The Chicago Bulls needed a veteran leader, so they went after DeMar DeRozan.
And while that hasn’t translated into much success, one could argue that the former Toronto Raptors star has been spectacular since arriving in the Windy City, at least when it comes to his own numbers.
DeRozan was once considered a bit of a choker, often struggling to be efficient when the game was on the line, but that’s no longer the case.
That was evident in Basketball Reference’s latest tweet, which shows DeRozan leading the NBA in points in overtime (45) last season.
Most points in overtime last season:
45 – DeMar DeRozan
43 – Jaylen Brown
36 – Donovan Mitchell
32 – De'Aaron Fox
32 – Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderSee the full list: https://t.co/d5oen6kEjZ pic.twitter.com/ImlONkgsKL
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) August 3, 2023
As good as DeRozan has been, perhaps the Bulls might need to reconsider their current project.
Truth be told, they’re simply not good enough to compete at the highest level or keep up to speed with the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, or even Philadelphia 76ers.
The roster, constructed as it is, is going nowhere, and they have little-to-no young talent for the future, either.
Moving DeRozan could be the key behind a long-overdue rebuild, as he still has plenty of value in this league despite his age, and multiple contending teams could be desperate enough to absorb his steep salary and send interesting assets in return.
The Bulls could also look to part ways with Nikola Vucevic for the same reasons, and some even believe Zach LaVine could also be on the trade block at the right price, so don’t be shocked if there’s a bit of an overhaul in Chicago sooner rather than later.
NEXT: Bulls Guard Gets Honest On Returning To The Team
