In the days prior to his signing for the Chicago Bulls, everything pointed to DeMar DeRozan playing for the Los Angeles Lakers with a salary much less than the $ 81.9 million he will earn in the next three years. The player himself hinted that he could cut his salary just to play in the hometown franchise. But the talks didn’t go on the terms expected by the four-time All-Star. “The conversations with LeBron and the Lakers were great. It just didn’t work out », the player admitted in an interview with Shams Charania for Stadium.
According to DeRozan, there was something that brought down the entire negotiation process. You know, a single element can totally change the dynamics. It was a great opportunity for me, but sometimes things don’t work out. The major cause was the sudden transfer of Russell Westbrook, which made it impossible for the franchise to meet DeRozan’s salary.
He has also taken the opportunity to highlight the lack of respect that surrounds free agency. DeRozan always had the Bulls among his main options, but the delay caused a certain current that ensured that he had to lower his salary if he wanted to continue to have a hole in this league. The player took away from this issue and the premature comparisons with the contract that Lowry had already signed for the Miami Heat, of which DeRozan is delighted.
(Cover photo by Harry How / Getty Images)
