The Chicago Bulls lost to the Kings 124-119 in their first game against DeMar DeRozan since the sign-and-trade that sent him to Sacramento during the 2024 offseason.
DeRozan finished with 21 points in the win. He tipped his cap to former teammate Zach LaVine, though, who finished with 36 points. It was his sixth straight 30-plus-point performance, and it came amid continued trade speculation.
DeRozan was happy to see LaVine playing well after what he has endured.
“I hope he makes All-Star. I hope he’s credited for his play. It’s not easy. That dude works extremely hard. I remember when he was dealing with his knee and how frustrated he was, just wanting to contribute. He played through injuries,” DeRozan said, per Chicago Sports Network’s K.C. Johnson on January 12.
“To see him healthy and doing what we all know he’s capable of doing, it’s not surprising to see. But it’s definitely gratifying to see because we know how hard he works at his game.”
LaVine has averaged 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, shooting 51.7% overall and 45.0% from deep. Only Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets this season and Kevin Durant with the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21 (when he played 35 games) have had similar years, per Stathead.
That has not helped the Bulls’ prospects when it comes to finding a trade for LaVine, though.
“There was ‘light momentum’ in trade talks with Denver, and while they weren’t completely taken off the table they have stalled,” The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley wrote on January 11. “A source also said that there was early-season talk about LaVine and the Lakers, but the puzzle didn’t have the right pieces at the time. With Los Angeles moving the D’Angelo Russell contract a few weeks ago for Dorian Finney-Smith, the puzzle was all but thrown in the garbage.”
DeMar DeRozan Reflects Fondly on Time With Bulls
The Bulls showed a tribute to DeRozan in the arena. DeRozan reflected fondly about his time on the team before the game and after, including with his “sons,” the Bulls’ younger players.
“It was cool, man, just to be able to have the opportunity and come back to a place where they love you, appreciate you. My three years here felt like 10. I enjoyed my time here. It was fun just going out there and talking trash to all the guys that I played with last year, and just to see the fans and everything. so it was definitely cool,” DeRozan told reporters on January 12.
“[The video tribute] was cool, man. I mean stuff like that go all the way. … I’m always humbled by any type of appreciation for my time anywhere when they show love back, so it meant a lot.”
Nikola Vucevic Reacts to DeMar DeRozan’s Reception at United Center
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic has seen the appreciation from fans and how they can turn on players in down seasons.
He noted how impactful DeRozan was to garner such a warm reception.
“The response he received from the fans was more than well deserved,” Vucevic said, per Chicago Sports Network on January 12. “While he was here, the level he played at you’re obviously aware of. But the way he carried himself as teammate and way he tried to represent city, franchise was (huge).”
Barring a meeting in the NBA Finals, the Bulls will see DeRozan and the Kings one more time this season. That will be on the road in Sacramento in March. The Bulls may very well have found a trade partner for LaVine and Vucevic by then.
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