Chris Haynes: LeBron James and Lakers front office wanted DeMar DeRozan, but not on three-year deal

While there’s no official recording of this Twitter Space, many Twitter accounts in the space corroborate him saying this, and there were over 1k+ people listening at the time. Here’s some of the tweets and article quotes related to the story: Chris Haynes just confirmed that LeBron and the FO wanted Demar DeRozan first, but the FO not wanting to give Demar a 3 year deal (to open up space in 2023) made them pivot to Russ instead
Source: reddit

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
My @PrizePicks for Wolves-Lakers
Towns over 1.5 made 3s
LeBron over 4.5 made free throws
LeBron under 47.5 points + rebounds + assists
Reaves over 13.5 points + rebounds + assists – 6:35 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Frank Vogel confirmed that Dwight Howard is available to play (joined team in Minnesota after missing last game) tonight.
Meanwhile, LeBron James (knee soreness) will indeed start, as expected. – 6:33 PM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Load Mismanagement w/@jphanned is LIVE @Underdog__NBA
• Colossal 12-game slate
• What to do about Embiid
• KD/KAT/Luka predictions
• Revenge Street
• Celts/Warriors
• LeBron playing or what?
Taking your questions now through tipoff
https://t.co/2vrcKvdmmA pic.twitter.com/8jRM6QKWGK – 6:32 PM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
All the questionable players on the Lakers injury report are in tonight against Minnesota, including LeBron James. – 6:30 PM Chris Sheridan @sheridanhoops
Can LeBron James of #Lakers score 40 tonight in Minneapolis? Betway.com has a generous line posted of 10-1 (+1000) that he cannot. Details: usblog.betway.com/nba/nba-bettin… – 1:34 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Curious to see how the Lakers guard KAT tonight.
I think Stanley Johnson, who is 6’6, will start and be the primary matchup. If Dwight Howard returns from personal reasons, he’ll get some reps. The only other options are Wenyen Gabriel, LeBron and Carmelo. – 12:42 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 1960, the Hawks’ Johnny McCarthy had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in his NBA postseason debut.
McCarthy is one of four players in NBA history to record a triple-double in his first career playoff game (Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Nikola Jokic). pic.twitter.com/K9MOunoP1Y – 11:01 AM NBA Math @NBA_Math
RPR MVP Predictor:
1. Nikola Jokic: 17.5
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 17.2
3. Joel Embiid: 16.3
4. DeMar DeRozan: 14.8
5. Luka Doncic: 14.6
6. Trae Young: 14.0
7. Ja Morant: 13.8
8. Stephen Curry: 13.7
9. Jayson Tatum: 13.6
10. Karl Anthony-Towns: 13.1
https://t.co/onGqrEd9sz pic.twitter.com/yewyk1i5v8 – 10:55 AM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
Wolves are on a roll. LeBron is in town. Should be a lively atmosphere in Target Center.
A look at the renewed bond between town and team. theathletic.com/3173823/2022/0… – 10:31 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Five different players have recorded a 50-point game this month:
LeBron James (2x)
Kyrie Irving (2x)
Jayson Tatum
Kevin Durant
Karl-Anthony Towns
That ties the NBA record for most such players in a calendar month. pic.twitter.com/1rjz8ij5zq – 10:10 AM Eric Smith @Eric__Smith
w/ today’s breaking Blue Jays news, #SmithAndJones will be pre-empted. We’ll be back on Thurs at 11am ET. In the meantime, catch up on Tuesday’s show w/ @Michael Grange re: LeBron & more, or Monday’s episode w/ former Raptors @CJ Miles & @RealTracyMurray podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/smi… – 10:02 AM Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Link to ‘Lakers Talk’ from tonight…
-1st Quarter Struggles
-How much can AD change things?
-Are you appreciating Bron’s season less because of the losing?
-Brutal schedule ahead
@ESPNLosAngeles
espn.com/espnradio/losa… – 12:22 AM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Active members of the 60-point club:
Kyrie Irving
Karl-Anthony Towns
LeBron James
Stephen Curry
Klay Thompson
Bradley Beal
Carmelo Anthony
Kemba Walker
Jayson Tatum
Devin Booker
Damian Lillard (3x)
James Harden (4x) – 10:08 PM StatMuse @statmuse
This month alone:
60 — Kyrie
60 — KAT
56 — LeBron
54 — Tatum
53 — KD
50 — Kyrie
50 — LeBron
March Madness. pic.twitter.com/L5bQ37kNSl – 10:04 PM Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Over the last ten days in the NBA we’ve had:
Five 50-point games (LeBron 2x, Tatum, Kyrie, Durant)
And two 60-point games over the last two days (KAT and Kyrie) – 9:14 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
It’s so insanely unlikely, but a really funny ending to the scoring title race would be LeBron ultimately winning, but Kyrie averaging more points and just not qualifying.
It won’t happen, but this Kyrie first-half explosion has creaked the window ever so slightly. – 8:31 PM LeBron James @KingJames
Ky stop it man!!! Actually don’t 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 – 8:18 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
For the sickos who like to watch, Tuesday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We talk about the Lakers’ offense (and offensive) disaster vs. Toronto, and the growing narrative that LeBron is now just playing for the stats. @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
youtube.com/watch?v=BTErtK… – 7:00 PM Neil Dalal @NeilDalal96
Watching LeBron James is certainly going to be pricey but $136 for nosebleeds compared to $10 to see the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is something pic.twitter.com/6NVhPr4sB5 – 5:35 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Trapping DeMar DeRozan. A good or bad knee day for Zach LaVine? The uncertainty of availability for depth players.
The Bulls won’t be facing the Kings in the NBA Finals. But Monday’s loss in Sacramento offered some potential playoff foreshadowing.
Story: nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/… – 10:49 AM Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Donte DiVincenzo on the defensive effort from him and his Kings against DeMar DeRozan, being inserted into the starting rotation for the first time with Sacramento and Monday’s 112-103 win over the Chicago Bulls.
FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/EcUAzT08i7 pic.twitter.com/HRmHelvYEH – 2:23 AM Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry
Final: Kings 112, Bulls 103.
Zach LaVine: 27/3/6
Nikola Vučević: 23/10/2
DeMar DeRozan: 21/7/6
Coby White: 13, 3 assists
The Bulls are now 41-27. – 12:25 AM Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
M-V-P chants for DeMar DeRozan here in Sacramento. Lots of Bulls fans here tonight. – 10:39 PM

More on this storyline

Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports recently confirmed a report from Ramona Shelburne that LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers front office wanted to sign DeMar DeRozan, but passed on him because they were hesitant to sign him to a 3-year deal, something that is required in any sign-and-trade deal. -via Twitter / March 16, 2022 Serge Ibaka: “The Clippers were on their way to meet you to sign. And then I heard you canceled the meeting and you signed with the Chicago Bulls. What happened bro? Before you answer the question, the last 2 years, you was the one, you be saying, I wanna come back home to play.” DeMar DeRozan: “Nothing but respect for Lawrence Frank and the entire Clippers organization. Great peoiple. It definitely was an opportunity that presented itself. I think for me, the Chicago thing just took off by the time they was on their way to my house. It was a situation, I just didn’t… I didn’t pass it up.” -via Clutch Points / March 9, 2022 Serge Ibaka: “This happened when they were on their way to meet you?” DeMar DeRozan: “It really happened that way. It could’ve been a day earlier, it would’ve worked.” Serge Ibaka: “Also, it’s my team too, so I would’ve been playing with you.” DeMar DeRozan: “I know. We would’ve been teammates again. It was a real possibility. It really was a real possibility, but we got the deal done with Chicago.” -via Clutch Points / March 9, 2022