Everyone knows by now that LeBron James tried to lure DeRozan to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. However, fans and experts have long believed that the Russell Westbrook trade killed the team's chance of getting DeRozan.

The Lakers have effectively waived DeRozan, according to the latest news from Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. Apparently, when LeBron wanted to play with him in Los Angeles, Rob Pelinka and the front office refused to give him a three-year contract. Recall that the veteran signed a three-year, $85 million contract with the Chicago Bulls.

Haynes revealed the news on Twitter on Tuesday. While there is no video recording of the discussion, some Twitter users who watched Space confirmed the report. Many people also accused Pelinka and the Lakers management of not signing DeRozan and choosing to trade Westbrook instead.

Prior to this, fans in Los Angeles and the NBA generally criticized LeBron for forcing the team to trade Westbrook.

Chris Haynes just confirmed that LeBron and the frontcourt want to get Demar first, but the frontcourt does not want to give Demar a 3-year contract (to make room in 2023), So they chose Westbrook instead. They did the same with Ty Lue and Caruso.

Chris Haynes just confirmed! LeBron wants DeRozan and they think this is a sure deal, but the team doesn't want to give DeRozan a 3-year contract. So the team manager switched DeRozan to Westbrook. Pelinka should take full responsibility.

Of course, if the acquisition of Russell Westbrook is successful, this will not be a big problem. Unfortunately, that's not the case, as the explosive guard is still struggling to play in the Lakers' system. Although he showed scenes of brilliance, it was only a fleeting moment.

LeBron James has led his team to some wins, but the burden seems to be too heavy for him. In his last five games with the Lakers, they have only won two games in which he scored at least 50 points.

At the same time, DeMar DeRozan performed well for the Chicago Heat, leading the team with 28.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He was also a key figure for the Bulls, saving them from the brink of defeat many times.

It’s unclear whether DeRozan would have had the same success had he joined LeBron in Los Angeles. However, this is certainly a big "if" that could have significant ramifications for the team. In the end, hindsight is right and the Lakers can't do anything now but try to make things work.

They still have a chance to make it through the playoffs, although whether they win them is an entirely different matter.