Among the disappointments of last season (40-42 and 10th place in the East), the Bulls will obviously be keen to return to the playoffs as quickly as possible next season, in the wake of their leader, DeMar DeRozan.
A DeMar DeRozan always very lucid when discussing the failure of his team, eliminated on the wire during the play-in against the Heat…
“ We made a lot of mistakes and it’s not just up to the players to be able to correct them, it’s also up to the coaching staff », he details, during a interview with Sportskeeda. “ We weren’t far behind at all despite our mistakes and, if we correct them, give us the 10-15 games we should have [gagner] last season, it would change the whole dynamic. But it’s always easy to say: ‘Break everything’ when something is wrong. You don’t really know where you’ll end up doing that, so when I hear people say that, it lets me know they don’t understand basketball at all. In my opinion, you just have to control what you can control, which means going out there, working hard, being a leader and understanding what needs to be fixed, and then moving forward from there. »
“A place where I want to be and finish my career”
It will also be necessary that Chicago begins to shine collectively again, in order to make DeMar DeRozan want to continue his career there. As a reminder, the six-time All-Star will be free next summer and, at the age of 34, he knows that he will undoubtedly sign his last big contract…
“ This is a place I want to be and finish my career », he rightly shares. “ I want to be able to accomplish whatever I seek to accomplish, that’s all I can control and all I can care about. I have absolute confidence in myself, but I will let my agent take care of that aspect. They want me to be here long term and vice versa, so we’ll see what happens. »
Back in Paris in a year?
Suffice to say that the 2023/24 financial year will be pivotal for these Bulls whose future is increasingly uncertain. Already deprived of Lonzo Ball, but reinforced by the arrivals of Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig, or the returns of Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Andre Drummond, they will try to regain their collective strength of the 2021 financial year /22.
“ It will be about being more in tune than last season, in attack and defense », Judge DeMar DeRozan, who also says he is aware of having to shoot more at 3-points. “ We had a lot of good times, but we couldn’t make them last. Once we understand what it takes to win, it will make us better. But we have what it takes, we just need to understand and know what to do to maintain a winning culture and, once we do, we will be better. »
If this were not the case for Chicago, DeMar DeRozan could however have the opportunity to console himself with Team USA at the end of next season because, given his status as 2014 world champion and 2016 Olympic champion, he could well-being of the American adventure in Paris…
“ I’m always up for it and would love to be, so I can represent the country again », assures on this subject the one who had already visited the French capital with the Bulls last January. “ It’s definitely an honor for me and, if asked or if I’m part of the group that can fight to go, I will definitely take part. »
| DeMar DeRozan | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2009-10 | TOR | 77 | 22 | 49.8 | 25.0 | 76.3 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 8.6 |
| 2010-11 | TOR | 82 | 35 | 46.7 | 9.6 | 81.3 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 17.2 |
| 2011-12 | TOR | 63 | 35 | 42.2 | 26.1 | 81.0 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 16.7 |
| 2012-13 | TOR | 82 | 37 | 44.5 | 28.3 | 83.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 18.1 |
| 2013-14 | TOR | 79 | 38 | 42.9 | 30.5 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 22.7 |
| 2014-15 | TOR | 60 | 35 | 41.3 | 28.4 | 83.2 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 20.1 |
| 2015-16 | TOR | 78 | 36 | 44.6 | 33.8 | 85.0 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 23.5 |
| 2016-17 | TOR | 74 | 35 | 46.7 | 26.6 | 84.2 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 27.3 |
| 2017-18 | TOR | 80 | 34 | 45.6 | 31.0 | 82.5 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 23.0 |
| 2018-19 | SAN | 77 | 35 | 48.1 | 15.6 | 83.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 21.2 |
| 2019-20 | SAN | 68 | 34 | 53.1 | 25.7 | 84.5 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 22.1 |
| 2020-21 | SAN | 61 | 34 | 49.5 | 25.7 | 88.0 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 21.6 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 76 | 36 | 50.4 | 35.2 | 87.7 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 27.9 |
| 2022-23 | CHI | 74 | 36 | 50.4 | 32.4 | 87.2 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 24.5 |
| Total | 1031 | 34 | 46.8 | 29.1 | 84.0 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 21.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
