The Bulls and veteran wing DeMar DeRozan are far apart on a potential contract extension, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link).
DeRozan is in the final season of a three-year, $81.9M contract. He’s making $28.6M this season and will be an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t ink an extension.
Chicago was in a similar situation with center Nikola Vucevic last season but wound up re-signing him to a three-year, $60M deal just before free agency.
However, Haynes’ sources said it’s unlikely that will occur with DeRozan. A more probable scenario is that they’ll look to move him, rather than risk losing their leading scorer without getting some assets.
“I was told that if DeRozan and the Bulls cannot reach a contract extension, it is pretty likely that the Bulls may look to move DeMar DeRozan at the trade deadline,” Haynes said. “I don’t think the Bulls want to be put in a situation where DeMar DeRozan can walk in free agency and they get nothing in return.”
Haynes stressed that the Bulls aren’t currently shopping DeRozan, who is averaging 21.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds. His shooting averages are down, compared to the last two seasons.
He posted averages of 24.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds last season while shooting 50.45 from the field. He’s made 44.2% of his field-goal attempts through Chicago’s first 21 games this season.
The Heat and Knicks are among the teams that have previously been named as potential suitors. The Lakers have also been thrown into the mix.
At the start of the season, DeRozan said he wasn’t the type of player who pushes for a trade. “I feel like I wouldn’t be able to lay down comfortably if I went somewhere and said, ‘(Expletive) trade me. I’m tired of this.’ That’s just not me,” he said. “I’m going to compete, be the best version I can be and let it go from there.”
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