Ryan Wolstat: DeRozan on his selection, via Raptors press release: ““Being recognized among an elite group of my peers is always rewarding … Knowing where I started and the work I’ve put in each year to improve makes this even more humbling …”
Position: G-F
Born: 08/07/89
Height: 6-7 / 2.01
Weight:220 lbs. / 99.8 kg.
Salary: $27,739,975
Born: 08/07/89
Height: 6-7 / 2.01
Weight:220 lbs. / 99.8 kg.
Salary: $27,739,975
Exec weighs in: “Three years, that’s the big number. They’re going to want a draft pick in a package for him, and there aren’t a lot of teams that are going to include possibly good picks or young players for a guy who is kind of a square peg in today’s league. It’s not saying DeRozan doesn’t have value, it’s just that you’d have to adjust your whole offense for him. You can’t just stick him on the Pelicans, for example, because he wouldn’t pair up with Anthony Davis well. There’s too many obstacles.”
It’s why West also told me he’s pondering an offer to formally join the N.B.A.’s crusade, in conjunction with the National Basketball Players Association, to promote a more open dialogue about mental health and ultimately unveil a new leaguewide program to help players in the area of mental wellness. The campaign most recently featured the All-Stars DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers as the stars of a new public service announcement. “They want me to get involved with that and I might,” West said. “But I think the younger players have more of a voice than I do. I don’t know why I go through these spells, but I’ve found a way to cope with it myself. I can always see light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of how much I battle my own personal depression. And it doesn’t put me in any personal danger. But I’m very hard on myself to this day.”
One name brought up often in recent days has been Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan, who could become available should the Raptors look to make wholesale changes following a third straight loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Wiggins’ Canadian roots could make him an attractive option for the Raptors and good reason to hope that they could get the best out of him while playing in his backyard. In some ways, DeRozan could provide a good blueprint for Wiggins to follow. DeRozan didn’t become a real star in the league until his fifth year and has proven to be effective even though he isn’t a knockdown three-point shooter. But his game is also similar to Butler’s, so it is hard to see how a swap like that would give the Wolves what they are looking for in terms of a different look aside their leader.
Kristian Winfield: Ujiri on what 2nd round sweep identified about the Raptors: “It really shows how hard it is to win in the NBA. … These players have to continue to grow and develop. What’s their ceiling? How can DeMar DeRozan make that next jump? … This is the challenge.”
