Good article, nice to see someone who doesn't automatically label the Fields contract as horrible. I do agree that ED has loads of untapped potential but I don't think I've seen many postups on the block for him his first 2 years for it to be underrated. He does finish very well off dish and drives though.
DD will have to make a huge jump (and not just his scoring avg, he'd have to contribute something else for once) for $10M to be considered a bargain.RaptorReuben wrote:
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Right, right, right. I keep forgetting it's only an overpay of 1-2$ million per year.
Andrea is being considered a bargain at his 10$ million per year price compared to the bigs, and we all knew how long it took for him to 'get it.'
DeRozan yes will have to make a HUGE improvement for 10$ million to be a bargain, but with the expense that we've had to pay for good players in the past, DeRozan staying and constantly getting better would be really nice, instead of seeing our players walk away time and time again.
Demar was drafted to be an impact guy, and he sure as hell can do that with his scoring. We also saw in the past two years that if he really puts his mind to it, rebounding and finding teammates is second nature. Not to mention his athletic ability to play the passing lanes.
I haven't seen that. Not that Demar can't get better, but I was frankly disappointed in last years performance.
I think since the opposing teams were mainly defending him when Bargs was injured, he went to the most basic and inconsistent of his moves (you only do what you do naturally when under pressure, right?) which didn't usually work out well.
Now that we have another first option as well as a few more shooters and a big man working inside, I expect DeMar to show better production.
The only thing that might bar him having a decent season is thinking he's a first/second option (compared to years past), which I think DeMar doesn't have too much of an ego to think that.
TORONTOOOOOO RAPTORSSSSSS
NEVER FORGET... NUMERO OCHO 👌 #saluteJose
Well, I've watched Demar too closely not to see that he could do some of those things. In the last part of the season he got better at it, and had a couple of games where he was getting on the glass, making good passes, and being a play-maker.
I too was a little disappointed in him last season, but he had a lot going against him. The lockout, new coach and new expectations, new team dynamics, and past bad defensive habits with a past bad defensive coach.
In general, a lot of young players took hits like Demar during the lock-out season, that's why the veteran teams with experience and talent could really get past all the short notice of a season.
I can see a breakout season from Demar next season, I mean, it's hard not to after all the work he's been able to put in. USA select team, and working with coaches in Vegas, Italy with Andrea, and Los Angeles.
Here's hoping.
I'm quite optimistic, but it's fairly hard for me to see that he doesn't make any significant improvements come season opener. Just my opinion and my eye though. There's been quite a bit of negativity on Demar, and I believe he'll use that as motivation because everyone is writing him off.
I think a lot of people just see/read everything related to DeRozan this offseason as a repeat of last offseason.
- hit the gym... check
- play/dominate in the drew league... check
- show off improved handles... check
- show off improved outside jump shot... check
- get everybody excited... check
- seem poised for a breakout season where he finally becomes a star... check
- carry over any of that into the actual NBA season... he's 0-for-1 so far, but here's hoping that this time it's legit!
The tough part for DeRozan is that he needs to show off significant and consistent improvement this year - handles, penetration/finishing, outside shot, defensive effort - AND he has to continue it next year, to prove to people that it wasn't just the motivation of the contract year driving his improvements.
I feel for the kid and hope he does live up to the hype... I'm just choosing to stay cautiously optimistic, personally speaking.
But you didn't realize the things that went against him, not to mention it hurt a lot of the young players as well trying to develop.
- Shortened Season
- Rare practice time
- New Coach
- New Expectations
- New Team Dynamics
- Short Training Camp
- No facility use
- No contact with coaches and head office
He had no guide in a year where he was to significantly improve. The guy basically went solo in terms of trying to improve individually on his game. After learning much by experience in the first couple seasons - the years where younger players learn the league specifically - new habits were added, to replace old ones, whether they are better or worse for the player. All depending on what they've learned in the past.
Injuries to Andrea, Barbosa, Jose. Guys that are other offensive threats on the court, were not always there. Demar would than be handed the keys to the number one option, thus being pressured more and being the key to the defensive game-plan on the opposition. He was being watched, he was the number one threat on the scouting report. As a younger player, he hasn't had the experience of facing that type of pressure.
Barely any practice time, and if there was practice, it was inconsistent in terms of schedule/time-tables. Not much time to focus individually, and really improving the team aspects of the game. In Dwane Casey's eyes, constantly improving defensively, and trying to score on teams. Remember when Toronto had the 2 week home-stand (Linsanity game-winner), Demar and Ed were playing horrid before that home stretch. During the home stretch, their production and play had improved significantly. There was practice time, the ability to watch tape, and more time to work with the coaches individually.
I'm not trying to find excuses for Demar in a fairly disappointing season, but he was not the only one affected by the lock-out season, and not many players in general in the league experienced the short-notice of game, flight, game, day-off, practice, game etc. Demar did the exact same things during his rookie off-season, and look what happened in his second year? A breakout.
That USA select team experience should really help Demar, and apparently, he's been working with Kobe Bryant. Only a rumour I read on or off this forum.
Last edited by ReubenJRD; Mon Aug 27th, 2012 at 05:58 PM.
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