DeMar DeRozan wasn’t about to hide his appreciation for his newest teammate.
After burying the Brooklyn Nets under the United Center floor on Friday, DeRozan was discussing the Patrick Beverley effect, and what the point guard’s presence already meant to this Bulls team in just one game.
“When you’ve got a guy like Pat Beverley on the team, the intensity that he comes [with], the first second he came in the energy he brings, you’ve got to follow that,’’ DeRozan said. “He holds everybody accountable and is going to compete at a high level. When you see a teammate with that type of mentality, you’ve got to follow behind that and I think you saw that.’’
The entire arena did, as the Bulls put together their most one-sided beatdown of the season, hammering the visiting team by 44 points and earning total praise for what Beverley did playing in front of his hometown crowd by DeRozan.
At the same time, an indictment that should have caught the eyes and ears of executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and the rest of his front office.
Zach LaVine has been a Bull for six seasons, has two All-Star appearances, and joined the max contract club over the summer.
DeRozan has become the face of the franchise in less than two seasons, but isn’t exactly known for his defensive voice and communication on that side of the ball.
Center Nikola Vucevic is also a two-time All-Star, but like DeRozan, leads through action more than words.
Yet, Beverley walks off the street without a team, and within two practices and a shootaround becomes the de facto leader in one game?
Another indication of just how flawed the “continuity’’ plan was by this front office, and the very reason this roster needs major changes this offseason, no matter how the final 22 regular-season games play out.
Whether it’s been all the blown leads, the lack of energy on far too many nights, or the inconsistency from game-to-game, leadership has been a question with this roster going back to last season, and to be more precise, going back to 2017, when they traded Jimmy Butler away.
And while sources have indicated that this current group has had its share of players-only meetings throughout this 2022-23 campaign, more often than not it’s resembled a group of choir boys wrist-slapping someone for singing off key.
As reported by the Sun-Times, as well as several other media outlets, the one meeting that did get contentious was the Dec. 18 loss in Minnesota, when several players were tired of LaVine’s lack of consistency on defense and called him out on it at halftime.
But even then, it wasn’t a call-out by name as much as a “you know who you are.’’
Just look around the Eastern Conference, especially at the top. Boston has a Marcus Smart, Milwaukee has a Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday, and Philadelphia has a Joel Embiid. It’s no coincidence that the Cavaliers have made a huge jump after adding veteran Donovan Mitchell.
All players with different leadership styles, but unquestionably leaders. An even better package when it’s leadership and talent.
What the Bulls front office can hope for is Beverley’s presence – even if it is short-term – leaves a lasting impression in the locker room.
Regardless, one of the top priorities when this season does come to an end is moving off of “continuity’’ and more towards a voice that demands accountability.
Until then, it’s now Beverley’s job to lead. And as DeRozan admitted, everyone else has “got to follow.’’