Bulls ‘Thrilled’ to Land $17 Million Former All-Rookie in 3-Team Trade

The Chicago Bulls’ were against taking back significant salary in their trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings, per The Stein Line’s Marc Stein on July 6.

They re-routed former Kings forward Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs, who also got an unprotected first-round pick swap from Sacramento. DeRozan landed another significant contract, inking a three-year, $73.7 million pact, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on July 8.

The Bulls got two second-round picks in the deal. They also got swingman Chris Duarte.

“We are thrilled to bring Chris into the mix here with his experience, versatility and offensive abilities,” Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a statement released through the team on July 8.

Karnisovas also thanked DeRozan for his efforts on the court and off. DeRozan had been a willing mentor to the team’s younger players.

Bulls Roster Features Trio of 2021-22 All-Rookie Performers

Duarte, 27, profiles as a bridge piece between the current group and the next iteration of the team. He was the No. 13 overall pick of the 2021 draft by the Indiana Pacers. It is the same class that produced Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu.

Dosunmu was the No. 38 overall pick of the class.

Both made the All-Rookie Second Team with new teammate Josh Giddey, who went sixth overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Duarte averaged career-lows with 3.9 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 34.6% from beyond the arc in 2023-24. He appeared in a career-high 59 games, but it was a marked step back from his 2021-22 campaign when he had a 7.9/2.5/1.4 line.

The 6-foot-5 swingman averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals with a 36.9% clip from downtown in his rookie campaign.

Like Giddey, Duarte is in the final year of his rookie contract.

Insider: Bulls Trades ‘Fine’ Amid Contract Uncertainty

Duarte’s four-year, $17.7 million pact carries a $5.9 million cap hit in 2024-25. The Bulls have until late October to extend both players, per Spotrac’s Keith Smith in June. Giddey said he is not worried about an extension in his introductory presser on June 25.

He is in the final year of a four-year, $27.2 million deal. He will count $8.3 million against the salary cap in 2024-25.

NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson factored that in his assessment of the Bulls’ trades.

“Now that they are dismantling this and moving forward with a new direction, this move is fine,” Johnson said on the “Bulls Talk Podcast” on July 7. “It’s just like the Caruso-for-Giddey trade. You can nitpick it – Bulls should have got draft capital for Caruso, don’t love getting a guy who starts a contract clock right away. But Josh Giddey’s a good player, so that’s fine.

“This is good in the sense they didn’t take on long-term money, so they keep their books clean as they kind of move into this new roster iteration. Duarte, you take a flyer on him and then you let him go if you don’t like it. Or you have control of him in restricted free agency.

“There’s a flyer that kind of fits with your timeline. And you get some draft capital back, albeit second-rounders.”