NEWSLETTER
While it feels increasingly obvious that DeMar DeRozan will not return to the Chicago Bulls, it’s becoming increasingly unclear where he’ll end up.
The Los Angeles Clippers were initially viewed as the most likely landing spot. However, those rumors quickly fizzled after they signed multiple role players, including Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum, and Kris Dunn. To be sure, we can never say never in today’s NBA, but the most buzz has recently centered around the other team in Los Angeles.
Indeed, the Lakers have emerged as potentially the most likely suitor for DeRozan. Multiple reports have connected the two sides, as the franchise apparently missed out on a pursuit of Klay Thompson, who agreed to sign with the Mavericks. DeRozan is now one of the only All-Star-caliber talents left on the board, and LeBron James sounds eager to bring him into the fold.
“According to league sources, Demar DeRozan is one of the players LeBron James is willing to take a payout for,” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha said recently on YouTube.
While I’m sure an LA homecoming would be high on DeRozan’s list of preferred destinations, the path toward working out this deal isn’t easy. Chicago only sits a little over $13.0 million away from the luxury tax. With that in mind, they are extremely limited in the dollar amount they can take back in a potential deal. And we all know DeRozan will covet far over $13.0 million on his next contract. The six-time All-Star is coming off a three-year deal with an AAV of $27.3. million … and he outplayed that deal.
With that being the case, the Lakers would likely have to find a third team to salary dump some of their current players. This could very well require Los Angeles to give up future assets in order to convince a team to take on those salaries. Is that something they’re willing to do for DeRozan?
The only other option would be for Chicago to find a trade partner for Zach LaVine ASAP, thus opening up some more financial flexibility. Even then, however, the Bulls would surely demand some kind of incentive for taking on any bad contracts.
Considering how complicated this has all become, rumors have now shifted toward DeRozan potentially taking a one-year deal at a massive paycut.
DeMar DeRozan on the MLE?
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed on Sportscenter that the Lakers had legitimate interest in DeRozan. At the same time, he brought up the possibility of DeRozan having to considering signing into the organization’s mid-level exception. This would mean a contract worth only $12.8 million for the 2024-25 campaign.
“I think the kind of contract he [DeMar DeRozan] might want just is not going to be available. It’s not left out there in the market place. The Bulls are more than willing to work out a sign-and-trade to get him the years and money that he might want, but with the new salary cap rules, those are much more difficult for teams to do. The Lakers have interest. How do they acquire Demar DeRozan? That becomes a much different scenario …
I think in DeMar DeRozan’s case, and it may not be as appealing to him, but it may look like a one-year deal somewhere, let the market reset next year because if you do a sign-and-trade it’s going to be at least three years.”
Color me shocked if DeRozan ultimately signs under the Lakers’ MLE. I suppose there is a world where this becomes his last resort, but his camp will surely push back against this as long as they can. Let’s not forget DeRozan will turn 35 years old in August. After averaging 25.5 points per game over the last three seasons and cracking two All-Star games, this is very likely his last opportunity to cash in on a sizable mutli-year deal. The older he gets, the less leverage he’ll have.
Still, Woj wasn’t the only one to present the idea of DeRozan having to accept the MLE. NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson mentioned it in his latest column, while Chris Haynes noted it during the most recent episode of his podcast with fellow Insider Marc Stein. Although, Haynes did state that he doesn’t believe this is a road DeRozan is ready to go down.
“The DeMar DeRozan tenure in Chicago is over. A team is going to have to get really creative if they want to try to offer DeRozan something more than the mid-level exception … I just don’t see him taking the full mid-level exception. I don’t see him doing that right now,” Haynes said during an episode of #ThisLeague Uncut
So Who Else is interested?
The good news for DeRozan is that another suitor emerged on Tuesday. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported that there is mutual interest between DeRozan and the Miami Heat.
Now, they only have the taxpayer mid-level exception currently available, which is worth only $5.2 million. If the chance of him taking the non-taxpayer MLE were low, we can safely assume the chance of him taking this deal is non-existent. With that in mind, Miami would also have to put together a trade that sends salary elsewhere.
This could prove to be a challenge for Miami, as they seem to lack obvious salaries worth moving. The Lakers at least have the advantage of D’Angelo Russell’s $18.7 million deal or Gabe Vincent’s $11.0 million deal. The Heat do have Duncan Robinson making $19.0 million this next season and could perhaps trade him for draft capital, but he’s been also a pretty important part of the team’s rotation. Not to mention, Robinson might not be the only player Miami has to move depending on how much DeRozan wants.
Bulls Are Read to Do Business
If one thing is for sure with DeRozan, it’s that the Chicago Bulls are willing and ready to do business. Negotiations went nowhere over the last couple of weeks, and K.C. Johnson has now shared that the front office is open to facilitating a sign-and-trade.
“The Lakers’ interest is genuine, and the Bulls are open to sign-and-trade possibilities, sources confirmed. But any sign-and-trade would have to be for at least three years and at less annual salary than what DeRozan wants.”
So I guess it’s all going to come down to how desperate one of these contenders are for DeRozan’s services. The Bulls have likely made it clear that they are not taking back significant salary, which means it will be up to the interested parties to figure out that side of things if they want DeRozan. Get that part of it done, and the Bulls will lend a hand.
