After three largely disappointing seasons with the Chicago Bulls, 34-year-old unrestricted free agent swingman DeMar DeRozan appears to be weighing whether or not he'll take a pay cut and join a pseudo-contender, or grab the most money possible in what could be the last big contract of his career.
The 6-foot-6 swingman out of USC remains shockingly durable even after 15 pro seasons. Across 79 contests as the top offensive option for the 39-43 Bulls last year, DeRozan averaged 24 points while slashing .480/.333/.853, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.
He missed out on being named to an All-NBA team — understandable given that the Bulls were, for the second straight season, a sub-.500 play-in club for the NBA's JV conference, the East — or even an All-Star team despite his efforts, though he did finish second in Clutch Player of the Year voting. DeRozan's true value will be seen next season when Bulls fans watch their favorite team fail to even manage many close games (i.e. opportunities for clutch-ness).
According to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, there is mutual interest between DeRozan and the Miami Heat, the team that has knocked DeRozan's Bulls out of the play-in (and thus, the running for the playoffs) for two consecutive seasons. At present, the Heat can only sign DeRozan to their $5.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception or a veteran's minimum deal.
DeRozan is coming off a three-year, $81.9 million run with the Chicago, during which he looked underpaid almost immediately.
Barry Jackson adds that the Heat and DeRozan's representatives have already talked, and will revisit their conversation in a day. Jackson cautions that, while Miami doesn't intend to make major moves to carve out cap space for the aging vet, the team would be happy to bring him aboard for the right price. Given that he's still such a potent scorer, passer, and rebounder (albeit an unwilling three-point shooter and poor defender), DeRozan is certainly worth far more than the taxpayer mid-level exception, even at this age.
Other teams, too, might have an appetite for DeRozan's services.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that DeRozan may need to agree to a one-year, slightly below-market deal to join his hometown Los Angeles Lakers on a non-taxpayer mid-level exception, worth $12.8 million. In this scenario, DeRozan could play alongside aging All-NBA frontcourt stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while being coached by a contemporary, JJ Redick.
Per Marc J. Spears of ESPN, the Sacramento Kings have emerged as a "dark horse" to obtain DeRozan's services. Last year, the Kings finished 46-36 and won a play-in game, but ultimately missed the playoffs.
DeRozan's fit in Miami is intriguing. Offensively, his game is quite similar to that of incumbent superstar Jimmy Butler, which would come in quite handy when Butler misses his standard 20 games. DeRozan's lackluster three-point shooting could create some cramped spacing alongside Butler and All-NBA center Bam Adebayo (although Butler had a terrific-if-modest season from long range last year, nailing 41.4 percent of his 2.4 triple tries). He's a great passer, however, and could function as a great supplemental distributor alongside Butler and guards Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro, assuming both those backcourt pieces remain on the team in this scenario.
Just a year removed from their second Finals appearance in the Butler-Adebayo era, the Heat could use a dogged, creative floor general with late-game scoring prowess, but DeRozan's defensive issues and three-point woes may give team president Pat Riley some pause.
Whatever happens with DeRozan, it does appear his time in Chicago is truly coming to an end. Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Bulls' decision to offload its best defender and probably best two-way player, two-time All-Defensive Team guard Alex Caruso, for raw former Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey, was the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to DeRozan's interest in staying with the Windy City.
About the writer
Newsweek contributing writer Alex Kirschenbaum is a hoops fanatic who has managed to parlay his passion into a writing career. ... Read more
