DeMar DeRozan Is Already A Laker According To 'Lakers Nation' Via Stephen A. Smith Via "Sources" Via Common Sense

LakersNation- During Tuesday’s show of ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith claimed DeRozan has made it very clear he wants to come to Los Angeles this summer:

“He’s made it very, very clear that he wants to be in L.A.,” Smith said of DeRozan’s intentions in free agency. “He has family out there. He’s from out there. He wants to be in L.A. He wants to wear the purple and gold, and if there’s a way for it to happen, again he’s restricted, if there’s a way for it to happen, DeMar DeRozan will be in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform next season.”




I know, I know. It sounds crazy since you're probably watching Toronto play as we speak and you see some guy out there wearing #10 that bears a eery resemblance to DeMar DeRozan. Unfortunately, according to a handful of extremely reputable sources he is - indeed - already a Los Angeles Laker. If he doesn't have an equally talented twin brother then we are clearly in the middle of an Adam Banks situation and he's been playing for the wrong team this whole time. As far as I can tell he's contractually obligated to the Lakers from now until at least 2019 even if he has yet to sign on any sort of dotted line. Really hope someone can make the call over to American Airlines Arena so the integrity of this series between the Raptors and the Heat doesn't end up more compromised than it already has been. 

In all seriousness though, DeMar DeRozan probably will end up in Los Angeles for a variety of reasons. He's from there. He has family there. Southern California is nicer than Canada. The Lakers are a more prestigious franchise than the Raptors. The Buss family will likely show up to his doorstep on bended knees with an open mouth, a non-existent gag reflex, and a proverbial truckload of future financial stability. All signs point to him eventually heading down the Pacific Coast Highway. So why do we have to discuss while he's in the midst of a tightly contested playoff series that his team stands a hell of a chance of winning? It's not like it's an actual fact so we can't consider it "reporting". It certainly wouldn't be a surprise so it's not like we can consider it a "hot take". Literally all this does is take attention away from a playoff series that has been so shitty that it could use every eyeball it can hold for more than a handful of possessions. Chances are high that DeRozan leaves Toronto, but can we just the let the Raptors fans enjoy this short stint of relative success while it lasts?