Bulls' DeMar DeRozan: I Felt Like Joining Lakers in Free Agency Was a 'Done Deal'

Alex Caruso apparently wasn't the only member of the Chicago Bulls who was looking to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers this past offseason.

DeMar DeRozan told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes on Monday that he thought a move to the Lakers was all lined up before L.A. acquired Russell Westbrook:

"I felt like going to the Lakers was a done deal and that we were going to figure it out. I was going to come home. The business side of things just didn't work out. A couple of things didn't align. It didn't work out. It's just part of the business, part of the game. My next option was definitely Chicago. So, looking back at it, it worked out well."

Once the Lakers traded for Westbrook and took on his $44.2 million salary for this season, there was no chance of them giving DeRozan the kind of money (three years, $81.9 million) he got from the Bulls through the sign-and-trade with the San Antonio Spurs.

Westbrook is averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game but shooting 42.7 percent from the floor and 29.2 percent from three-point range. His arrival was supposed to raise Los Angeles' floor in the regular season and serve as a buffer in the event James or Anthony Davis had to miss any time.

But the Lakers are 8-7 and have a minus-6.7 net rating with him on the court, per NBA.com.

The Bulls, meanwhile, are 10-4 and second in the Eastern Conference. (Coincidentally, the Washington Wizards are first in the East without Westbrook.) DeRozan is thriving in the Windy City as well. He's averaging 26.9 points per game, and his three-point percentage (37.1) is on pace to be a career high.

The 6'6" swingman gave the Lakers a firsthand look at what they missed out on in Monday's 121-103 win for Chicago at Staples Center. He finished with a game-high 38 points to go along with six assists and three rebounds.

Maybe things will come together for the Lakers once LeBron James (abdominal strain) is healthy and their reshuffled roster spends more time together. For now, opting for Westbrook over DeRozan is looking like a mistake.