Could Raptors reunite with DeMar DeRozan amid Bulls drama?

While the Toronto Raptors have won a championship and made the playoffs three times since the departure of DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard trade, some fans have spent the last few years wondering about what it would take to bring No. 10 back to Toronto and further add to his legacy.

While DeRozan signed with the Chicago Bulls aiming to take this team to the promised land, all of the momentum from a solid 2021-22 season has been derailed. Not only is the team outside of the play-in and not in possession of a first-round pick, but DeRozan and fellow star Zach LaVine are reportedly butting heads.

The current alignment is simply not working in Chicago, and there are reports of discontent between the team’s two stars. Those turbulent skies could lead to Toronto ending up with a DeRozan return, as they could be at the front of the line when it comes to trade suitors.

According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, DeRozan might be willing to ask out of Chicago in the offseason if he remains unimpressed by the direction of the franchise. Could the Raptors manage to do the impossible and somehow get DeRozan back where he belongs in Canada?

Can the Toronto Raptors trade for DeMar DeRozan?

DeRozan has averaged 27.3 points. 5.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game in his Bulls tenure, proving that he remains one of the best scorers this game has to offer. Does any team in the league need a pure bucket-getter more than the Raptors? Think of him and Pascal Siakam slicing teams apart.

A Fred VanVleet trade is likely far away from becoming reality, but this could be one way to keep both teams competitive while simultaneously giving the squads the facelifts they need. A Rockford native, VanVleet may get a lucrative contract in Chicago that Toronto might be unwilling to give him.

DeRozan has one year left on his contract, and he will turn 35 when he’s up for his next deal. While that makes him a much riskier long-term play, the Raptors might be able to add an impact scorer they can trust in the postseason while still having enough financial flexibility to surround him with talent.

While Masai Ujiri may have been unusually curt in how he traded away DeRozan following his years of service, there is a chance to rectify things if the Bulls continue to splinter. Perhaps with DeRozan, Siakam, and Scottie Barnes at the heart of this new-look team, Toronto might actually break through to the finals with DeRozan on the floor.