What is definitely the biggest question mark surrounding the Chicago Bulls acquisition of the former San Antonio Spurs star shooting guard/forward DeMar DeRozan is how he will fit with the team for head coach Billy Donovan next season. DeRozan will clearly help the Bulls win more, but it’s hard to see exactly how he will naturally fit with this starting unit.
The problem that most bring up with the addition of DeRozan, including myself, is the lack of strong defensive presence between the three most proven players in this starting unit. DeRozan, star shooting guard Zach LaVine, and center Nikola Vucevic are all usually net negative presences on the defensive end of the floor.
However, it is good to hear the confidence coming from DeRozan after joining the Bulls. According to a report from K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago on Aug. 15, DeRozan isn’t concerned at all about how he fits with the Bulls. And he’s ready to use some of this doubt concerning his fit with the Bulls as motivation to continue to get better next season.
It is true that DeRozan did mold his game in a unique way during his three seasons with legendary head coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs. DeRozan became a better offensive creator and facilitator playing mostly at the three and the four in the last three seasons in San Antonio.
Challenges will lie ahead the Chicago Bulls integrating DeMar DeRozan into the starting five
But DeRozan does not space the floor well, and he won’t add any defensive strength for the Bulls heading into next season. DeRozan registered a 115 defensive rating in each of the last two seasons. And he’s only posted a defensive box plus/minus above zero one time in his roughly 12-year-long NBA career.
That one season he actually had a defensive box plus/minus in the positive was three seasons ago, and it was only at 0.1.
Nonetheless, the addition of the likes of DeRozan and former New Orleans Pelicans restricted free agent point guard Lonzo Ball is very exciting heading into next season for the Bulls. This is a much more formidable Bulls team that should be able to easily snap the four-year-long postseason drought in 2022.
The Bulls are now just roughly one month away from the start of Training Camp and the preseason. DeRozan will add a lot of excitement for the Bulls heading into next season, despite the concerns about his fit with the team.