NEWSLETTER
Over the last week, the Chicago Bulls have added a 21-year-old and a 19-year-old to their roster. Is it safe to say the youth movement is a full go?
Arturas Karnisovas was asked about that after the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. The front office leader drafted Matas Buzelis from the G-League Ignite after he surprisingly slid down draft boards. Adding him alongside the recently acquired Josh Giddey and two young breakout guards (Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu) felt like it solidified the Bulls’ plans to prioritize the future.
Karnisovas wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but he admitted that the team could look very different in a matter of weeks:
“When I last saw you guys, I told you we needed to make changes, and we have started that process. While I can not speak to all of the potential changes, it’s hard to predict what we might look like in a week or two,” Karnisovas told reporters during his post-draft media availability.
With that comment in mind, it’s no surprise that he quickly answered a question about the future of his most valuable veteran – DeMar DeRozan. The soon-to-be 35-year-old has failed to come to terms with the organization on a new deal over the last week-plus. He is now looking toward unrestricted free agency despite many previous comments about the front office’s desire to keep him.
Here’s what he had to say when asked whether re-signing DeRozan was still a priority:
“As I said also before, we’re going to look at everything. Everything is on the table. It’s still an option.”
Umm, so that feels telling!
Bulls Sound Ready to Let DeMar DeRozan Go
There is no question this is the most guarded statement Karnisovas has made about the topic. Every other time Karnisovas has commented on DeRozan’s future, he’s made clear that the Bulls hope to retain him and that they value what he brings to the floor. Now, however, he’s deferring to the famous “everything is on the table” saying, which sure makes it feel like DeMar DeRozan might be headed out the door.
To be clear, it felt like things may be heading in this direction over the last few days. Not only has the obvious lack of any contract momentum been a sign, but NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson shared Wednesday morning that the Clippers could be a team with eyes on DeRozan. This news comes with Paul George’s LA future hanging in the balance.
I’ve been cautious about believing that the Bulls would truly let DeRozan walk. Continuity has been beaten so heavily into my skull over the past few years that I sometimes mutter the word in my sleep. But if this Alex Caruso trade cracked open a door to a new era, this Karnisovas comment ran through it like the Kool-Aid Man.
The idea of finding a sign-and-trade for DeRozan or merely letting him walk might as well be the most likely path now. And that’s extremely relieving! As much as I admire and respect what he did while with the organization, the Bulls can’t afford to lock him up long-term with such minimal success. Not to mention, DeRozan deserves to be in a true contending environment.
Look, as Karnisovas said, keeping DeRozan is still an option. The mere temptation of piecing together a Play-In team come free agency might be too good for the Bulls to turn down. However, both the franchise’s recent actions and comments suggest that drastic change is coming. Let’s see if they follow through.
