The San Antonio Spurs will look much different next year. The most notable change will be DeMar DeRozan taking the place of Kawhi Leonard. DeRozan joins incumbent starter Dejounte Murray in the backcourt next season and the Spurs' young guard welcomed his new teammate with an emoji-filled tweet:
https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray/status/1019611990241603584
DeRozan is coming off of an All-NBA season with the Toronto Raptors and has the gigantic task of filling Leonard's shoes. If anyone can bring out the best in a player, it's Gregg Popovich. San Antonio fans should be excited about what DeRozan can bring to the team.
Murray and DeRozan should see a lot of time on the court together. The former Raptor is almost a lock to crack the starting lineup, while Murray became a fixture in the Spurs' starting five last season. The 21-year-old guard averaged 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game during the 2017-18 season, starting in 48 of his 81 games, including the final 34 games down the stretch.
His versatility became a key component for the Spurs. Murray averaged 10.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in those 34 starts. The young point guard is far from reaching his peak but he's made great strides across his first two NBA seasons and appears to be poised for a breakout season heading into his third season in San Antonio.
Murray should be excited about playing alongside an All-Star, but DeRozan should also be excited that he has the opportunity to play alongside a point guard who may be ready to take a giant step forward.
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