The most recent addition to the roster for the Chicago Bulls, former Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings big man Tristan Thompson, is someone that could help out the biggest stars for this team, including five-time All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan. Thompson was also the first addition for second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls by way of the buyout market this season.
It will be interesting to see if executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley go after any more targets on the buyout market in the days and/or weeks ahead.
Moreover, it sounds like there is already a good level of admiration for Thompson as to what DeRozan is doing for the Bulls so far this season. Thompson reportedly said that DeRozan is “the league’s MVP in my eyes” in fielding one of the first questions he was asked as an official member of the Bulls.
Tristan Thompson wastes no time joining the DeMar DeRozan MVP campaign: "He’s the league MVP in my eyes. Flat out. What he’s able to be doing with Zach out and with Zo and AC out ... for him to be able to just hold the fort down and keep that ship right, that’s what an MVP does."
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) February 24, 2022
New Chicago Bulls big man Tristan Thompson reportedly says that DeMar DeRozan is the MVP in his eyes
Thompson also noted that what DeRozan is doing to “hold the fort down and keep that ship right, that’s what an MVP does”.
There is obviously a certain level of admiration and excitement that Thompson has about playing with DeRozan down the stretch this season. He’s recognized the value that DeRozan brought to the table for the Bulls pre-All-Star Break.
That could go a long way to helping Thompson seamlessly integrate with this Bulls’ locker room in the stretch run of the season. This is key since Thompson could fill that sought-after need for the Bulls to find a backup center this month.
DeRozan and the likes of star shooting guard Zach LaVine have the Bulls tied with the Miami Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 38-21 coming out of All-Star Weekend. The former of those two Bulls stars is having a career year at 32 years of age by averaging more than 28 points per game while shooting around 52 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc.
Thompson will be able to make his debut with DeRozan and the Bulls in their first game out of the All-Star Break, which comes against star point guard Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 24. Tip-off between the Bulls and Hawks is set for 7 p.m. CT on Feb. 24 at the United Center in Chicago.