It feels like the Bulls rumors can’t stop on a busy Aug. 2 in the news cycle in Chicago. The busy week for executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley could come to a head on the evening of Aug. 2. That is when the negotiation window officially opens for this cycle of free agency.
And most of the buzz surrounding Karnisovas and the Bulls early this week involved the New Orleans Pelicans restricted free agent point guard Lonzo Ball. But now it appears to be a package deal that the Bulls are going after in a couple of potential sign-and-trade deals with the Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs to land Lonzo and star shooting guard/forward DeMar DeRozan.
It is clear amid the multiple reports that the Bulls are going after a discussed three-team sign-and-trade deal with the Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets to get Lonzo to Chicago. That would help to solve the point guard problem in the starting unit immediately for head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls.
The Bulls should do everything to try and go out to get Lonzo if he can be signed in a range of $20-$22 million in average annual value out of restricted free agency/a sign-and-trade deal this summer. But if the price tag is pretty high for DeRozan from the Spurs, then that might be a deal to avoid for the Bulls.
DeRozan is still putting up very respectable numbers at the age of 31. He is a four-time All-Star and had a solid run in an ultra-versatile role with the Spurs last season where he played most of his minutes at the four.
Bulls rumors running rampant with potential interest in DeMar DeRozan
However, there are other potential suitors for DeRozan that look to make more sense than the Bulls as a landing spot. There are other reported landing spots that could make more sense for both DeRozan and the team he signs with.
.@WindhorstESPN on Chicago being interested in both Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan:
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 2, 2021
"From what I am told, [the Bulls] are also interested in DeMar DeRrozan, and are interested in pulling off a possible double sign-and-trade where they would send Lauri Markkanen to San Antonio." pic.twitter.com/b6bM9iATsy
A few notes: there’s mutual interest between NYK & DeMar DeRozan; there remains mutual interest between NYK & Evan Fournier; Tomas Satoransky has come up in potential Lonzo Ball sign&trades; interested teams still believe Duncan Robinson goes back to MIA: https://t.co/5zOaNlw0gb
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) August 2, 2021
The New York Knicks are one reported landing spot that sticks out this week for DeRozan (per Ian Begley). Begley shows that there is “mutual interest” between DeRozan and the Knicks. Given the Knicks’ need for help alongside Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, DeRozan makes more sense with them than with a team like the Bulls.
In terms of cap space, there’s also more for the Knicks to work with than the Bulls this summer. The Bulls are already going to have to move some contracts this offseason to make it work with signing Lonzo, if that deal gets done.
Let alone trying to pull off a sign-and-trade deal to get DeRozan, potentially along with Lonzo.
With less than an hour remaining until the beginning of the negotiation window this week in this cycle of free agency, we could soon get a lot more clarity about who the Bulls could realistically land. Ball does seem more likely than DeRozan at the moment logistically.