NBA Rumors: DeMar DeRozan's future with the Chicago Bulls may be in question

NBA Rumors: DeMar DeRozan appears on a path that will lead him to testing free agency, potentially indicating his exit of Chicago.

A few weeks ago, it seemed as a near-foregone conclusion that DeMar DeRozan was going to re-sign with the Chicago Bulls. However, after their start to the offseason, that may no longer be the case. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, DeRozan's future with the Bulls could be in question after the team acquired Josh Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Bulls' acquisition of Giddey is the team clearly admitting that they needed to retool their roster. And if they're willing to admit it or not, if the Bulls do move forward with trading Zach LaVine too, the team would be taking a step back next season. The hope is that these moves will catapult Chicago to new heights in the future, but that's far from a guarantee.

One thing is clear, though, and it's that if the Bulls are indeed signaling a step back to start the offseason, it won't make much sense for a veteran free agent like DeRozan to be re-signed. With the start of free agency less than a week away, it could make for an interesting next few days in Chicago with a decision needing to be made regarding DeRozan's future with the team.

The good news for DeRozan is that if he does end up testing the free-agency waters, there should be plenty of interest.

What teams could make sense for DeMar DeRozan in free agency?

Unfortunately for DeRozan, most of the teams or landing spots that make the most sense for him don't have a ton of cap space. If he's going to get to a spot that makes sense for him, it's likely going to have to come via sign-and-trade. That's not a huge hurdle, especially if the Bulls are willing to play ball, but it could complicate things a tad.

But if that doesn't lead DeRozan back to Chicago, the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Orlando Magic could all make sense for DeRozan. There are likely others that could be involved as well.

For as much as he may have found a home over the past few years in Chicago, with the Bulls pivoting this offseason, it always made the most sense for DeRozan to explore other options in free agency. And now that the NBA's Free Agency period is about to open, it appears as if DeRozan is at least going to test the open waters.