"He would play his a** off": Knicks fans on pins and needles as DeMar DeRozan rumors heat up

Chicago Bulls star wing DeMar DeRozan has been made available via trade, with Chicago reportedly seeking an expiring contract and one first-round pick in return. The Bulls’ low asking price has piqued the interest of New York Knicks fans, who have been anxiously waiting for their team to acquire another star.

On Sunday, New York media personality Eddie Presti shared a graphic of DeRozan in a Knicks jersey on X, formerly Twitter. In the caption, he mentioned NBA insider Esfandiar Baraheni’s report regarding what the Bulls are looking to receive for the 34-year-old.

According to Presti, the Knicks shouldn’t hesitate to acquire DeRozan to pair alongside stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. He suggested they ship a first-round pick and veteran shooting guard Evan Fournier’s expiring $18.9 million contract to Chicago in exchange for the six-time All-Star.

Presti then asked Knicks fans what they thought about the proposal, to which most expressed intrigue.

“34 years old, but he’s still great. Hungry and have to assume he would play his a** off for one great playoff run. Adds offense our Knicks so desperately need,” one fan said.

“100%. Don’t lose anything and get a star? Easy choice,” another said.

Below are a few more of the top fan reactions to DeRozan potentially landing in New York:

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Does a DeMar DeRozan trade make sense for the Knicks?

Given his lack of floor spacing and defense, DeMar DeRozan’s fit in New York may not be ideal. However, as previously noted, his trade value is relatively low, and he is on an expiring $28.6 million contract. So, he would be an extremely low-risk trade target for the Knicks.

New York has long been on the hunt for a third star. Meanwhile, the team is reportedly looking to acquire another win-now player while maintaining future financial flexibility before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

Acquiring DeRozan would allow the Knicks to add an elite scorer without having to tie up any of their future cap space. Despite being 34, he is the Bulls’ leading scorer this season (21.9 points per game on 46.1% shooting). So, the veteran should be able to offer the Knicks steady offensive production as a second or third option.

Thus, most would probably agree that taking a chance on DeRozan makes sense for New York. The Knicks could see if he gels with their team over the second half of the season and playoffs. If so, they could re-sign him this summer. But if things don’t work out, they could let him walk in free agency and begin targeting other stars.

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