One of the blockbuster trades of the 2018 offseason was the swap of forward Kawhi Leonard and guard DeMar DeRozan between the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors.
Both players had been franchise icons and had only played for one team in their short but successful careers. DeRozan had voiced his intentions of staying with the Raptors his entire career, and he had no intention of leaving Toronto.
Now, it is still jarring to see either of them in an opposing teams colors. Here's one of the first looks we've gotten of DeRozan in the Spur's black and silver.
.@DeMar_DeRozan in San Antonio wearing the Nike Kobe 11 😤 pic.twitter.com/35kuwKYp12
— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) August 29, 2018
DeRozan is pictured in a contemplative stance, engrossed in his cell phone but still managing to model his flashy kicks well.
Article Continues BelowThe dynamic two guard has a lot to prove this season in San Antonio. Even though he is regarded throughout the league as one of the best one on one scorers, he has taken his fair share of criticism as well.
In a league that emphasizes three-point shooting and perimeter defense, DeRozan is not particularly strong in either category. He is a career 29 percent shooter from behind the arc who is prone to defensive breakdowns.
On top of this, DeRozan has had minimal playoff success. Even though Toronto has performed very well in the regular season in the past years, the closest they have come to a finals appearance is reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2015-16, which they lost to LeBron and the Cavaliers.
If there's any team that can improve DeRozan's overall game, it's San Antonio. Coach Popovich will not tolerate slacking on defense or sloppy mental errors, and will probably encourage DeRozan to take on more of a leadership role. Hopefully, the change in scenery can allow DeRozan to unlock all of his potential.