Raptors: Could DeMar DeRozan help turn the Bulls into contenders?

During what has been a very transformative offseason for the Toronto Raptors, two franchise cornerstones in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have confirmed that they will be wearing red and black next year. Unfortunately, neither of them decided to come back to Canada next year.

Lowry made his departure from the Raptors all but official, as there is an agreement in place that would send him to the Miami Heat with a three-year, $90 million contract in exchange for a package headlined by Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa.

DeRozan, who has spent the last three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs after the Kawhi Leonard deal, is looking to both cash in and make a run at a championship. Despite considering a Lowry reunion in Los Angeles with the Lakers and some late posturing from Miami in an attempt to seduce him, DeRozan is heading to the Windy City.

DeRozan will join Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball with the Chicago Bulls on a three-year, $85 million contract, per Chris Haynes. The Spurs will get Thad Young, Al-Farouq Aminu, and three draft picks, one of which is a first-rounder, for DeRozan thanks to a sign-and-trade agreement.

A miraculous reunion with Lowry is not in the cards, but DeRozan will have a shot at making the postseason frequently in Chicago. Could he be the missing ingredient they need to chase a championship?

Will DeMar DeRozan lead the Bulls to wins like he led the Raptors?

Arturas Karnisovas and the Bulls are clearly going for broke at this point, as they have traded three first-round selections in order to secure Vucevic and DeRozan. This is an appealing pitch for LaVine, who is a free agent after the 2021 season.

While the Bulls have plenty of scoring, DeRozan provides a mid-range bucket-getter that can attack the rim, pull up from mid-range, and line at several different positions on the offensive end. Don’t be surprised if he overtakes LaVine as the top scorer on the team this year.

What DeRozan adds to this team that they were lacking before is someone with deep playoff experience and a history of producing deeper in the postseason. LaVine has spent his career on some bad teams in Chicago and Minnesota, and Vucevic’s Orlando teams that made the playoffs were usually dispatched quickly.

With a coach like Billy Donovan, DeRozan could get his 20 points a night while playing for a team more ready to win now than the Spurs.

Lowry is in Miami, and DeRozan is in Chicago, but both of them will be Raptors immortals for life due to their legendary careers north of the border. As tough as it may be, both Lowry and DeRozan are positioned nicely for a playoff run.