The Chicago Bulls have plenty of tough decisions to make this offseason and the biggest might be what to do with DeMar DeRozan.
The six-time All-Star is set to be an unrestricted free agent and the Bulls have to decide whether to try and re-sign him, let him walk for nothing or to attempt a rare sign-and-trade that would allow them to get some assets for their star.
NBC Sports Chicago reported that the Bulls had already made DeRozan a two-year offer with a massive annual salary, which may be the final outcome, as the Bulls don’t want to lose him for nothing, and DeRozan might not be able to get as much money from anyone else.
He is still very good and very durable, but he’s also pushing 35 years old, which doesn’t fit the timeline of some of the teams with cap space.
DeRozan would be a much better fit as a 3rd or 4th option on a contending team and there are some who could use his services in a potential sign-and-trade with the Bulls, but each one presents challenges.
Trading DeMar DeRozan to the Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers will be star hunting this summer and DeRozan is a good fit with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The problem with the 76ers is that they would have the cap space to sign DeRozan outright and have no motivation to make a trade with the Bulls. They also lack assets to send back given that their entire roster is on expired contracts except for Embiid.
Miami Heat
The Heat are always looking for strong veterans to add to their core and will again after coming up short in the playoffs.
They may also be looking for a replacement for Jimmy Butler if they decide to trade him, so may have some interest in DeMar DeRozan in a sign and trade.
The challenge with the Heat is that they are likely to be a second apron team, which means they aren’t allowed to do sign-and-trades, so they would have to do some financial wriggling to pull it off.
They do have Duncan Robinson’s contract to send back, so if they can cut payroll elsewhere, the Heat are a possibility.
Chicago Bulls: Trading Demar DeRozan to the LA Lakers
The Lakers may be the best fit for DeRozan, as they are desperate to put another star around LeBron and AD and don’t care about age, as they are trying to win right now.
But like the Heat, the Lakers will be a second apron team, so they too would have to move mountains financially to get under that level and be able to participate in a sign-and-trade.
This isn’t looking great for the Chicago Bulls, as the teams with cap space might not want DeRozan and the teams that do want him are in financial peril.
This may lead them to the tough decision to let him walk for nothing and start over, which would be painful, but might be better than having a 35-year-old who is making $40 million a year, a contract that would be tough to move in the future.