MIAMI — DeMar DeRozan said he chooses to live in a sound-proof box during the NBA season.
So all the whispers about trade possibilities or his expiring contract are for the outside world to decipher.
DeRozan’s mentality?
“This is work time,” the forward said Saturday. “I don’t want to hear [bleep], to be honest with you. I’ve been with my agent [Aaron Goodwin] my whole career, and him knowing me like he does, people around me know how I am when it comes down to that kind of stuff. Same thing with family stuff back home. If it isn’t an emergency or something serious, I don’t want to hear about it, I don’t need to know about it.”
Not that there’s a lot to know right now.
The Bulls and DeRozan’s camp are still open to a new contract, according to a source, but talks are stalled. And while executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas will take calls on a DeRozan trade, he’s not making them.
If things go according to Karnisovas’ plan — a big if — guard Zach LaVine will be traded, and then the front office will evaluate how the assets the Bulls get in return, along with DeRozan, center Nikola Vucevic and the rest of the squad, work together before the trade deadline Feb. 8.
That could give the organization some clarity on DeRozan’s future.
DeRozan is well aware of his situation but wants to stay on a need-to-know basis. He doesn’t need to know anything until a contract is ready to be signed or not.
“You don’t want that chatter to be a distraction,” he said. “I’ve always been like that, even growing up. If it isn’t something life or death, I don’t need to hear about it, don’t want to hear about it. I’m always that person that if you’re working on something late at night, you don’t want to be bothered.”
But what if the Bulls tell DeRozan’s agent that they’re letting his client walk? What if the team goes on a spiral downward? Would either change the way DeRozan handles his business? Not likely.
“I understand what comes with having a rough season or rumors, and that speculation is going to come up everywhere,” he said. “It comes with this profession. Same with my contract. I’ve never demanded or stated, made accusations, ‘I want this, I need this, I deserve this.’ I just go out and play and let the chips fall where they fall. Tend to my teammates and be the best version of myself that I can be.
“Like I said, the best thing for me is to have that mentality of ‘Don’t bother me, time to go to work.’ ”
Silent night
Even after Friday — the first day that many players who signed summer contracts can be traded — the talk around the Bulls remained very quiet. That’s not a real surprise considering the entire league is quiet.
It’s just too early in the season for teams to know what they are or what they need.
“I have not heard anything from Arturas regarding any of our players at all,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Obviously, as you move closer to February, the trade deadline and those types of things, there’ll probably be conversations. Everything has been about how can we help this group get better, improve.”
