NEWSLETTER
The reports are not going away.
One day after signing Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, the Chicago Bulls are reportedly looking to make another significant upgrade to their roster with the pursuit of All-Star DeMar DeRozan. According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, the Bulls have officially emerged as a possible sign-and-trade option for the four-time All-Star.
Among the options that have emerged for DeMar DeRozan is a sign-and-trade to Chicago, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 3, 2021
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Stein went on to say that a possible sign-and-trade would center around the team’s interest in Lauri Markkanen, who we know has been on the Spurs radar for a while now.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The addition of DeRozan would be an undeniably odd fit. The guy has been a high-usage, ball-dominant player for his entire career. His playmaking has taken some significant strides in recent seasons, but his problematic defense and the poor 3-point shot would be an area of concern alongside Zach LaVine.
With that said, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso can help make up for some of that backcourt’s defensive deficiencies. There is also no denying his scoring ability could create quite the three-headed monster alongside LaVine and Vucevic. Sure, it might take time to figure out the proper workload, but good players/teams get that done.
DeRozan is a lethal mid-range threat, who shot 48 percent on those looks last season (87th percentile). He would also give Chicago a strong ballhandler who can limit his turnovers (8.6 TOV% ranked in the 90th percentile last season) and get to the free-throw line (7.2 FTAs per game last season, which would immediately be the highest of any player on the Bulls roster).
So, yes, while there are some clear concerns, it’s really damn hard to pass up on a guy like DeRozan (if the money isn’t ridiculous, that is). He would bolster certain areas of the Bulls’ already fiery offense while also bringing tons of playoff experience into the mix.
A DeRozan addition would also likely move Patrick Williams to the four in the starting lineup, which is something I can most definitely get behind (and I wrote more about here).
UPDATE (2:07)
According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, the Los Angeles Clippers will meet with DeRozan today to plead their case. DeRozan is from the LA area and attended college at USC. In a conversation with Shannon Sharpe recently, DeRozan expressed that his next step was all about winning. The Clippers would undoubtedly provide him with a more proven competitive track record, but they also don’t have the kind of spending power to easily offer DeRozan a legitimate contract. Some very creative maneuvering would have to take place behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, per Stein, it appears the Bulls just need to do some convincing.
The Clippers have serious interest in DeRozan, @ChrisBHaynes reports, but clearly lack the financial flexibility to make a robust offer.
Chicago has the sign-and-trade lure to entice San Antonio's buy-in with Lauri Markkanen, but the Bulls must convince DeRozan to choose them. https://t.co/r62ByinGwL
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 3, 2021
Perhaps Marc Eversley can be of some assistance! The Bulls GM was there when Toronto drafted DeRozan back in 2009, and the two continue to share a closer relationship to this day, according to K.C. Johnson.
Bulls GM Marc Eversley, I’m told, has been instrumental in team’s pursuit of DeMar DeRozan. Eversley and DeRozan are close from shared Toronto days.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) August 3, 2021
Personally, I’d just send him this message …
Convince?
"You can come play in the best basketball city in the world while being a part of a miraculous turnaround for one of the most renowned teams in all of sports.
Oh, and you've already played in Toronto, so you're used to the weather."
Boom. Send it to DeRozan. https://t.co/xx25Xi6JSA
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) August 3, 2021
