http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blo...m-to-trade-him
Discuss.
It makes you wonder whether it might be time to move DeRozan. Outside of the struggling Jonas Valanciunas, DeRozan is likely the most valuable commodity on the Raptors roster, and he is playing the best basketball of his career. If Masai Ujiri does decide to tear down this team — and these Raptors are not very good, 0-6 against teams that are .500 or better, with seven of their next 10 games against such squads — should DeRozan really be asked to lead a rebuilding team? Any version of that scenario should have the Raptors focussing on developing Valanciunas and acquiring young assets. With DeRozan and Rudy Gay taking the bulk of Toronto’s shots, the Raptors have done little to help Valanciunas’s growth on the offensive end.
That is not entirely on DeRozan; the Raptors’ offence is not currently designed to engage Valanciunas, and their rotation features no savvy passers. Still, it is tough to envision a DeRozan-led offence — even in a world where the team can move Gay — that finds Valanciunas in advantageous positions.
This is as much about DeRozan as it is about the Raptors, though. DeRozan seems burdened by the Raptors’ woes, which says a lot about his desire to win. It is in the Raptors’ interest not to pursue winning in the short term. DeRozan could be the second coming of Jason Terry, a big part of so many losing teams in Atlanta before becoming an essential part of so many great teams in Dallas.
Ujiri should have some mercy on DeRozan. And it’s a bonus that he can do the right thing for the franchise at the same time.
That is not entirely on DeRozan; the Raptors’ offence is not currently designed to engage Valanciunas, and their rotation features no savvy passers. Still, it is tough to envision a DeRozan-led offence — even in a world where the team can move Gay — that finds Valanciunas in advantageous positions.
This is as much about DeRozan as it is about the Raptors, though. DeRozan seems burdened by the Raptors’ woes, which says a lot about his desire to win. It is in the Raptors’ interest not to pursue winning in the short term. DeRozan could be the second coming of Jason Terry, a big part of so many losing teams in Atlanta before becoming an essential part of so many great teams in Dallas.
Ujiri should have some mercy on DeRozan. And it’s a bonus that he can do the right thing for the franchise at the same time.
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