76ers took risk, now Butler has to make it pay off

The Chicago Bulls offered veteran forward DeMar DeRozan a two-year contract. The deal was believed to be worth up to $40 million per season.

DeRozan is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s eligible to sign a three-year contract, either as an extension or in free agency. As DeRozan will be 35 years old next season, signing a deal longer than three seasons would run into the NBA’s Over-38 rule.

Bulls VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas recently said he knows his team can’t simply run back the same roster. But Karnisovas made it clear that Chicago want to keep DeRozan in the fold. For his part, DeRozan said he’d like to return to the Bulls, but that he also wants to win.

DeRozan averaged 24 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He shot 48% from the field and 85% from the free throw line.