USC Basketball: Ex-Trojan DeMar DeRozan Hoping To Bring Former Teammate To Chicago

Would he be a fit?

Former 2009 USC Trojans Pac-10 Tournament MVP DeMar DeRozan, now a six-time NBA All-Star and potential Hall of Famer, is looking to lure one of his favorite teammates to his current digs, the Chicago Bulls.

Although DeRozan's name has been floated as a possible trade chip among several contending teams as his 21-24 Bulls continue to wade in the morass of another meaningless, middling season, he apparently has been agitating for his former longtime Toronto Raptors colleague Kyle Lowry to join him in mediocre purgatory of late.

Earlier this week, Lowry's expiring $29.7 million contract was shipped off to the Charlotte Hornets by the Miami Heat, along with a first round draft pick, in exchange for two-way point guard Terry Rozier, a massive upgrade for the reigning Eastern Conference champs.

Lowry, formerly a six-time All-Star himself and a 2019 champ with Toronto (alongside DeRozan's replacement, Kawhi Leonard), has struggled mightily of late, and at 37 is nowhere near his prime anymore. But in 15 minutes per game off the bench, he could still have value somewhere in the league. It would make more sense from his perspective to find a club that's closer to actual contention.

Although Lowry makes no sense as a trade fit for Chicago, it seems more likely than not that he'll negotiate a buyout with Charlotte. He'd be an intriguing fit on a veteran's minimum, though again it almost seems like a waste of his dwindling remaining NBA time to spend a year on a team that will more likely than not be unable to survive the play-in tournament.

DeRozan certainly seemed interested in a reunion when the question was posed to him by K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

“Kyle would fit anywhere where I’m at,” DeRozan said. “If it was asked of me, whether from him if that was something he wanted to do (or management), for sure. Why not?” ...That’s one of my closest friends, one of the smartest players I’ve played with since I been in the league.”

On the year, Lowry is averaging 8.2 points on .426/.385/.833 shooting splits, four assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals a night.