The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office got things rolling early by reportedly extending a qualifying offer to their second year guard, Talen Horton-Tucker.
Now, Los Angeles Times reporter Brad Turner links the Lake Show to both Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.
He reports:
“DeRozan, who starred at Compton High and USC, has interest in returning home to play for the Lakers, even if it is for less than the $27.7 million he earned last season in San Antonio, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Though the Lakers didn’t acquire Lowry at the trade deadline, he remains interested in joining them, according to people with knowledge of his situation.
The Lakers made multiple runs at DeRozan in the past. In 2016, Los Angeles reportedly made a big offer only for DeMar to accept Toronto’s max deal. Lowry has been linked to the Lakers as far back as the trade deadline.
For the Lakers to get Lowry, it will have to come in a sign-and-trade with the Raptors centered around Schroder and others. The deal would eliminate flexibility from the team’s salary cap, leaving the only option of filling out the roster with minimum players.
The Lakers have six players under contract with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol and Alfonzo McKinnie (non-guaranteed). Montrezl Harrell has a player option for next season at $9.7 million, and he has a July 31 deadline to inform the Lakers.
