Bulls Reportedly Made DeMar DeRozan A Huge Contract Offer

The 2023-24 NBA season officially came to an end for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Play-In Tournament. After defeating the Atlanta Hawks in the first game, they were defeated by the Miami Heat in the second matchup for the right to earn the No. 8 seed.

While it was encouraging to see the Bulls fight hard to try and get into the NBA Postseason, some major changes are expected to occur this offseason. As currently constructed, this roster isn’t close to being a contender in the Eastern Conference.

The front office is going to have some difficult decisions to make once free agency rolls around. Coby White signed a multi-year extension ahead of the season, locking him in as part of the core moving forward. Who will be joining him in that core?

Chicago is certainly hopeful that DeMar DeRozan will be. As shared by Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls have reportedly made a lucrative offer to the veteran star.

“A source said the Bulls recently offered DeRozan’s representative a two-year deal at a high annual salary, perhaps as much as $40 million per season. For now, DeRozan is seeking a longer-term deal, but that merely be part of negotiations,” wrote Johnson.

Along with re-signing DeRozan, the team reportedly wants to work out a deal to bring Patrick Williams back. Zach LaVine’s future with the franchise is much murkier, as one of their main focuses during the 2024 NBA offseason will be finding a trade centered around him.

“DeMar’s been great for us for three years,” executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnišovas said. “He’s been invested in the city of Chicago and has been really great to our young guys. So both sides are interested in continuing and we’ll see what happens in free agency.”

DeRozan had an excellent season with the Bulls, as he led the NBA in minutes played during his age-34 season. He scored 24 points per game to go along with 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals.

Despite his age, DeRozan has shown no real signs of slowing down. He has continued augmenting his offensive game, adding a more consistent 3-point shot to his arsenal during the 2023-24 NBA season. A consummate professional, DeRozan has value to the Bulls whether they rebuild or attempt to reload on the fly.