(670 The Score) With the NBA trade deadline looming next Thursday, 670 midday host Dan Bernstein believes the struggling Bulls need to change their course by dealing star forward DeMar DeRozan.
“Trade DeMar DeRozan,” Bernstein said on the Bernstein & Holmes Show on Thursday. “His value is high. His game is retrograde and anachronistic. His game is holding you back. His game may be actively retarding the development of one of your most important players (in 21-year-old forward Patrick Williams). Get what you can while he’s still young enough, has some value, has another year on his contract to keep that value up. Whatever you want to do with (Nikola Vucevic), the most important thing they can do to tell me they see what’s really going on here – trade DeMar DeRozan.
“When the Raptors did it, they won the title the next year. I’m not saying that that’s going to happen here. I’m saying you thank him for what he’s done. It’s been immensely entertaining. He was a great star last year, this year. It’s not out of spite. I just think it’s good business and good basketball.
“It’s more stark than ever. If it’s really affecting the way a coach feels he can do his job, move on now. Let’s move on.”
DeRozan, 33, was averaging 26.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 36.2 minutes across 47 games entering play Thursday. He was shooting 51.1% from the field, the second-highest mark of his 14-year career. DeRozan is under contract through the 2023-'24 season, when he'll be due $28.6 million.
"You can be a very consistent, player-friendly organization and improve your overall balance sheet asset-wise by trading DeMar DeRozan at this deadline," Bernstein said.
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