DeMar DeRozan ended up being one of the biggest stars on the move this NBA offseason. After giving his future serious thought, the 35-year-old star decided to depart the Chicago Bulls, the organization many anticipated DeRozan retiring with. Like many others in free agency, DeRozan found himself involved in a sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings, as he will now team up with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis in the Western Conference.
While the 2024-25 NBA schedule release is set for Thursday, August 14, some matchups have already been revealed and leaked. DeRozan's rematch with the Bulls is one of those games, as the Kings will travel to Chicago to play the veteran's former team on January 12, according to Sean Cunningham of Fox40 News in Sacramento.
This will mark DeRozan's first game against the Bulls in Chicago since joining the Kings.
DeRozan, a six-time All-Star over the course of his 15-year NBA career, will be a featured scorer for the Kings. Already having Fox and Sabonis, DeRozan is expected to be the second star on the offensive end of the court that the Kings have been missing. Unlike Harrison Barnes, who was a steady veteran on the wing, DeRozan will be able to fill the gaps next to Fox as a secondary facilitator and scorer.
Last season with the Bulls, DeRozan averaged 24.0 points and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the floor. He also recorded 182 total points in clutch time during the regular season, trailing only Stephen Curry's 189 total points, which led the league. As a result, the long-time veteran finished second to Curry in the voting for Clutch Player of the Year.
Unlike DeRozan and the Kings, the Bulls are expected to take a step back at the start of the 2024-25 season. While they could still remain competitive with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic as the veteran star leaders, Chicago saw both DeRozan and Alex Caruso walk out the door this offseason. In their place, Josh Giddey and rookie lottery pick Matas Buzelis will be featured talents.
If there is one thing we can count on for this matchup between the Bulls and Kings on Jan. 12, it is that Chicago won't necessarily welcome DeRozan back with open arms. After all, DeRozan did mention prior to the start of the offseason that he would like to return to the Bulls.
At this time, it is unknown if this will be the first matchup between the Bulls and Kings during the 2024-25 season, as the two cross-conference foes are set to square off twice during the regular season. This will be answered when the NBA releases its full schedule for the upcoming season on Thursday.
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