It's pretty hard to argue against DeMar DeRozan and the kind of season he's having with the Chicago Bulls. In a move that some say was the worst trade during the offseason, the All-Star forward has been turning his narrative around and building a case to win the MVP award. And at age 32, it's definitely breathtaking to see how he has lifted his new team up towards the Eastern Conference's upper tier.
The same goes too for DeRozan's stock in the card market. In a class dominated by Stephen Curry and James Harden, the Bulls' forward has often been relegated to a backup option for most collectors chasing star players from the 2009 Draft. We tackle down below why DeRozan is a solid choice to go for in the NBA card market.
DeRozan's elite and efficient offense
To say that DeRozan's offense is efficient and elite is an understatement. As early as his second year with the Toronto Raptors, the then-shooting guard was averaging 17.2 points per game without shooting from beyond the arc. It wasn't until the 2016-17 season when DeRozan would hit his peak with averages of 27.3 points on 46% shooting from the field, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
But as great as the All-Star was, especially in the mid-range, DeRozan opted to stay in that area rather than adding another weapon to his arsenal – the three-point shot. His defense, or the lack thereof, overcame the impact on offense, especially in crucial games against the likes of LeBron James in a playoff contest a couple of years ago.
DeMar DeRozan on Being Benched For Final 14 Minutes on Raptors Heartbreaking Loss to Cavs (Video) https://t.co/FP9R2z52mG pic.twitter.com/aCHGrG1eRE
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) May 6, 2018
Even when he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, DeRozan continued to flourish in the mid-range while improving his playmaking skills. And although his three seasons with the said team went by quietly, the same can't be said with his tenure in the Windy City.
When the defense is good but the offense is better.@NBCSChicago | @DeMar_DeRozan pic.twitter.com/uH0NtzdDRE
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 12, 2022
In the 57 games DeRozan played for the Bulls, the forward is averaging 28.3 points on 51% from the field, a league-standard 36% from downtown, and 86% from the free throw line. He's also adding 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 35.8 minutes per contest.
While these numbers look good, it's his true shooting percentage of 60% that's key to DeRozan's offense this season. With him as the number one option in Chicago, the Bulls' offensive rating has gone up to 113.9 or 4th among 30 teams in the league. This is good since last season, the team was in 19th place with a 111.1 offensive rating.
All of these individual and team stats all point to one thing. DeRozan's addition to the Bulls has greatly improved their offense to an elite level, which is scary since the team isn't operating at 100% capacity due to injuries to their key players.
The Chicago Bulls are among the best teams in the East
Apart from his top-tier offense, DeRozan's situation in Chicago is another element that's making his rookie cards more valuable nowadays. Last season, the Bulls finished 11th in the East with a 31-41 record. Even Nikola Vucevic's arrival before the trade deadline didn't help in securing a spot in the playoffs.
Enter Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and of course, DeRozan during the offseason.
With these three key pieces, the Bulls were able to improve their offense, playmaking, and defense all at the same time. These roster additions would help Chicago surge early in the season and prove to everyone that acquiring these guys wasn't a mistake at all, especially DeRozan.
At this point in time, even with several injuries to these guys, the Bulls are standing toe-to-toe with the Miami Heat for the best record in the East while overcoming powerhouses in the conference, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Thanks to his situation with the Bulls, DeRozan has been enjoying a boost in popularity since his days in Toronto. And when you add how he has taken a leap in offense, it's no wonder his rookie cards are catching more attention lately.
The state of DeMar DeRozan rookie cards
As compared to his contemporaries, DeRozan is more of an afterthought than Curry or Harden. It looks like after his stints with the Raptors and Spurs, this All-Star forward is enjoying a resurgence, both on the court and in the card market.
According to a three-month graph from Card Ladder, DeRozan's PSA 10 Topps Chrome rookie card went from $1,026 a couple of months ago to $2,212 at this point in time. That's a massive growth rate of 115.62%, which resulted in an average price of $1,440 over seven confirmed sales during the said period.
In another graph from Card Ladder covering the same period, DeRozan's more coveted rookie card, his Topps Chrome Refractor encased in a PSA 10 slab just went from $1,775 to $5,200. This means the said card's price grew 192.96% or more than doubled in value during the past few months.
The verdict on DeMar DeRozan rookie cards
With an increased role with the Bulls, a surprising leap on offense, and a card value validating his improvement, there's no reason not to jump on DeRozan's stock in the market. The only danger here is that his value is now at a peak, which makes getting those DeMar DeRozan rookie cards a bad idea. In the event he gets injured or fails to at least make a splash in the postseason, the price will fall faster than anyone can anticipate.
The market on DeRozan's cards is for those who have invested in him before this season. With his cards reaching new heights, there's no better time than now to sell his stock and make a good profit. But of course, for those who truly collect the All-Star's cards, the time to rejoice is now after such a long time of languishing in mediocrity. With DeRozan among the leading candidates for MVP this season, there's no reason for him not to be relevant in the hobby as well.
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