(Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls needed a hero this season.
With Zach LaVine missing most of the campaign with an injury, DeMar DeRozan was asked to do most of the heavy lifting.
And while the Bulls didn’t find that much success and were barely able to hang on to get a spot in the Play-In Tournament, DeRozan most definitely did his part.
Despite being 34 years old already, the former Toronto Raptors star actually led not only the team but also the NBA in minutes played this season.
As pointed out by NBA on ESPN, DeRozan logged a whopping 2,988 minutes, which was also the highest minutes total of the decade thus far.
DeMar Derozan stays on the court pic.twitter.com/vzJB7D9d9m
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 15, 2024
DeRozan played a league-high 37.8 minutes and was on the court in 79 of 82 possible games, which is remarkable for any player, let alone a 34-year-old with a heavy usage.
That’s not common in today’s load management era, especially for struggling teams.
The veteran guard averaged 24 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 48% from the floor, once again excelling with his elite footwork and mid-range game.
The Bulls will now face off with the Atlanta Hawks for a chance at the No. 8 seed, but they don’t look like a team that could legitimately go on a run, not even with a healthy LaVine.
Lonzo Ball’s injury set the Bulls back years, and they have been either unwilling or unable to solve that issue.
As for DeRozan, he’s going to be a free agent at the end of the season and he’s been vocal about his desire to come back, but the Bulls will need to assess their entire roster after yet another disappointing campaign.
The post Bulls Veteran Led The NBA In Minutes This Season appeared first on The Cold Wire.