NEWSLETTER
Just about all season, the Bulls and DeMar DeRozan both let it be known that there was mutual interest in a reunion this offseason as the veteran forward was set to hit free agency. Apparently, that is no longer the case.
A new report from Bulls beat writer Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times today said that DeRozan is no longer interested in a return to Chicago.
“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, Chicago Sun-Times
End Of The DeMar DeRozan Era In Chicago?
To be fair, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time now that DeRozan and Chicago were headed for a breakup. If it was indeed the Josh Giddey-Alex Caruso trade that was the final straw for DeRozan, it makes all the sense in the world.
The Bulls are very quickly moving toward a youth movement – which is absolutely the right direction for the franchise. With DeMar already being 34 years old and Chicago taking a step back to get younger, a return made no sense for either side. DeRozan probably wants to win a title or at least have a chance to before his career wraps up, and the Bulls are nowhere near that.
Not only have the Bulls made a drastic effort to get younger, but taking a step backward next year is actually in their best interest long term. The 2025 draft class is seen as a very talented one, and Chicago owes San Antonio their first-round pick next season if it lands outside the top ten. So, essentially, bringing DeRozan back and having him single-handedly win a few games that may keep this team in another Play-In push would, in all likelihood, cost Chicago their first-round selection in a very important draft.
It’s unfortunate that the Bulls and DeRozan couldn’t win anything of substance during his time here. And the Bulls’ lack of success really had nothing to do with DeRozan. He was a great bull, played big minutes every night, and was a model of professionalism for a group of young players like Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. However, with where he’s at in his career, the money he’s going to command, and the general direction of the Bulls franchise right now, the breakup always seemed to be the most logical endpoint for both sides.
