakers have a 0.7 p.c probability of creating the NBA Playoffs, in response to FiveThirtyEight’s projections. The play-in match begins April 12 and concludes April 15.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has additionally been on the heart of hypothesis about his job safety amid the LA’s disastrous season.
“We are able to’t level the fingers simply at Vogel,” Johnson mentioned on “Get Up.” “Russell, you bought to take duty and say, ‘I didn’t play properly for 4, 5 months.’ AD, it's a must to keep wholesome… Possibly subsequent season, they've to take a look at you and be like perhaps you could be some place else… Any person’s obtained to take the blame. Somebody’s obtained to be the autumn man and that’s in all probability going to be Vogel.”
Johnson added that he “feels sorry for LeBron,” due to the kind of season the 37-year-old is having. James is averaging 30.3 factors, 8.2 rebound and 6.2 assists this season.
Final month, James handed Karl Malone for second on the NBA’s all-time scoring checklist, trailing solely Lakers legend Kareem Abudl-Jabbar.
James sat out Sunday’s 129-118 loss to the Nuggets with a nagging ankle harm. The 31-47 Lakers play the West-leading Suns in Phoenix Tuesday.
Post a Comment