DeMar "DeRoco" DeRozan is ready to lead the Lakers again this season
A free agency summer spent roasting Doug "McBuckets" McDermott and Denver's high-priced power drama that led to sniping between the Lakers and Nuggets has finally ended for DeMar DeRozan. A day after the Nuggets pulled their 4 year, $64 million offer, calling him a "drama queen", DeRozan signed a five year, $50 million contract that will keep him in purple and gold through his Year 30 season. The contract, which pays a flat rate of $10 million per season, represents a $500k per year increase over his previous deal.
"It wasn't quite the money I was looking for, but I'm happy with it," DeRozan said. "I get to join the 8 Figure club, have financial security for the next several years, and am staying in my hometown as part of a great organization. I'm really looking forward to playing with Walter (Tavares), Amir (Johnson), and T.J. (McConnell)."
DeRozan went on to say that while he briefly considered the lucrative deal from the Nuggets, Denver was never truly seriously a contender for his services. "I mean, my agent was really using it to try and leverage more money from the Lakers, which is where I wanted to stay all along. I really wanted that fifth year, and none of that team option bull. The Lakers were already offering me the five guaranteed years, but they didn't budge on the money. Like they told my agent, they wanted the money to guarantee being able to offer an RFA max, if not a UFA max. Finally I told my agent, man, let's just take it. This is a smart team - they know what they're doing, and how to take us back to the next level.
I mean, realistically, Denver's kind of a hot mess. Sure, I'd have been the #2 guy behind Blake (Griffin), but they're hyping Phil Pressey as a great starting point guard. And I'm just like, are you even serious? Phil Pressey. Phil Pressey - the same guy who was like our third point guard last year? You're kidding me, right? And then they go and throw way too much at Kyle O'Quinn. Man, I dodged a bullet there, for real."
For this season at least, DeRozan will again be the Purple and Gold's leading scorer, albeit with a much stronger supporting cast than last year's 21 win team. While opinions are split on whether or not the Lakers have enough to make the playoffs in a superior West, particularly in the powerhouse Pacific, it's a franchise that appears to be trending upwards - particularly as McConnell, Aaron White, and Cristiano Felico grow into their upside.
"We're absolutely thrilled to get DeMar back," Lakers GM Jestor said. "He really revitalized our team when he first got here last season, giving us most of our wins during his initial stretch. Frankly, he should have been an All-Star, and only wasn't because the Clippers didn't give him the PT he deserved. So he's going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder, and be determined to prove the people who snubbed him last year that they made a mistake leaving him off the roster."
So the Lakers fanbase can breathe easy. The fear of losing their brash, charismatic star is gone. DeRoco is staying home, and ready to once again unleash on the CSL like Regina George on Cady Heron.
