(Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
Over the past couple of years, the Chicago Bulls have seemed like a franchise that wants to start over and build their roster from scratch, as their last attempt to build a title contender fell flat, with the team leaning on an often-injured Zach LaVine to lead the team.
Along with LaVine being constantly mentioned in trade rumors, fellow Bulls star DeMar DeRozan has also been linked in trade rumors year after year but was never traded by the team, which was odd, considering his value even at 34 years old.
With the Bulls missing an opportunity to trade DeRozan before he becomes a free agent this summer, the veteran guard will test the market, with many believing he’ll return to Chicago on a lucrative short-term deal.
However, it seems as though contract extension talks with the Bulls brass haven’t gone well, meaning he could very well leave the team in free agency this summer, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and NBA insider Marc Stein via NBA Central.
“Tuesday’s edition of #thisleague UNCUT was the first place I heard, via Chris Haynes’ reporting, that talks between the Bulls and DeMar DeRozan on a possible contract extension had gone cold, increasing the possibility that DeRozan becomes a free agent Sunday at 6 PM ET when the marketplace opens officially,” Stein wrote.
Contract talks between the Chicago Bulls and DeMar DeRozan have gone “cold,” and momentum is building towards him becoming a free agent, per @TheSteinLine & @ChrisBHaynes
“Tuesday’s edition of #thisleague UNCUT was the first place I heard, via Chris Haynes’ reporting, that… pic.twitter.com/POhs90JIIW
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 26, 2024
At this point in his NBA career, DeRozan is no longer a No. 1 option and might not be considered a second option, so it will be interesting to see what teams might show interest in his services in free agency.
Although contract talks with the Bulls haven’t gone well, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that they will get back on track and the team retains him before he can leave in free agency.
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