Getty DeMar DeRozan being defended by Bruce Brown.
With the February 8 NBA Trade Deadline approaching, the New York Knicks have moves that they need to make to make this team a true championship contender. Since trading for OG Anunoby, the Knicks are an impressive 14-2. However, there are other ways to better this roster and one of the names that continues to circulate in rumors is Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan.
A proposed deal from David Vertsberger of SNY lands the Knicks DeRozan for Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, and a protected first-round pick. The Bulls have struggled this season with a record of 22-26 and are in 9th place in the Eastern Conference. This could lead them to move some of their top players in return for assets to improve the team over the summer. Vertsberger’s reasoning for the deal is to help the Knicks land another piece and be a real competitor this season.
“If the Knicks want to take a real swing at competing this year, there are worse ways than landing a guy who averaged an efficient 27.9 points two seasons ago. DeRozan would immediately bring another self-starter on the offensive end, giving defenses a third multifaceted threat to worry about and the bench unit a lead creator.
“There are drawbacks: His three-point shooting still isn’t there, his defense is come-and-go and he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer. But the last one allows the Knicks to take a risk on an All-Star they can immediately bail on if things go south.”
DeMar DeRozan Has an Interest in Playing for the Knicks
There has been a level of interest from DeRozan to play for the Knicks. With New York showing interest in scorers, DeMar is at the top of the list of potential additions. However, it’s uncertain what the asking price would be. He could very well be worth a few first-round picks and the Knicks haven’t been willing to offer that in deals.
In an article published on December 1, 2023, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that DeRozan prefers to play for the New York Knicks or Miami Heat.
“When it comes to possible destinations, the Heat and Knicks are known to be preferable to DeRozan if he winds up getting moved.”
Given the Miami Heat already went out and added Terry Rozier, it’s unlikely that they’re going to trade for DeRozan, too.
The Julius Randle Injury Could Change the Knicks’ Plans
Shams Charania of The Athletic gave an update on Julius Randle’s injury, hinting at the star being sidelined for the next few weeks.
“Sources: Knicks star Julius Randle is expected to be sidelined for at least a few weeks with a right shoulder dislocation. Appears to be a sigh of relief for New York as initial reviews of MRI reveal no significant damage.”
It’s possible that the injury could change the Knicks’ plans as they can’t afford to lose a player of Randle’s caliber.
While DeRozan and Randle are completely different players, adding another forward to the mix could help them get through the next couple of weeks. When Randle returns DeRozan can stay in the starting lineup and the New York Knicks will have three players who can score 30-plus on any given night.
On the season, DeRozan’s averaging 22.2 points per game and shooting 46.8% from the field. The 34-year-old doesn’t take many 3-point shots with just 2.9 per game, but he’s attempted and made the second most of his career this season.