DeMar DeRozan was nothing short of stellar in his first season with the Chicago Bulls. One could argue he was the best all-around player on the team during the 2021-22 campaign. Many media outlets deemed DeRozan the worst offseason signing, and he proved them wrong in a big way.
Offense
In his 13th NBA season, DeRozan was almost unstoppable. He averaged a career-high 27.9 PPG and shot 50% from the field. He also shot a career-high 35.2% from three-point range. DeRozan finished second in fourth-quarter scoring at 8.2 PPG. He was absolutely electric and one of the most clutch scorers in the NBA. There weren’t many players better scoring the rock as efficiently as DeRozan in 2021-22.
Defense
On the defensive side of the ball, it’s a bit of a different story. Though he finished the year a +77, he has a defensive efficiency rating of 115.3. No one has ever called DeRozan a great defender. If anything, he’s serviceable.
A lot of his energy was focused on the offensive side of the floor. Key injuries to elite perimeter defenders such as Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball led to the Bulls’ defensive struggles at times. That’s usually where DeRozan would bail them out on the offensive end.
In all, DeMar DeRozan gave everything he had night in and night out on the court. Posting career-highs at 32 years old should not be taken lightly. That’s why the final grade in his first season with the Chicago Bulls is an A+.
Grade: A+
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