DeMar DeRozan is used to chatter. As a 15-year veteran of the NBA, he is aware of how commerce cycles — and the rumor mills that encompass them — work.
But because the Chicago Bulls navigate a important commerce window targeted on shifting Zach LaVine, DeRozan feels nothing has modified about his future with the franchise.
Despite a report from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes that DeRozan and the Bulls are “far apart” on agreeing upon a contract extension, the ahead says he desires to stay in Chicago.
“Chicago is Chicago to me,” DeRozan informed the Tribune. “I love it here. Obviously it’s a place I want to be in my career. None of that has changed. I don’t have no other type of doubts or feelings or suggestions to be elsewhere. That don’t cross my mind.”
DeRozan has by no means wavered on this verbal dedication to the Bulls, stating his need to retire in Chicago. But getting a deal throughout the road for a contract extension is a bit more sophisticated.
DeRozan he signed a three-year, $81.9 million contract in 2021 which can expire this summer time. He’s inarguably earned each cent of that deal, main the Bulls as a scorer, playmaker and chief whereas being named an All-Star in consecutive seasons.
Approaching this new contract, DeRozan is eligible for as much as $179 million over a four-year interval. It seems DeRozan’s camp will push arduous for the higher finish of that vary. But for the Bulls, the desirability of DeRozan’s contract has all the time been twofold: the influence he brings on the court docket and the flexibleness his comparatively reasonably priced contract supplied beneath the cap.
After present process preliminary extension conversations in October per a report from ESPN, there hasn’t been any reported motion almost three months later to deliver the 2 sides nearer.
The Bulls have two choices: safe DeRozan’s future or commerce him earlier than he turns into a free agent. DeRozan is simply too useful of a commerce asset to stroll and not using a deal. But government vp of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas has additionally been vocally constant in expressing his need to maintain the ahead for the long-term.
DeRozan is aware of the enterprise. He’s been blindsided by a commerce earlier than. But DeRozan stated he feels conversations between his camp and the Bulls entrance workplace have been “constructive” because the Feb. 8 commerce deadline slowly nears.
“When things ain’t going right, it’s always easy to throw those narratives out there,” DeRozan stated. “It’s just about how you get through it and how you accept the challenge that’s ahead.”
DeRozan isn’t the kind of participant to toss round concepts with the entrance workplace, joking that’s why he wears a jersey, not a swimsuit. So even because the Bulls strategy a possible roster reconstruction, DeRozan didn’t need to broach the subject of how the roster might be improved — the one enchancment he selected to pitch was discovering a strategy to stop extra accidents.
DeRozan’s objective the following two months is to supply a steadying power for the Bulls locker room. He maintains his relationship with LaVine hasn’t been affected by the commerce chatter surrounding the staff — and LaVine’s impending departure — over the previous month. And he hopes to instill that very same unflappable nature into the remainder of his teammates because the Bulls try to claw again to .500.
“Me being in the league so long, I understand this period of time, it just comes with the occupation,” DeRozan stated. “I really don’t pay no mind to it. My priority is to be here, make this organization and this team successful and get through whatever tough stuff we’re going through.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com