DeMar DeRozan is running out of patience and the Chicago Bulls’ rough 5-12 beginning to the season seems to be taking a toll on him.
Following the team’s 121-108 loss to the Toronto Raptors, DeRozan openly voiced his frustration to reporters after being ejected from the game.
“I can’t fake it,” he said. “I’m beyond frustrated. And I think it’s rightfully so as a competitor,” DeRozan said.
“Everybody in this locker room is frustrated. It’s from a good place of being a competitor and wanting to figure it out that badly. Put a couple wins together. I really truly believe that can shift everything for us.”
As the Bulls grapple with ongoing challenges, questions loom about their next steps. The team boasts players who could attract interest from playoff contenders, sparking talks of potential trades.
According to reports from Shams Charania and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic on Nov. 14, the Bulls have shown an “increased openness” to considering a trade involving Zach LaVine.
While LaVine earns $40.1 million this season and potentially $138 million over the next three years, DeRozan concludes his three-year contract this season.
Another potential trade asset could be Alex Caruso, whose current season’s earnings stand at $9.5 million. He has a partially guaranteed salary of $3 million next season, which could escalate to a full guarantee of $9.9 million by June 30.
With a recent slump of 10 losses over their last 13 games following a 2-2 start, the Bulls find themselves among the NBA’s bottom four in points per game (106.5) and offensive rating (110.0).
DeRozan, amid the team’s struggle, maintains an average of 21.1 points on 44.3 percent shooting and 4.4 assists per game across 16 starts this season.
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