There has been talk of late that San Antonio Spurs veteran DeMar DeRozan has been made available in the trade market. One team that should seriously consider trading for the 30-year-old is none other than his former squad, the Toronto Raptors.
DeRozan made his way to San Antonio in the summer of 2018. He was a part of the blockbuster trade that sent Kawhi Leonard in the other direction. We are all well aware of the backlash the Raptors front office received for what was seen by many as an utmost betrayal against one of their most loyal players. The criticism quickly turned into praise as soon as Toronto made that historic title run last season. And all of a sudden, nearly everyone agreed that shipping DeRozan off was the right decision.
Fast forward a couple of years later and the Raptors have now been presented with an opportunity for a reunion. San Antonio is not exactly a very good team right now. They are 22-26 and are a game and a half outside the playoffs picture in a ruthless Western Conference. There has been rumors pertaining to the front office considering blowing up their current roster. This being the case, DeRozan should be available for the Raptors at the right price.
Norman Powell's Injury Could Lead To Need For DeRoza
Just recently, the team announced that sharp-shooting two guard Norman Powell is going to be out indefinitely. The 26-year-old suffered a fractured finger on his left hand. Powell has been a crucial piece for head coach Nick Nurse's rotation. And his loss will definitely be a huge blow for the squad moving forward. DeRozan could certainly fill this void for the Raptors.
Should Toronto succeed in bringing back DeRozan, it will almost be a certainty that the the four-time All-Star will be tasked to fulfill a different role then what he used to have. He will no longer be the team's primary option on offense. that torch has been passed to Pascal Siakam. We don't see why DeRozan would have any problem with this. and given the type of professional he is, we could even see him embracing a role with the team's second unit.
Toronto has been amazing over the past few weeks. They're currently on a 10-game winning streak. There might be some fear that bringing in a big name like DeRozan might mess up the chemistry of a surging Raptors side. And to some extent, this is certainly warranted. Then again, the pros of adding another battle-tested veteran on your squad has to outweigh whatever cons this may entail.
If all goes according to plan, then this move might just be what takes the Raptors over the top in their title defense.
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