There were many trade rumors surrounding the Chicago Bulls this season, and those rumors were focused on star wings Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
With the team struggling to remain in the play-in tournament picture in the Eastern Conference, many thought it would end up having a fire sale in order to hit the proverbial reset button.
The trade deadline arrived on Thursday afternoon, but the Bulls did nothing.
According to Shams Charania, they now want to keep DeRozan for the long term, per NBACentral.
The Chicago Bulls want to keep DeMar DeRozan long term, per @ShamsCharania
(Via @TheRally ) pic.twitter.com/P0CbV80VTW
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 8, 2024
DeRozan was traded by the San Antonio Spurs to Chicago in the summer of 2021, and at the time, the team thought it had assembled a contender with him, LaVine, former No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball, and former NBA champion Alex Caruso on board.
But after forging a terrific record during the first half of the season, the Bulls fell apart, as Ball injured his knee and hasn’t played since.
DeRozan, 34, has been about as productive as he has ever been since coming to Chicago, and he is one of the best in the game at scoring off the dribble from the mid-range.
He is also a capable ball-handler and distributor who is averaging 5.3 assists to go along with 22.3 points a game so far this season, and he gets to the free-throw line quite frequently while usually converting there.
DeRozan’s contract will expire at the end of this season, and it will be interesting to see what the Bulls decide to do with him this summer.
NEXT:
Bulls Reportedly Offered Zach LaVine To West Team
