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Chicago Bulls Acquire DeMar DeRozan in Sign and Trade Deal with Spurs
Introduction
On Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021 the Chicago Bulls made a huge splash in the 2021 free agency market of the National Basketball Association by announcing that the Chicago Bulls have agreed to terms with the San Antonio Spurs on a sign and trade deal in order for the Bulls to acquire NBA All – Star shooting guard / small forward, DeMar DeRozan.
The Sign and Trade Details
DeRozan is prepared to sign a 3 - year, $85 million contractual agreement with the Chicago Bulls as soon as the National Basketball Association's free - agency moratorium is finally lifted on Friday, August 6th, 2021. The San Antonio Spurs will acquire the 2 forwards in both Thaddeus Young as well as Al - Farouq Aminu from the Chicago Bulls and a Bulls’ future first - round NBA draft pick.
Due to the Chicago Bulls acquiring Nikola Vucevic via a trade in March of 2021, the first time the Bulls can trade a first - round pick is either in 2025 or in 2026, and this depends upon whether the Chicago Bulls transfers their 2023 draft pick (top 4 are protected) or their 2024 draft pick (top 3 are protected) to the Orlando Magic to complete that prior deal involving Vucevic. The Chicago Bulls will also be sending over the San Antonio Spurs their second – round selection in the 2022 NBA Draft via the Los Angeles Lakers as well as the Chicago Bulls’ actual second - round selection in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The New Look 2021 – 2022 Chicago Bulls Team Roster
The Chicago Bulls have surprised many individuals who follow the NBA and professional basketball by making some strong moves so far during this 2021 offseason of the National Basketball Association. Along with the acquisition of DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs the Chicago Bulls picked up Lonzo Ball through a separate sign and trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. Ball just signed a 4 – year $85 million contract according to Lonzo’s agent, Rich Paul.
The Chicago Bulls did not stop there as they have also signed the former Los Angeles Lakers point guard, 2020 NBA champion, and current free agent in Alex Caruso. Caruso agreed to terms on a 4 – year contract with the Chicago Bulls that is reportedly worth up to approximately $37 million.
With the great additions of DeRozan, Ball, and Caruso to team up with the highly – talented NBA All – Star Zach LaVine as well as Vucevic the Chicago Bulls should be a much – improved team heading into the upcoming 2021 – 2022 season of the National Basketball Association. The Chicago Bulls have now cut the fat and wasted space on their franchise roster and have added players that can straight score the basketball.
Now there is absolutely no excuse for the Chicago Bulls to not make it to the 2022 NBA playoffs, and the Chicago Bulls should end up somewhere around the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference of the NBA next season. The Bulls have not made an NBA postseason appearance in around 5 years.
Media Statements
The newest addition to the Chicago Bulls starting line – up DeMar DeRozan tweeted: "I want to take the time to thank the Spurs organization and the fans in San Antonio for embracing me the way that they have over the past 3 seasons. The Spurs lived up to their reputation as one of the classiest organizations in the league during my time with the team. I'm grateful for the times I shared with my teammates, our coaches, and staff. THANK YOU!"
DeRozan’s Basketball Background
The 6 – foot 6 – inch and 220 – pound shooting guard / small forward was born and raised in the mean streets of Compton, California. He chose to enroll at the University of Southern California (USC) to play his NCAA college basketball at USC with the Trojans from 2008 to 2009. The Toronto Raptors selected DeRozan with the 9th overall pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft.
The 31 – year – old baller has hooped for the Toronto Raptors from 2009 to 2018, the San Antonio Spurs from 2018 to 2021, and now DeRozan joins the young and exciting Chicago Bulls for the upcoming 2021 – 2022 NBA season and beyond.
Over the course of his solid NBA career DeMar has averaged 20.1 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and 3.8 assists per game. As demonstrated last year DeRozan is a completely consistent player in the National Basketball Association as last year with the San Antonio Spurs, he averaged 21.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and 6.9 assists per contest.
DeRozan’s Basketball Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards
Over the course of DeRozan’s NCAA college basketball experience as well as his 12 – year NBA career DeMar has racked up an impressive list of achievements, honors, and awards that include being selected 4 – times as an NBA All - Star (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), named to the All - NBA Second - Team in 2018, named to the All - NBA Third - Team in 2017, chosen as the Pac - 10 Tournament MVP in 2009 and the Pac - 10 All - Freshman Team back in 2009, his
number 10 was retired by the USC Trojans, named to the First - Team Parade All - American in 2008, and selected as a McDonald's All - American in 2008 as well.
The one goal he would love nothing more than to accomplish is to become an NBA champion, and now with this new look Chicago Bulls team DeMar may have a chance to compete for an NBA title in the near future. I would love to see the Chicago Bulls back on top of the Eastern Conference and possibly the entire NBA which has not happened since the incredible Michael Jordan era in the 1990’s.
Sources:
“Chicago Bulls, DeMar DeRozan finalizing sign-and-trade deal”, Tim Bontemps, espn.com, August 3, 2021.
“DeMar DeRozan”, basketball-reference.com, August 4, 2021.
“Chicago Bulls land Lonzo Ball in sign-and-trade agreement worth four years, $85 million; sign Alex Caruso for $37 million”, Andrew Lopez, espn.com, August 2, 2021.