What are the Chicago Bulls planning? Much has been made about the Oklahoma City Thunder getting a clear upgrade in the Josh Giddey-Alex Caruso swap. However, it's not immediately clear what Chicago is aiming for with their acquisition of Giddey. The young Australian guard's stock has diminished after a lackluster 2023-24 season.
There's another aspect of the Josh Giddey trade that needs to be studied: how does this affect DeMar DeRozan. The Bulls star is entering free agency this season, and his team just acquired a player that fills a somewhat similar role to him. In Marc Stein's report, the insider notes this, as well as questioning if DeRozan would even want to stay in the first place.
“How does DeMar DeRozan still fit with Chicago after the first trade it has completed involving active players on the roster since the Lauri Markkanen sign-and-trade to Cleveland nearly three years ago in August 2021?… One of the loudest questions bouncing around the league at the minute is thus: Will DeRozan be more available in free agency than expected now once the marketplace officially opens on June 30 at 6 PM ET? Likewise: Will DeRozan even want to return to the Bulls?”
While DeRozan and Giddey differ in some aspects, they fundamentally play the same role: slashing playmakers that lack a consistent three-point shot. Stein rightfully points out that the two players' playstyles clash in a really bad way for the modern NBA. It's fair to wonder, then, if Chicago might be thinking of moving on from the older DeRozan.
DeRozan has been one-half of the Bulls' star duo in the last few years with Zach LaVine. They've experiences a few highs, but it's been a struggle for the most part for Chicago. At the very least, they've been to the Play-In a few times, but never have made it to the final eight. History dictates that a reset should be on the way. Will that reset include Deebo?
DeRozan, LaVine, and Bulls' plans for future
At the very least, the Bulls' reset will likely not include Zach LaVine. Chicago has reportedly shopped the All-Star guard pretty aggressively. While LaVine isn't quite on the same All-Star wavelength he was before, the star still provides some scoring and shooting from the outside: qualities that any contending team needs.
As for DeRozan, the star forward is set to hit free agency this offseason. The first reports seemed to indicate that Deebo is more than likely going to return to Chicago. DeRozan has always been about loyalty, and Chicago has shown him love more than some of his previous teams. However, with Giddey entering the picture, it's fair to wonder if the Bulls star might consider finally chasing that elusive ring.
Only time will tell what the Bulls will be doing in free agency. The Caruso for Giddey trade does seem to indicate that the team is headed towards a rebuild, but who knows. Chicago has been pretty averse to rebuilding in the last few years. What will this team do with their stars?
