Chicago Bulls: 5 players who have exceeded preseason expectations

Chicago Bulls players who have exceeded preseason expectations: DeMar DeRozan

It should go without saying, but DeMar DeRozan has quite simply been amazing for these Chicago Bulls. Brought on as a quality second option next to LaVine, DeMar has emerged as the team’s best player while Zach makes adjustments around an injury to his non-shooting hand.

Thanks to DeRozan, the Bulls have been closing out games they would have been incapable of winning last year, seen as he’s leading the NBA in fourth-quarter points among players who have played in at least 10 games. This also helps explain how Chicago has gotten off to an 11-5 start when it took the Bulls all of 24 games to achieve double digits in the win categories last season.

DeRozan is averaging 26.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per contest this season, and doing it with incredible efficiency, indicated by his 59.7 true shooting percentage. Perhaps most surprising of all, DeMar’s three-point shot is finally falling at a decent clip.

It’s no stretch to say that these Bulls are the best team DeRozan has ever played with during his lengthy career, and it’s beginning to show. Chicago has more than enough spacing to allow his mid-range game to thrive, with LaVine, Vucevic, and Lonzo being too dangerous to leave open. This also helps explain why DeRozan is leading the NBA in points scored at the top of the key, as his mid-range game has been near-unstoppable this season.

DeMar is finally in a situation that perfectly complements his skill set, which helps explain how he’s managed to emerge as an MVP candidate so quickly. Should he keep this up, the “worst signing of the summer” might just end up being the best.