After years of taking up residence in No Man's Land, it appears the Chicago Bulls might finally be moving in a new direction. Turbulent times are still on the horizon, to be certain, but the organization seems to be committed to initiating a true youth movement in the Windy City. Though, it might not even be the Bulls' decision.
Free agent DeMar DeRozan, who had previously expressed the desire to return to Chicago, is reportedly planning to sign with another team in NBA free agency. A recent front office move might effectively be pushing him away from the Bulls.
“A source told the Sun-Times late Sunday night that the Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey trade was the final straw in DeRozan’s mind for any sort of return, as the 34-year-old will now use his free agency to shop elsewhere,” Joe Cowley reported on Monday.
Shipping out a 2020 champion and 2023 All-Defensive First-Team selection for a young player who still has plenty of developing to do obviously sends a strong message to DeRozan and fans: Chicago is not overly concerned with competing in the present. It is dedicated to playing the long game.
In fairness, choosing to cling to its current core has only resulted in anti-climactic NBA Play-In Tournament appearances for the last two years. Rebuilding may be the only way for this franchise to grow in the long-term. That being said, many do not deem Giddey to be reasonable return value for a two-way guard who is coming off the best overall season of his career.
The team reportedly rejected past trade proposals for Caruso that would have given them multiple first-round draft picks before acquiring the former Oklahoma City Thunder playmaker. The Bulls are betting on the 21-year-old's potential, but it will come at a cost.
DeMar DeRozan has done his best to keep the Bulls afloat
Although it was not accompanied by a ton of winning or any playoff success, the DeMar DeRozan era has delivered the city some needed joy. After being traded to the Bulls from the San Antonio Spurs in August of 2021, the veteran wing instantly breathed new life into the franchise.
DeRozan scored a career-high 27.9 points per game while shooting 35.2 percent from 3-point range (also career-best) en route to earning All-NBA Second-Team honors and a top-10 finish in the MVP race. His explosion coincided with a 46-36 record for Chicago, the squad's best mark since 2014-15.
That was the peak, however. Injuries to Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball caused the team to plummet and the 34-year-old's efficiency to dip a bit over the last two seasons. DeRozan is still a high-quality offensive option who carves up defenses in the mid-range, averaging 24.0 points on 48 percent shooting in 2023-24. On a team constantly ravaged by injuries, his durability– played at least 74 games in three straight years and led NBA with 37.8 minutes per contest last season– will be sorely missed.
But a split is also practical for both parties. The Bulls are not making headway in the Eastern Conference, and DeMar DeRozan still has value to add to postseason contenders. Their paths no longer converge. The problem, though, is that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas could have received an asset or two for the six-time All-Star's services.
Instead, DeRozan is set to walk out the door for nothing. Whether it is focused on the present or future, Chicago continues to sour fans with its front-office approach. And players too, apparently.
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