The New York Knicks are in hot pursuit of another All-Star caliber player to add to their roster and Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan might be one that the franchise can bring on board.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, DeRozan is linked to the Knicks and two other teams as the Bulls are coming to terms with the likelihood of a franchise re-tool:
“When it comes to possible destinations, the Heat and Knicks are known to be preferable to DeRozan if he winds up getting moved.”
Are DeMar DeRozan’s Strengths Needed on the Knicks?
DeRozan is a midrange specialist who has a reputation for delivering in clutch-time situations. However, though that’s been the case in regular season play, he’s also carried notoriety for underwhelming performances in postseason play.
The dynamic scoring small forward has had no trouble filling up the stat sheet while in Chicago. DeRozan has led the offensive attack for the Bulls behind 25.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and five assists since he joined the franchise in 2021-22.
DeRozan’s struggles from the outside pose a threat to a Knicks team that has turned a corner from outside this season. He’s only made one or more threes in one season as a pro and has never shot better than 36.4 percent from deep. Further, DeRozan is also a poster child for isolation play, which would likely halt the Knicks’ pace even further as they rank No. 29 in pace of play. DeRozan’s Bulls rank dead last in that category.
While DeRozan would bring tremendous name value to the franchise, his play forecasts to clash with that of Jalen Brunson, who plays a very patient style of basketball in the half-court. With Julius Randle struggling mightily at 28 percent shooting from three-point range, having two elite scorers who don’t particularly shoot well on the floor together in an offense that struggles to create varied offensive looks is yet another question management would have to mull over before executing a trade for DeRozan.
- Knicks’ versatile guard is having a career season
- Knicks’ star big man flashing elite scoring prowess early on
- Knicks All-Star raves about team progress following Suns thrashing
Trading For DeRozan Could Backfire on the Knicks in the Offseason
DeRozan is currently on the last year of his deal, earning $28.6 million. The Knicks could take that expiring deal on and attempt to offer the 34-year-old less money when he hits unrestricted free agency. However, another suitor on the open market may make that a non-possibility.
