Resign Demar?

[League Circles]

Also, IMO, I'm very hesitant to sign Demar to a 3 year deal unless I'm letting Patrick walk. I'm not interested in trying to force Patrick to be the "PF" that he isn't for any more than 2 more years max. And if we keep them both, IMO that means Zach or Caruso must go, for the same reason. Redundancy is how you squander assets.

PW at the 3 might be a strong reason to trade Demar unless Demar moves to SG. I definitely don't want PW playing PF for 2 more years. I want an actual PF on this team. Been saying this since AK lost Thad and Theiss.

Considering Demar is a free agent, I doubt we'll get anything significant for him in a sign and trade. I'm OK with having both him and Patrick on the roster, but we'd need to create a bit of rotation room by also trading Caruso or Zach.

[Dan Z]

We definitely shouldn't trade Demar for a "rotation level asset". If people want to tank, silly as that is, then we don't want any return. If you want to win games, Demar is obviously a lot better than a "rotation level player". We have enough of those. We need guys that are actually good players or are likely to become them. Otherwise just let guys expire and trim the fat.

If the Bulls want to move in a new direction, and go for a top pick in 2025, then they don't have to tank. You let DDR walk (or sign and trade him), trade Zach and then that should be enough to be a bad team. They could also trade Caruso for a future asset.

I don't think AK will actually do any of this, but I'm pointing out that it's easy for the team to aim for a top pick in 2025.

To me, aiming for a top pick is the definition of tanking. Depends on what comes back for Zach, but if we're trying to get worse, that's what tanking is.

It's possible that they're worse even if they're not tanking and are still moving in the same direction. No DDR, Zach gets traded for a mediocre return and then where is the team? Probably worse than this season.

My two cents is that a top pick in 2025 will help with the teams future more than it would re-signing DDR to a new contract and trading Zach for a mid-level player (Wiggins for example). But what I'd like the team to do is not what AK is going to do.

[Chi town]

Don't want him back even for no return.

Same. And would vote the same for Zach and Vuc as well if that’s what it comes down to. The most important thing is that they all no longer be here so we can clean the slate.

Yep.

We were 22nd in offense. No way you can be a top 10 offense with DDR at his usage and lack of 3s.

[SHO'NUFF]

I can’t believe people actually want him back knowing we won’t win **** or even get into the playoffs until the foreseeable future….

[Hangtime84]

If we going with the DeMar plan is he recruiting Paul George or Pascal here or something?

I know DeMar liked Tory Craig. I know he good friends with draymond as well. But that doesn’t solve our size problem.

[prolific passer]

Honestly. Should have traded him when they had the chance and they had multiple chances.

[kodo]

You obviously want to get back anything you can, but if nobody offers anything at all, just let him walk. Because he's actively harming the natural development of our young players.

Our young kids all folded in the Miami game for the past 3 years in any pressure situation it's just all Demar, all the time. And Miami pressured the kids from the tip off, in an elimination game for the playoffs. Of course they had no idea how to play, because all they do is stand around and watch Demar & Vuc in any pressure situation.

SGA became SGA because the CP3 training wheels were taken off and he had to carry a team, and he failed miserably. 22 wins his first season as the leader, 24 the next. And he's gotten better...a LOT better. You learn through losing more than you learn through watching someone else win. Durant: 20 Ws, 23 Ws next season. Wemby got 22 wins, but they were all his not some 35 year old vet's.

At this point Derozan is just stat padding his career #s, he knows he's not going on some deep playoff run or even has a cinderalla chance at a championship. It's just pure stat padding. I don't feel Chicago's purpose in the NBA is to boost someone's resume.

I'd only be OK with keeping Derozan & Vuc if they are just veteran supporters, like Carmelo was on the Blazers. But it's clear that isn't ever happening, so he should go. But that won't happen. 99.9% chance he's re-signed at any price.

[Muzbar]

I appreciate everything DeMar has done for the team and its young players...

But it's time to move on and in a different direction.

If the Bulls sign DDR to a 40m a year contract, then he's a Bull for life, no one will trade for 36-37yo DeRozan at 40m a year.

[prolific passer]

Apparently he's up for the most clutch award.

[samwana]

Apparently he's up for the most clutch award.

Should be most iso in the clutch award in that case

[samwana]

I don't want him back. I have had enough oft this iteration.
Bulls are ging nowhere and are boring. We need room for the next generation to develop.
Get an actual power forward and see if we can use Vuc in that setting. Otherwise let him come of the bench for 15 minutes max. No one will want him, but if I'm wrong, grade him for a bag of chips.

[dukeespn]

I don't like watching DDR's game tbh but he's the main reason why this terribly constructed roster could secure the mediocre 9th-10th seed.

That's why I really don't want him back even in the case where he accepts cheap and short-term deal. The Bulls need to bottom out.

That being said AK would be very interested in retaining him since AK loves being mediocre and he's delusional as hell.

I don't trust his words at all. Remember the time when AK came to the Bulls in 2020 and said he took the job to build a championship roster? If you're really serious to build a contender you don't sign with players like DDR whose playoffs resume is really terrible. And you don't give a full max contract to a limited one-way players like LaVine. And you don't give a secret extension to mediocre HCs like Billy Donovan right after you got eliminated in the 1st round of the playoffs.

I hope AK remembered the fact that the Bulls owe the Spurs their 2025 FRP but it's THAT delusional AK. He's easily one of the worst FO in recent league history so I stopped to assume AK would do the right thing long time ago.

[SalmonsSuperfan]

there's gotta be some interest. sign and trade.

[Almost Retired]

Just let him make a deal for himself with a team that has a chance to be a playoff contender. He's wasting his time in Chicago at this point. The Bulls have no chance at relevancy any time soon. I'd keep Ayo and Coby and try to get rid of everyone else not on a team friendly contract.

[WindyCityBorn]

I don’t think he wants to be here any more . He explicitly said he is getting old and ways to win. Hopefully he gone. He was a really pleasant surprise, but his time is up here.

[sco]

I feel like Demar and Caruso are pair that should either be kept or dealt in concert. If Demar goes, IMO, Caruso's defense (to make up for Demar's lack of defense) becomes less valuable to us and we should trade AC to bring back a young player with starter potential or a 1st.

[Andi Obst]

I love DeMar too much to be mad at a 2-year extension. Years are much more important than money, though. If he wants 3 years or more, he'll need to find it somewhere else (he probably won't).

[Andi Obst]

I feel like Demar and Caruso are pair that should either be kept or dealt in concert. If Demar goes, IMO, Caruso's defense (to make up for Demar's lack of defense) becomes less valuable to us and we should trade AC to bring back a young player with starter potential or a 1st.

It's just a question of rebuild or no rebuild. If you want to "compete", you will need both of them. If you want to rebuild, there's no point in keeping even one of them.

[Andi Obst]

You obviously want to get back anything you can, but if nobody offers anything at all, just let him walk. Because he's actively harming the natural development of our young players.

I completely disagree with that. Not only is there a human aspect to consider (listen how Coby or Ayo speak about DeMar's impact on their careers), but DeMar has gotten so much better at deciding when he needs to let others shine. The Atlanta game was a good example.

[Red8911]

There’s no question the Bulls should resign Demar. He earned it and the team needs him.I think the 40 million for 2 years is a fair deal and he should take it. If he wants a 3rd year it would have to be for significantly less money (for that last year). Mostly because of age.

Both sides want the same thing so I’m sure they will figure it all out before he even officially becomes a FA. He wants to win but at the same time he also wants to be the main guy and get paid. Bulls offer 2/3 and for the winning we ll see what AK does to improve this team.