Getty DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls.
Heading into his 15th NBA season and the final year of his contract, the Chicago Bulls may need to begin exploring another direction with star wing DeMar DeRozan.
“There aren’t many players you’d trust more…to create a good scoring chance from a one-on-one standstill matchup,” wrote Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, listing DeRozan as the fifth-most ‘overrated’ player on July 27. “And yet, he was an easy inclusion…because DeRozan’s individual bucket-getting prowess has led to precious little team success.”
The Bulls are 80-70 with DeRozan in the lineup and 6-8 without over his two seasons.
They went 3-5 without him this past season and DeRozan, who will turn 34 years old in August, dealt with various leg injuries down the stretch.
But he is valued by the front office, not just for what he can do on the court which was still solid with 24.5 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game last season. He is also a mentor for the younger players who still have a lot to prove like Patrick Williams.
When you work out with DeMar, the work starts at 5 AM!
Still, with just one playoff victory to show for his efforts, the Bulls will have to place a greater value on winning at some point and doing so on a bigger stage than the regular season where they won six fewer games this past season than in 2021-22. DeRozan was still named an All-Star and the Bulls’ top trio played together more than any other in the league.
The results were what they were, though.
“In 11 of his first 12 seasons, DeRozan’s teams had higher net ratings with him off the floor than on,” Hughes added. “The defensive issues have persisted, and the friction between him and Zach LaVine is a direct result of DeRozan’s inability to help when he’s not operating as a first option.”
This isn’t new with his detractors noting DeRozan has the worst plus-minus in the postseason in NBA history, per Statmuse, and the Toronto Raptors winning the title the year they traded him.
It’s the Bulls’ issue now.
Dynamic Between DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine an Issue
DeRozan worked off the ball more down the stretch with his injury and even shot 36.2% on 3.4 triples per game over the final 14 regular season contests. He has said that he will look to shoot more threes but also defended his playing style.
LaVine, meanwhile, does not sound as though he wants this on-court paring to come to an end just yet.
DeRozan has espoused praise for LaVine and what he believes he can still become.
But if their new additions don’t better support what that trio does, DeRozan’s efforts will continue to go to waste and the questions about the Bulls’ overall direction will persist.
Bulls’ Roster Playing Out of Position
DeRozan has been pointed to as a roadblock to any true breakout for Williams despite the former’s efforts to help the latter unlock his gifts. And Williams has been said to have designs on playing small forward rather than power forwards as the Bulls have him which will only be sparingly with DeRozan on the roster.
“Williams may be the big mystery player for the upcoming season,” wrote Sam Smith of Bulls.com on June 29. “He…has stated he wants to play wing, so that suggests he may be ready to embrace that assertiveness everyone keeps calling for.”
It’s not just Williams though, as DeRozan is also playing out of position, noting on ‘Iman Amongst Men’ on July 26 that he has been a shooting guard for most of his career.
DeRozan’s shift came while he was with the San Antonio Spurs who had him play as a 3 and 4, just as the Bulls have. And that doesn’t figure to change with LaVine still an All-Star caliber player when he’s healthy.
That leaves Donovan and the Bulls coaching staff trying to fit square pieces where round ones should go in several spots.