There’s no question that DeMar DeRozan is the hot hand in the Chicago Bulls roster this season. The fact that he’s gotten comparisons to the great Kobe Bryant for his incredible clutch gene this season proves how great he’s playing in his contract year.
While this is great for the Bulls’ postseason hopes, this puts plenty of pressure on their team-building approach. They don’t have any cap space to spare and will likely only be spectators to whichever team ends up winning his services in the offseason.
DeMar DeRozan could end up West or with a division rival once he leaves the Chicago Bulls in the 2024 offseason
According to Yardbarker’s Quenton Albertie, DeRozan will thrive best with a contender that needs a high-use playmaker. With his specific criteria, he points to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers as likely destinations for him.
He writes his defense for the Thunder and Pacers:
The Thunder have progressed steadily during their rebuild and now have one of the best teams in the West. However, there’s a lot of pressure on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC will want to keep the ball in his hands as much as possible. Nonetheless, having another reliable go-to scorer increases their chances of winning.
The Pacers have been in the playoff conversation for a while. However, they haven’t had enough high-end talent to really make noise. DeRozan — as part of a star quartet that includes Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner —moves the needle. Especially with a supporting cast headlined by Bennedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith.
Both of these teams have established superstars that can take over for DeRozan during the clutch in Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton. If either of these teams snags him up, their stock as title contenders should skyrocket easily.
Do the Bulls have no say in DeRozan’s future in free agency?
Chicago Bulls fans may be begging their front office to move heaven and earth to keep DeMar in Chicago. However, their cap situation will prevent them from keeping the 34-year-old without gutting the whole team.
Spotrac has the Bulls’ cap space for 2024-25 at an astonishing -$73.76 million due to their money being tied down to Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, and Nikola Vucevic.
If they want to keep DeRozan, they would have to find a team interested in getting a Lonzo Ball whose body is made of glass. They can also try to trade Vuc or do away with key role players in Alex Caruso and Coby White. However, it’s not a good idea for them to trade key role players just to keep a 34-year-old in the team.
They will have to find a way to win games without DeRozan in 2024, but they should have the necessary pieces to succeed.
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