Has DeMar DeRozan already decided where he’ll sign in free agency this summer?
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN seems to think so.
While he was speaking about the greatness of Paul George, he threw in this piece of news (h/t HoopsHype):
: DeMar DeRozan is enjoying his last days in Toronto because he’s leaving for Los Angeles in a few months.
This is a pretty big leap to make, assuming Smith wasn’t kidding. DeRozan is going to opt out of his deal, but if the Toronto Raptors are dangling the fifth year that no other team can, it will be tough to leave.
By “Los Angeles” we’re also going to assume Smith is talking about the Los Angeles Lakers. Though it might appeal to him to be the heir of Kobe Bryant’s throne, the Raptors just wrapped the 2015-16 season as the Eastern Conference’s best season. DeRozan, a California native, would be taking a pretty big step back by joining the boys in purple and gold. And his status there could impede the developments of at least one of Jordan Clarkson (restricted free agent), D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, each of whom needs a certain amount of touches on the offensive end.
On the flip side, if the Raptors get bounced early in the playoffs, especially at the pleasure of the Indiana Pacers in the first round, they might not want DeRozan back. Handing him a max deal would hamstring them financially, all for a player who hasn’t helped them get into the second round.
