Bulls' DeMar DeRozan Doesn't Think About NBA Trade Deadline: 'Would Drive Me Nuts'

Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan is ignoring the steady drumbeat of speculation about the NBA trade deadline and his future with the franchise.

Following Saturday's 123-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings, the six-time All-Star said his mindset beyond just basketball prioritizes the here and now.

"I really live my life day-by-day," he told reporters. "If I get caught up in having future thoughts on things, I'm going to drive myself crazy. And I'd rather not be that way. I take it day-by-day and be prepared for whatever happens. That's my approach for life."

The discourse surrounding DeRozan might hit a fever pitch in the wake of the Bulls announcing Zach LaVine will undergo surgery that effectively ends his season. That's clearly a big blow in the short term and raises questions over whether continuing to orient the roster around DeRozan and LaVine is the way forward.

A rebuild will be painful and require multiple years to bear fruit, but there's little incentive now to delay the process any further. Chicago is 23-27 and ninth in the Eastern Conference, so an early round exit would almost certainly beckon if the team managed to scrape its way into the postseason.

Whatever happens, it looks like DeRozan won't be keeping track of the latest updates between now and Thursday.