Asked by Mark Medina of Sportskeeda about the belief in some corners of the Bulls fanbase that the team should embrace a rebuild, veteran forward DeMar DeRozan pushed back against the idea that such a reset is necessary.
“I think a lot of people who say that or suggest that really don’t understand basketball at all, in my opinion,” DeRozan said. “You can think that’s an answer or that’s a route. But there’s no telling how long that route is going to even last. That route doesn’t necessarily always work in a timely fashion that you may think it will take. With that, it’s hard to find and create talented players like the players that we already have assembled.
“We made a lot of mistakes,” DeRozan continued. “It’s not only on the players, but the coaching staff as well to be able to correct the mistakes that we have because we weren’t far off at all with the mistakes that we’ve had. If we correct those, give us back the 10 to 15 games that we should’ve had last season. That changes the whole dynamic of everything.
“It’s always easy when something goes bad just to say, ‘Scratch it.’ But you really don’t know where you’ll end up from there. So when I hear people say that, it lets me know and understand that they don’t understand basketball at all.”
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- In that same interview with Medina, DeRozan expressed interest in representing Team USA in the 2024 Olympics and said he’d be interested in signing a contract extension to remain in Chicago. “That’s a place I want to be and end my career,” the six-time All-Star said. “I want to be able to accomplish everything I’ve set out to accomplish. That’s all I can worry about and control. I have the utmost confidence in myself. I’ll let my agent and the organization deal with that side of things, to be honest, man. From their standpoint, they want me to be there long-term and vice versa. We’ll see what happens from there.”
- Appearing on The Score (WSCR-AM 670) in Chicago on Wednesday, Bulls president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said the the team’s starting point guard job is expected to be up for grabs in training camp, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I think it’s going to be competition, fierce competition. It’s going to be a lot of good guards,” Karnisovas said. “That’s mentality we’re going into training camp (with.) I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be hard for Billy (Donovan).” The Bulls added Jevon Carter this offseason to join Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Alex Caruso in the mix at point guard.
- In a separate story for NBC Sports Chicago, Johnson explores how Milwaukee’s impending acquisition of Damian Lillard will impact the Bulls.
- After appearing in just 38 games and averaging only 5.6 minutes per night as a rookie, 2022 first-rounder Dalen Terry worked hard this summer in the hopes of getting the opportunity to earn a bigger role in his second NBA season, he tells Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “You know me, I’ve always got confidence,” Terry said. “That’s not something I ever lack. But I think confidence comes with work, and I know how hard I busted my ass this whole summer.”
DeMar can stay delusional all he wants but fact is this team ( Bulls ) will not make it past the first round!
The Bulls should have traded DD, AC, LaVine and Vooch and started over and let Ayo, White, Williams and Andre play while obtaining a PF that would help and fill the bench with players that are on one year contracts.
Bulls have to start Carter, him and Zach with Coby and AC off the bench only makes sense, this organization is garbage though and will probably start Ayo(10th man material) or Dalen(bust)
How can you call Dalen a bust, when he barely even played last year, AND he’s only been in the league ONE YEAR…?!?
The Bulls front office did an excellent job assembling this team. No one could have guessed Ball would have gotten injured and missed all this time…
People are so quick to forget with Ball, the Bulls were first in the Eastern Conference, and that was still mainly without Patrick Williams and Colby White.
Jrue Holliday would actually be an excellent fit on their roster, but I don’t think they could even acquire him until after their signed free agents could be traded. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t even be worth it requiring the salaries it would take to match the deal. Idk…
They just need to start Carter, and use his perimeter defense and 3pt shooting alongside LaVine, DDR, and Vucevic.
They did pickup a couple solid role players, so we will see how they ultimately mesh with their rotation, but their team defense and team 3pt shooting should be improved overall…
I think they should give it at least until the All-Star break this season to see how they’re doing. If it is one giant cluster-you know what, then they can start to rebuild their roster when teams will be more desperate to part with assets as other teams look to improve their odds at making a run towards the playoffs.
Found AKME burner account
Lol haha. . . Maybe, but did I say anything that wasn’t true?
Don’t think so. When funky healthy, the Bulls were in first place in the East for half of a season.
That is a good team, and the stats behind them showed they were more than capable of continuing to win games.
Prior to Ball’s injury the Bulls were a threat in the East, or even at the very least they were very competitive and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them.
They were a completely different team with Lonzo, and they were a complete team with him. Plus, we never even saw them as a truly complete team, because they still had Colby White and Patrick Williams as further depth.
You might not like them, but there is no denying it.
Losing Ball isn’t a mistake. Plus we’re hearing rumors he could be done. Williams will never work a PF. Bull don’t need a full rebuild. More like a retool.
And DeR is their best trade asset. Considering he will be up for new contract next yr.
Come to NY. With DeM DeR Knicks can challenge for East.
Brandon Ingram is who the Knicks should try to get as well if not DeRozan
going into the season without a pg is crazy. go get jrue
I agree. The worst PG rotation in the NBA right now
White, Williams, Ayo, Terry and Phillips for the Blazers for Holiday and Knox? Gets rid of Chicagos youth but ready to compete. Helps the Blazers too
Add Ball to the trade. Then sign Dragic*
Keep Patrick Williams and throw in a first and a second.
Ultimately, I think he’s worth keeping. I just think he’s been playing out of position, and has been playing way too passively alongside the other vets on the roster..
I agree. He should be playing SF
Can’t trade Coby White until December 15th or Ayo Dosunmu until January 15th.
I appreciate it. Thanks for telling me
Yeah, that’s what would make the Jrue deal almost impossible for the Bulls…
Alot of their tradeable assets or salary was just signed, and can’t be traded just yet..
They’d have to include Patrick Williams
It would have to look like the following:
Bulls receive:
Jrue Holliday
Trail Blazers receive:
Patrick Williams
Lonzo Ball
And then two of the following:
Terry Taylor, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips, Carlik Jones
Financially, until free agents can be traded, that’s the only trade that would work for both sides, unless they traded Caruso or Drummond, but I cannot see Portland wanting either player.