Official: DeRozan! Player of the Week p69

[kulaz3000]

I don’t want to be a downer, only that if AK was confident in Pat stepping up his game aggression I bet the Bulls don’t make this deal.

I'm not sure about that, Pat is still very young, and he is still likely to be getting around 20 minutes per game which is about right where he should be considering where his game is right now.

I think for the Bulls front office, it was about getting talent and assets on this roster, all moveable I might add. This aren't contract which are going to be impossible to move by any means, so any signs that Pat shows that he is making that leap, you sure as hell know that moves will be made to make way.

Plus, power forward or small forward, it really doesn't matter in this modern NBA anyway. He is a forward, but he still has some ways to go, and to learn a thing or two from DeRozan is a gift to him.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

Bulls basketball is fun again. First time in like 8 years?

Sign& Trade Lauri for some draft capital to recoup some of what AK has given up. Frankly if you could get a protected first for White, do that too. See if you can do Caruso into the Thies TPE and split the MLE for depth signings.

I think I'd actually hold on to Coby - role players on winning teams always tend to have more perceived value around the league. We could probably get a few more pieces in a Coby trade at this time next year if we wanted to move on from him.

Although we still are missing our 2023 and now 2025 draft picks, we should be able to recuperate some of that draft capital in various trades in the future.

His role is looking increasingly small though right? I'd cash in now (I guess somewhat dependent on the idea we can add depth via some combo of exemptions still).

[FriedRise]

Read on Twitter

[hutasadorn]

With all the excitement, can this still be a very underrated signing?

Demar advanced stats:
Top 10 offensive win shares:

1. Jokic
2. Lillard
3. Zion
4. Giannis
5. Butler
6. CP3
7. Steph
8. Kawhi
9. Gobert
10. DeRozen

Also 20th in total win shares.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2021_advanced.html#advanced_stats::ws

[CaPiTanAK]

If PWill takes the expected step towards being a plus starter this season, this team will be very dangerous. Let’s not forget that we still have Coby White as a microwave scorer off the bench.

[Michael Jackson]

This is awesome Bulls are officially contenders my friends !!!!!

I wouldn’t put us at contender level yet… punchers chance contender but definitely a real NBA team now.

Contenders as in a championship team? Not even close.

We should hover around the 4-6 mark, and anything less would be a huge disappointment.

I think the front office's end game is to ultimately acquire a superstar in a trade, keeping an eye out for the likes of Lillard etc. Star players who are disgruntled or not overly pleased with their current situation.

I'll be rooting for this rendition of the Bulls team as is right now, but I think in 2 seasons, this team is going to look a lot different.

I agree this was the model, become a good team that superstar can get traded too and still compete not a reclamation project team. There are enough pieces to trade now too… depending on who wants out.

[Ctownbulls]

BTW, IF this doesn't work out the Bulls have assets to trade and rework. AK doesn't seem like the guy who will just sit around and let this play out. If it doesn't work he will be flexible and pivot. That's how Miami operates, that is how Boston operates.

[MrSparkle]

Read on Twitter

And Thad…

And 4 picks.

Expendable, as we say!

Unless those picks become the next Giannis, Gobert, Jimmy and Wagner…

[troza]

Nice improvement from the last years. Since 2015 we never felt we had a chance of doing a good season (conference semi-finals) but now we can.

I won't say contender. DeRozan not being our #1 guy is good but he is also not the best version of him. Hopefully he will provide the veteran leadership we need. At least we can't complain about things staying the same

[davhern]

A lot of people here owe AKME some apologies. In a one-year span he added Vuc, DeRozan, and Ball. That is an astronomical talent upgrade.

In fairness to me , the only thing AK did that I disagreed with was the Vuc deal. I like the BD hire, love the Williams pick, love the Ayo pick, loved the Theis transaction, etc.

But I haaaaaaaated the Vuc trade. Because I perceived AK had backed himself into a corner because he created a scenario in which he absolutely had to sign Ball.

But then he did sign Ball. And now he’s added Caruso and DD and still has Lauri to play with as an asset.

Frankly it’s amazing and one of the most impressive short term organizational overhauls I’ve ever seen. And the absolute most impressive one that did not involve super-teaming-up.

I bow before the alter of AK’s greatness. He sees further than I. Really incredible stuff. And he’s still not done.

I thought the 2010 overhaul (minus the disappointment about striking out with LBJ/Wade/Bosh) that resulted in Thibs, Boozer and the creation of the bench mob was great. This is something else.

[TheSuzerain]

You guys realize that Derozan is one of the worst playoff performers of all time, correct?

And the sample size is quite large.

Don't care. He's a complimentary player now, not someone expected to carry an offense.

So he's going to be playing more off-ball? Where he can't shoot a lick?

This only works if Derozan is our main half-court hub.

[kulaz3000]

Boy, it’s refreshing that players/agents aren’t using the Bulls simply to leverage themselves to go to other teams.

[MrSparkle]

Btw this is exactly what the Bulls should’ve done in the crazy off-season of 2016. Instead of prepping to surround a bargain Jimmy with tons of talent and going over the cap, they began planning how to dump him for rebuild (and of course 1998). When you move fool’s gold assets in S&Ts and operate over the cap, many buy-low options come up. When you dump talent to create cap, for a moonshot FA, you end up really thin.

The Miami 2010 and Brooklyn 2019 scenarios were so unique… they should never be mentioned as viable FA build plans.

[BeKuK]

Still can't believe the last 24 hours really happend......really happend to US!

We finallay have a damn playoff team! FINALLY

[Mk0]

Bulls fans have so much PTSD from GarPax era that they don’t know what to think…..

I don't know what to think, but I know what I feel.

[kulaz3000]

You guys realize that Derozan is one of the worst playoff performers of all time, correct?

And the sample size is quite large.

Don't care. He's a complimentary player now, not someone expected to carry an offense.

So he's going to be playing more off-ball? Where he can't shoot a lick?

This only works if Derozan is our main half-court hub.

He gets to the line at good clip, can play a little in the post and is a good slasher. We have Vuc, Zach, Zo and even Pat to a lesser degree who can all shoot the 3 ball and spread the floor. There is a whole lot of versatility with this roster at least on the offensive end.

[MGB8]

Thad was a much better fit than DDR...

Sir, do you have eyeballs? Might I suggest using them from time to time?

I do and here's what I see:
- There only one basketball
- DDR was option #1 or #1A his entire career. Great scorer and P&R threat, but giant adjustment needed here - potentially #3 option, could slide to bench if the offense is not enough to offset defensive issues
- Defense still below average. Add this to 2 other flawed defenders on the starting 5... that's a disaster waiting to happen
- Shot 25% from outside the past 2 years, 28% career

Thad may not be as good offensively, but he was a great complimentary piece, perfect vet to be around, content to play in the shadow of top scorers / come off the bench, great passing and BBIQ, much better than DDR on defense. And obviously, much more affordable for the Bulls than this giant contract DDR just signed (not to mention picks...)

I understand the enthusiasm, but my gut feeling tells me we may regret this move...

While nominally a #1 option in SA, he really hasn't been. It's been very much team ball, give it to the open man / hot hand. I'm not concerned about his offensive fit in terms of getting enough shots. Maybe it means that Pat doesn't get forced to grow... but it's not like either he or Lonzo really demand shots, or Caruso for that matter.

The defense has become... passable. Better against 3s than true 4s where in San Antonio he was forced to the 4 because the didn't have any better options (except for Rudy Gay who they liked off the bench).

I'm not so concerned about the 3 ball, either. I expect a bump back up to the higher ends of his career at 28-32% on maybe 2 attempts per game... just enough to keep opposing defenses a little honest --- but he's going to have a lot more spacing around him on the Bulls roster than he did on the Spurs. Rudy Gay and Patty Mills shot 38%, Aldridge, pre-trade/retirement, shot 36% but Poetl didn't shoot, Murray was 32% himself, and White, Johnson, Walker and Vassell were all middling 35% guys.

Compared to Lonzo - last two seasons at 38%, LaVine last season at 42%, Pat (on low volume) at 39%, Vuc at 39-40%....

[bad knees]

Don't care. He's a complimentary player now, not someone expected to carry an offense.

So he's going to be playing more off-ball? Where he can't shoot a lick?

This only works if Derozan is our main half-court hub.

He gets to the line at good clip, can play a little in the post and is a good slasher. We have Vuc, Zach, Zo and even Pat to a lesser degree who can all shoot the 3 ball and spread the floor. There is a whole lot of versatility with this roster at least on the offensive end.

DDR and Zach have to be our initiators. Vuc's role will have to be diminished - much fewer post iso's. Ball will have plenty of opportunities to develop as a creator but his primary role will be what he was in his last year in NO - 3 and D wing. Williams will be whatever he wants to be, but for now more 3 and D.

[WindyCityBorn]

We still need a big. Keep Lauri or trade him for a goon.

[madvillian]

Boy, it’s refreshing that players/agents aren’t using the Bulls simply to leverage themselves to go to other teams.

And that our FO is well perceived by players around the league.