With no free agency market to speak of mid-way through July, it might be time for former Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott to call it a career.
Chicago's track record in the draft over the last decade is spotty at best, given the franchise's relative lack of on-court success yet, simultaneously, its lack of lottery picks. The Bulls have only picked within the first 14 selections six times over the last decade despite not having won a playoff series since 2014-15.
Technically, McDermott - who was a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA Draft - wasn't selected by Chicago. He was acquired from the Denver Nuggets in a draft-night trade for Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris, the 16th and 19th picks that summer, respectively. But the former Creighton star was a high-priority target for the Bulls during the pre-draft process.
McDermott has made several stops and played several roles throughout his 11 seasons in the NBA, some more critical than others. But it looks like his time in The League has run its course.
Former Chicago Bull Doug McDermott is heading toward retirement
The now-33-year-old was one of the premier scorers and shooters in college basketball in the early 2010s. McDermott played four seasons with the Blue Jays under his dad, Greg, and was a two-time First-Team All-American before being selected with the 11th pick in 2014.
He played parts of his first three seasons with the Bulls before being traded, along with Taj Gibson and a future second-round pick (which became Knicks center Mitchell Robinson), to Oklahoma City for Joffrey Lauvergne, Anthony Morrow and Cameron Payne. (Ouch.) Over his two full seasons in the Windy City, McDermott averaged 7.5 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 41.0 percent from three in 18.6 minutes. He played 117 games and started four.
McDermott found his niche when he signed with the Indiana Pacers in the 2018 offseason. He averaged double digits in scoring for the first time in his pro career in 2019-20 and had his best NBA season the following year, when he played in 69 games and made 29 starts. In 24.5 minutes per contest that year, he averaged 13.6 points and 3.3 rebounds with shooting splits of 53/39/82.
McDermott parlayed that into a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs after agreeing on a three-year, $42 million contract. He started all 51 games in which he played during his first season in San Antonio, averaging 10.2 points and shooting 41.3 percent from deep on nearly five attempts per contest. Unfortunately, that was the last year McDermott averaged double figures in scoring.
The Ames, Iowa native has played for the Spurs, Pacers and Kings over the last two seasons. After playing in 42 games and averaging just 3.5 points and 8.1 minutes last year with Sacramento, McDermott remains a free agent.
But an 11-year NBA career that saw him make more than $76 million and amass nearly 6,000 points and 1,000 made threes is nothing to scoff at if it indeed is the end for Dougie McBuckets.