Is DeMar DeRozan better off playing somewhere other than Chicago?

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has had an impressive NBA career since beginning in Toronto with the Raptors in 2009. He has continued to flourish as a veteran presence over the past three years in Chicago. Since joining the Bulls, DeRozan has been an All-Star twice (six times total) and has finished in second and third place for Clutch Player of the Year the last two seasons.

The ultimate goal of making the Bulls a viable winning franchise again has eluded DeRozan’s squad, though. During DeRozan’s three years in Chitown, the Bulls' record has declined each season. In his first year (2021-22) DeRozan helped lead the Bulls to 46 wins. Year two saw 40 victories and this past season, the Bulls totaled just 39 wins.

While Chicago has been in the postseason hunt over this time they’ve only qualified once during DeRozan’s tenure. They’ve been eliminated in the play-in tournament the last two seasons. Despite the lack of team success,  DeRozan has said Chicago is where he wants to be.

"This is where I want to be… I love ownership. I love everything about the city and the franchise, top to bottom---the front office, the staff we have," DeRozan said . "It's one of those places that gives me motivation to see everybody get what they deserve and feel what winning is like again."

But the question must be asked if that’s the right move for the three-time All-NBA selection. DeRozan is still at the top of his game but will turn 35 early next season. He’s still one of the top forwards in the Eastern Conference but the odds of turning the Bulls into a contender are minuscule at this point.

If playing for a real contender is the goal, then DeRozan will likely need to go elsewhere. The duo of DeRozan and Zach LaVine haven’t gotten it done. And Lonzo Ball, who was supposed to complete their “Big Three,” has been sidelined the last two seasons with a knee injury.

Zach LaVine’s future with the team is still somewhat up in the air and they just traded Alex Caruso to the OKC Thunder for Josh Giddey earlier this week. Depending on what happens with LaVine, it may be time for DeRozan to exit.

But if the Bulls decide to go young, the decision could be made for DeRozan, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Should DeRozan be destined for a new zip code, don’t be surprised to see plenty of veteran teams who are already contenders vying for his services. Players who can fill up the bucket and specialize in the mid-range game don’t grow on trees.

For DeRozan, it comes down to his desire to potentially compete for a championship or bagging one last huge contract. It’s been reported by NBC Sports Chicago that the Bulls offered DeRozan a new deal that would pay him $40 million per year for the next two seasons.

If true, any such deal has yet to be signed by DeRozan giving the perception that he could be moving on despite his comments. With free agency officially beginning on Sunday (June 30), these next few days should be quite busy for DeRozan as his future hangs in the balance.