Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
DeMar DeRozan's stellar, three-season tenure with the Chicago Bulls is over.
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The Sacramento Kings are finalizing a sign-and-trade acquisition of the six-time All-Star, including two appearances with the Bulls, in a three-team transaction with the San Antonio Spurs, sources confirmed. Headed to the Bulls are guard Chris Duarte, whose $5.9 million deal either expires or can be extended or moved into restricted free agency, and much needed draft capital in the form of two second-round picks, a source confirmed. ESPN.com also reported that the Bulls are getting cash.
The Bulls also will create a trade exception of roughly $17 million, although they currently sit roughly $4.5 million below the luxury tax line with 15 contracts. Onuralp Bitim's $1.9 million deal isn't fully guaranteed until January 2025.
DeRozan will sign a three-year, $74 million deal, a source said, which features two years and $59 million guaranteed. The third season is partially guaranteed, according to Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report. ESPN.com's Marc Spears was the first to mention the Kings' interest in DeRozan on July 2.
The Spurs will acquire Harrison Barnes from Sacramento, who added DeRozan to an already potent fourth-quarter scorer in De'Aaron Fox. DeRozan led the NBA in fourth-quarter points and total minutes this season.
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DeRozan averaged 25.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in his three seasons with the Bulls, appearing in 93 percent of possible games and drawing plaudits from every member of the organization for his professionalism and consistency.
That the Spurs and Bulls helped facilitate the sign-and-trade for the Kings seemed fitting. DeRozan came to the Bulls in another sign-and-trade transaction in August 2021 from the Spurs, who also lauded DeRozan for his stellar three-season run there.
Duarte, the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, averaged 13.1 points as a rookie for the Indiana Pacers. He owns career averages of 8.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 160 games, including 62 starts. The wing is a career 34.7 percent 3-point shooter.
The Bulls' youth movement is in full effect. Duarte, 27, will be on the older end of a core built around Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams, Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Jalen Smith, but the Bulls have flexibility with Duarte's future.
They also will continue their efforts to trade Zach LaVine---and now have two second-round picks to possibly attach as assets in that quest. Coincidentally, the Bulls and Kings held trade talks centered on LaVine before the DeRozan interest materialized.
That the Spurs and Bulls did business on this deal is also coincidental in that the Bulls still owe the Spurs a top-10 protected pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, widely considered to be deep and strong, for the initial DeRozan sign-and-trade to Chicago. The Bulls' youth movement could help the Bulls keep the pick for at least one more year, at which point it would become top-eight protected.