NEWSLETTER
DeMar DeRozan is only a couple of months away from cashing in on another big NBA deal. But will the Chicago Bulls be the ones writing the check?
Despite entering his 16th year in the league, the veteran forward used the past few seasons to show that he has plenty of good basketball left in the tank. DeRozan averaged 25.5 points with 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds during his past three seasons in Chicago, which included two All-Star appearances. He also just finished as the NBA’s leader in minutes played! While the team as a whole has struggled to prove their worthy of anything more than a Play-In Tournament exit, it sure hasn’t been for a lack of trying on DeRozan’s part.
All early indications have been that the Bulls hope to keep the NBA’s 31st all-time leading scorer as part of the plans. Whether or not they should, however, remains an enormous question. The team doesn’t appear close to competing with the top teams in the East. And, as stated, DeRozan is deserving of a significant payday. Does it make sense for an organization so far out of the competitive picture to invest that much capital in an aging asset? Especially when we consider that team is also limited in what it can add around that asset?
We also can’t assume that DeRozan is eager to stay with the Bulls. We’ve already heard reports that he’s turned down a two-year extension that was worth quite a significant chunk of change. There is a lot that is going to go into this looming decision for the vet, and he isn’t denying that.
DeMar DeRozan’s Priorities
DeMar DeRozan appeared on The Pivot Podcast hosted by Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder to discuss his mental health journey. The conversation was a fascinating look into DeRozan’s past, and I encourage you to give it a listen when you get a chance.
With that said, the hour-long discussion wasn’t going to go on without at least a little basketball talk. DeRozan was asked about what he will look for with free agency on the horizon, and he didn’t hesitate to lay out his priorities:
“You try to prioritize happiness, obviously the financial part of it, and winning,” DeRozan said. “Those three things have just got to come together. They’ve just got to match. Throughout your career, some guys just want the financial part, some guys just want the happy part. Sometimes all three don’t align without one taking a hit. So, for me, those three things are a priority for me that got to come as close to being perfect as it can be to make sense for me to play [there] next.”
On the one hand, DeRozan didn’t say anything groundbreaking. Those are all three things that most players would claim they prioritize. On the other hand, as DeRozan wisely noted, sometimes those players aren’t being genuine. Sometimes players opt for the biggest paycheck or the most comfortable situation. By pointing that out, it does seem to imply he’s serious about finding the right balance between these three things.
So that begs the question – will Chicago check all his boxes? The money sure seems like it’ll be there, but things could get tough if the Bulls can’t find a trade for Zach LaVine or get out of Lonzo Ball’s money. As for the happiness, DeRozan has sounded more than pleased with his Chicago experience, so I have to imagine he wouldn’t mind staying in the area. But the winning is where we hit a major bump in the road.
Again, DeRozan has now watched his team fall out of the Play-In Tournament in back-to-back years. The most the Bulls have to show for over the last three seasons is one five-game first-round exit. The front office is now talking about trading their only other All-Star-caliber player, and the full expectation is that they will not receive any kind of meaningful return for his services.
The path to winning more games next season is riddled with potholes and infested with alligators. Unless the Bulls make a blindside trade for a true No. 1 talent, winning at a high level isn’t in the cards. Perhaps DeRozan thinks he can change that … or perhaps he comes to his senses and realizes that another franchise can better check that final box.
To be sure, DeRozan is likely going to continue to say he wants to be in Chicago. He knows that there is an avenue where they offer him the most money AND attempt to make drastic changes to put win-now talent around him. At the same time, DeRozan is a smart player who knows he doesn’t have much time left on the clock. The more he thinks about his priorities, the more he might realize that Chicago isn’t the place to be.
More on DeMar DeRozan’s future …
