Tag: DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan ranked No. 42 in Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 rankings

Check out why DeRozan moved down on SI’s list from last year’s rankings.

With training camp for the 2021-22 NBA season right around the corner, season predictions and player rankings are starting to flood social media.

On Monday, Sports Illustrated began their Top 100 player rankings, which included Bulls guard Lonzo Ball at No. 76.

On Tuesday, SI continued releasing their rankings with spots 50-31 on their list. New Chicago Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan landed at No. 42, a few slots lower than last year, where SI ranked him at No. 39.

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Herring explains DeRozan’s ranking:

“Perhaps the most impactful free agent who flew under the radar this offseason, the star wing heads to Chicago, a club that suddenly has an abundance of high-level ballhandling. Too many will focus on DeRozan’s refusal to take threes, without recognizing that in 2021 he assisted, got to the line and connected from midrange at a higher rate than he ever has. He’s a much better player than when he was in Toronto.”

In his final season with the Spurs, DeRozan averaged 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game.

Check out the full rankings here.

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Zach LaVine, Bulls left off NBA.com’s top-30 player ranking

All-Star Zach LaVine gets snubbed from NBA.com’s best player rankings.

The Chicago Bulls were one of the talks of the offseason with the number of moves they made in free agency by adding Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso to a roster led by All-Star Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.

NBA.com’s staff put together their top-30 player rankings going into the 2021-22 season, which notably omitted any member of the Bulls.

Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic were all mentioned as honorable mentions.

LaVine received two 30th-place votes, a 29th-place vote, and a 27th-place vote.

You can bet that LaVine and company will use this list as motivation as training camp is right around the corner.

See the full list here.

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Zach LaVine posts photo working out with new teammate Alex Caruso

The Bulls All-Star is getting a head start on building chemistry with his new teammates.

Chicago Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine is getting acclimated to his new teammates.

On Friday, LaVine posted on a photo on his Instagram story of he and Alex Caruso working out.

Caruso, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, signed a four-year, $37 million deal to join the Bulls this offseason.

A week ago, LaVine posted a photo of he and DeMar DeRozan, who also signed with the Bulls this offseason.

Safe to say Zach LaVine is taking this offseason seriously as the Bulls look to return to the playoff this season.

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ESPN’s Kevin Pelton gives the Chicago Bulls offseason a C+ grade

Check out why the additions of Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso landed the Bulls a C+ grade from Pelton.

As stated previously, the Chicago Bulls had arguably the most polarizing offseason in the NBA.

In free agency, the Bulls signed Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso, while also trading Lauri Markkanen in a three-team deal, which sent Derrick Jones Jr. to Chicago from Portland.

The Athletic’s David Aldridge recently ranked Chicago’s offseason as No. 4 in the NBA while ESPN’s Zach Lowe called the Bulls the ‘biggest gambler’ in free agency and ESPN’s Kevin Pelton called DeMar DeRozan’s contract the worst value.

On Monday, Kevin Pelton gave the Bulls’ offseason a grade of C+.

Check out Pelton’s reasoning below.

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These are the players who are keeping the mid-range game alive in the NBA

Is DeMar DeRozan the king of the mid-range game in the modern NBA?

As the analytics community grows, one of the most common debates in basketball is the role of the mid-range jump shot in the modern NBA.

While those arguments are tired at this point, the data suggests that the league is increasingly moving away from the mid-range game. But at the same time, the mid-range game is not going to go away any time soon thanks to the style of play from several stars around the league.

To determine which players are keeping the mid-range game alive, we looked at three factors and then compared how each individual performed relative to the league average in the same span:

  1. Output: To determine just how prolific someone was from mid-range, we pulled total field goals made outside four feet but from inside the three-point line per 100 possessions.
  2.  Shot dependency: We examined how often a player’s shots came from everywhere on the floor except at the rim and beyond the arc.
  3. Efficiency: This is simply the field goal percentage a player had on their short mid-range and long mid-range attempts.

It is worth mentioning that longtime NBA fixtures who recently stepped away from the game (e.g. LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker and Shaun Livingston) would have likely made this list if they were active and had not yet retired.

But in their absence, the following players are working the hardest to keep the “in-between” alive in the NBA.

All data is from PBP Stats unless noted otherwise. Shot charts are via Positive Residual.

DeMar DeRozan: Signing Lonzo Ball made the Bulls ‘more appealing’

The four-time NBA All-Star was drawn to Chicago by the addition of Lonzo Ball.

Following playing the last three seasons in San Antonio, DeMar DeRozan is now a member of the Chicago Bulls.

DeRozan spoke with The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry about joining the Bulls, winning in Chicago, and playing alongside his new point guard, Lonzo Ball.

“Once Lonzo signed, that made it even more appealing,” DeRozan said. “You could see what they were working toward, and it was something I wanted to be a part of. It wasn’t too much of a pitch that they had to make after that.”

Lonzo and DeRozan have a relationship being that they’re both from the Los Angeles area. At his introductory media availability, Ball called DeRozan ‘a legend in my area’.

It’s clear that though he was being pitched by Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, the addition of Ball was the cherry on top that sealed the deal for DeRozan.

A three-man perimeter attack of Ball, LaVine, and DeRozan sure is a polarizing group and should pack a punch in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

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DeMar DeRozan on Lonzo: ‘His IQ on the court is incredible’

DeRozan raves about the basketball IQ and potential of his new point guard.

Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan are now teammates in Chicago.

The two Los Angeles-born hoopers both joined the Bulls via free agency this summer, joining Zach LaVine on the perimeter to help bring the Bulls back to the playoffs.

DeRozan sat down with former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and Josiah Johnson in the debut episode of ‘No Chill with Gilbert Arenas’ on Fubo Sports to talk about his signing with the Chicago Bulls and playing with new teammates, like Lonzo Ball.

“I see Lonzo Ball go there and I’ve been a fan of his since high school, growing up here in LA,” DeRozan said of Lonzo. “He hasn’t fully blossomed into his potential. His IQ on the court is incredible. Him being a point guard, a general that he is, his tendencies on the floor is amazing.”

DeRozan signed a three-year, $85 million deal to sign with Chicago, which turned into a sign-and-trade with the San Antonio Spurs. Ball, who also was dealt to Chicago in a sign-and-trade, signed a four-year, $85 million deal.

“Been a rocky few years of him coming to the league and now finally being compensated, knowing where you’re going to be with somebody believing in you, now you can feel free and be yourself.”

Watch the full interview below.

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Lonzo Ball on DeMar DeRozan: ‘He’s a legend in my area’

The two new Bulls guards were both born and raised in the Los Angeles area.

Not only do the Bulls have two former UCLA Bruins, Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine, but they also now have two guards in their backcourt from the Los Angeles area.

On top of signing Lonzo Ball this offseason, the Chicago Bulls signed DeMar DeRozan to a three-year, $85 million deal, which became a sign-and-trade with the San Antonio Spurs.

The four-time All-Star joins a stacked backcourt in Chicago alongside Ball, LaVine, Coby White and also free agent acquisition Alex Caruso.

For Ball, who grew up in Chino Hills, California, told the media Friday during his introductory media availability that DeRozan, who grew up in Compton, California, is a ‘legend in my area.’

“I hit DeMar up when he first came over and decided to come to the Bulls, he’s from Compton LA, so he’s a legend in my area and I grew up watching him play. We have a lot of different players doing different things. … I’m excited to just get out there and play with them,” Ball said.

You can check out Ball’s full media availability here.

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NBA 2K previews Lonzo and DeRozan in Bulls uniform

Get a first look of Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan in a Bulls jersey in NBA 2K.

One of the things NBA fans look forward to most during the offseason is seeing the updated rosters on NBA 2K after the draft and free agency.

For Bulls fans, their team will look a lot different in NBA 2K22 as Chicago has been very active this summer.

Most notably, Lonzo Ball was signed to a four-year, $85 million deal as free agency opened was followed by DeMar DeRozan signing a three-year, $85 million deal in a sign-and-trade from San Antonio.

Ball will continue to wear No. 2, which he has worn throughout his four-year career.

DeRozan will sport No. 11 in Chicago: Bob Love’s No. 10 is retired by the Bulls. DeRozan has worn No. 10 his entire 12-year career.

Via its Twitter account, NBA 2K posted a preview of what Bulls and NBA 2K fans should expect to see.

Check out Ball and DeRozan in their Bulls uniforms below.

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DeMar DeRozan believes he would fit well with LeBron James, Anthony Davis

Free agent DeMar DeRozan explained why he’d fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Los Angeles Lakers.

The free agency rumors are heating up as the market is set to open on Aug. 2.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to several big-time free agents and players in sign-and-trades despite the financial restrictions the team is facing.

Still, high-caliber players are a commodity for L.A., especially given the current championship window with LeBron James and Anthony Davis that must be optimized.

One of the players reportedly interested in joining the Lakers this summer is San Antonio Spurs free agent forward DeMar DeRozan.

DeRozan, 32, will be an unrestricted free agent when the market opens, and if L.A. hopes to secure his signature, the most they can offer is the full $9.5 million taxpayer MLE, unless a sign-and-trade with San Antonio is completed; DeRozan made over $27 million last season and is still worthy of a sizeable payday.

But on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, DeRozan explained why he’d be a good fit in L.A.:

There’s no denying DeRozan’s talent; he’s made four All-Star appearances and has been an All-NBA team member twice.

The main concern, though, is his floor-spacing ability. Shooting 3-pointers has always been a weakness in DeRozan’s game, as he’s a career 28.1 percent 3-point shooter on low volume.

Los Angeles’ biggest need is surrounding James and Davis with more perimeter shooting, but acquiring DeRozan would force head coach Frank Vogel to devise a new offensive scheme.

If Davis plays center with James at power forward, the Lakers can spread the floor with DeRozan assuming the other two players on the court can knock down shots at a respectable clip.

DeRozan is a mid-range savant and can attack the basket with a wide array of moves and strength he’s gained since his rookie season. He’s also averaged over 20 points per game for eight straight seasons but as a high-usage player.

If he can remain effective and efficient without the ball always in his grasp, then there could be some potential by adding him to the roster. He also averaged a career-high 6.9 assists this past season, so playmaking for teammates is evident.

The Lakers are also among the top suitors for Kyle Lowry, who was DeRozan’s teammate when DeRozan played for the Toronto Raptors, so it seems L.A. will have options on who to acquire.

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