5 DeMar DeRozan trades Bulls should be exploring right now
By Tyler Watts
The Chicago Bulls are off to a rough start and facing some difficult questions. DeMar DeRozan is in the final year of his contract and extension talks are reportedly not going well. The Bulls missed the playoffs in 2023 and need to shop the six-time All-Star if they cannot work out a long-term deal.
Zach LaVine and DeRozan will continue to pop up in trade rumors until the Bulls improve or the two stars are traded. Chicago needs to contend or rebuild, and the franchise appears far from the playoff picture early on.
DeMar DeRozan is one of the best scorers in the NBA. Teams will certainly be interested, but his expiring contract will dampen the return for Chicago. Here are five hypothetical trades that the franchise should already be exploring.
5. Bulls trade Hawks desired 3rd star
Atlanta wants to put a third star around Trae Young and Dejounte Murray but has been unable to pull off a deal. The Hawks owe two first-round draft picks plus one swap to the Spurs from the Murray trade, so it won’t be easy. They need to find a standout at a discount to make it a reality.
The Hawks could get arguably the best mid-range scorer in the league and dump De’Andre Hunter’s contract in one move. Jalen Johnson’s breakout improves DeRozan’s fit and should increase Atlanta’s interest. The potential deal could look like this.
Mills is not part of their rotation, and DeRozan would be replacing Hunter. The Hawks should worry about spacing and who has the ball in their hands, but Murray played two years with DeRozan in San Antonio.
Atlanta would have an elite offense and becomes a force in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics and Bucks would still be the favorites, but the Hawks certainly improve their odds by adding the six-time All-Star.
The Atlanta Hawks might try to chase a bigger fish, but they will be far from the only team interested in DeMar DeRozan if he becomes available.