Chicago Bulls All-Star DeMar DeRozan exited a loss against the Orlando Magic with 62 seconds left on Monday because of a lingering hip injury.
After the 100-91 loss, DeRozan told reporters his hip was bothering him the entire night and he planned to get it checked out by doctors on Tuesday.
DeRozan added the injury has been affecting him for a month and a half.
“I just felt it. I didn’t want to risk hurting it any more. It’s just the accumulation of what it’s been,” he said, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
The former Toronto Raptors star is averaging 18.2 points in six February games, well down from his season average of 25.4 points.
DeRozan strained his right quadriceps on Jan. 9 and missed the next three games. He points to that date as the time when things started getting worse health-wise.
“I thought it was like a knee contusion. It’s a weird feeling. I’ve never felt anything like this,” he said. “When I’m sitting doing nothing, I don’t feel anything. It’s just when I do anything to work that muscle in the leg, it’s a lot of discomfort. So just trying to figure that out and get that situated as best I can.”
DeRozan is slated to play in the NBA All-Star Game for the second year in a row on Sunday — so his participation could be in question.
“It’s been bad,” he said. “I’m never been one to complain or make any type of excuses. It’s just been something I’ve been dealing with for awhile.”
The 33-year-old DeRozan made four All-Star appearances for the Raptors before he was sent to the San Antonio Spurs in the Kawhi Leonard deal in 2018.
