Getty Image
The NBA’s Eastern Conference was full of question marks heading into the 2022-23 season.
Sure, the Milwaukee Bucks looked like a sure thing to be one of the best teams in the league. But nothing else was certain.
The Boston Celtics were coming off an Eastern Conference title but fired coach Ime Udoka after an off-court scandal. The Brooklyn Nets nearly lost stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving after trade requests and eventually fired coach Steve Nash just weeks into the season. The Miami Heat had the best record in the East a year ago but stumbled down the stretch, and the Philadelphia 76ers can look like world-beaters or bottom-feeders on any given night.
Beyond that, the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks appeared ready to take a step into that conversation. But that hasn’t happened. Atlanta has slumped to a 16-16 start and the Bulls have been even worse at 13-18. Hawks superstar Trae Young appears at odds with coach Nate McMillen, while DeMar DeRozan has had to be a one-man show in Chicago due to Lonzo Ball’s injury issues and Zach LaVine’s ongoing struggles.
Now it seems both could be on the move sooner rather than later.
New Report Says Trae Young And DeMar DeRozan Could Request Trades
Bleacher Report NBA writer Chris Haynes went to the NBA G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas and spoke with a number of NBA execs who believe Young could soon ask out of Atlanta.
Rival executives in attendance at the NBA’s annual G League Winter Showcase are of the belief that Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young could be the next player on a rookie max extension to request a trade if the team doesn’t make inroads come postseason time.
Young, 24, is as competitive as they come and has a strong desire to win big in this league. He’s under contract through the 2026-27 season but has an early termination option after the 2025-26 season. – via Bleacher Report
But should Young stay in Atlanta, DeRozan may well be another option for teams hoping to acquire another superstar.
The Chicago Bulls are dealing with some dysfunction as it pertains to team chemistry and accountability while stationed 11th in the Eastern Conference standings (13-18). If matters don’t improve this season, rivals executives believe it could lead star guard DeMar DeRozan to request to be moved in the offseason, league sources tell Bleacher Report.
DeRozan has just one year left on his contract. Should he fail to reach an extension with the Bulls, he may well seek another destination in the summer.
The 33-year-old is a five-time NBA All-Star and reached his first All-Star game in four years last season. The Los Angeles Lakers are known long-term admirers of the Compton native.