DeMar DeRozan is embracing heavy workload for Bulls

The Chicago Bulls will face the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament. The winner will face the loser between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. 

Chicago has done well to navigate a difficult season. Before the Feb. 8 trade deadline, it was rumored to be exploring opportunities to enter a rebuild. Part of the struggles have been due to Lonzo Ball missing his second straight season with injury.

Without their star guard in the rotation, the Bulls have relied heavily on DeMar DeRozan this season. He's averaging 37.8 minutes per game despite being in his 15th NBA season. However, it would appear DeRozan is welcoming the heavy workload.

“I love it. I want to play,” DeRozan told The Athletic's Darnell Mayberry. “I tell Billy all the time, ‘Don’t take me out. I want to play.’ I want to be out there with the guys. I want to feel that challenge. Especially when you realize I’m not going to play for another 15 years, another 10 years. So while I’m here, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. I don’t want to shortchange anybody: myself, my teammates, people who come to see me."

The play-in tournament and the playoffs are known for their physical brand of basketball. As such, the Bulls will likely need to find ways of maximizing DeRozan's impact without risking burning out their aging star. After all, at 34 years old, he is in the final stretch of his career and could potentially struggle to sustain his current work rate long-term.

For now, though, the Bulls are leaning into the talent of their best player. DeRozan is among the best mid-range scorers in the NBA. He's also a reliable playmaker and defender. Their chances of success rest heavily on the production the coaching staff can coax out of them. That begins with overcoming the Hawks and then dispatching whoever they face in their second play-in game. 

DeRozan is an unrestricted free agent this summer. His current production and ability to play heavy minutes could earn him another big contract. However, he will need to remain healthy between now and the end of the season. 

Nevertheless, his performances for the Bulls this year have proved that he still has some miles left in the tank. That should be enough to keep him in the league for the foreseeable future.