In an excellent piece covering the state of the Spurs, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reports the Magic have expressed interest in Spurs wing DeMar DeRozan.
O’Connor notes that the Magic are “scouring the trade market for scoring help,” meaning the team has likely kicked the tires on players besides DeRozan. KOC goes on to indicate that front office executives around the NBA wouldn’t be shocked if San Antonio dealt the 30-year-old four-time All-Star, who sports a famously archaic shot profile.
DeRozan has a $27.7MM player option on the final year of his contract, for the 2020/21 season. Were he to decline it, he could top-line a fairly lackluster free agent class. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, DeRozan and San Antonio struggled to find common ground while negotiating a possible extension prior to this season. The maximum potential value of an extension for DeRozan would be approximately $150MM over four years. Given that DeRozan would be 35 by the end of that deal, San Antonio’s probable reticence feels sensible.
The Magic’s anemic offense could use the help. The 3-7 Magic’s 98.1 points scored per game currently ranks them dead-last in the NBA. And the Knicks play in the NBA! Orlando also ranks 29th in offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions).
HoopsHype’s Bryan Kalbrosky took a detailed look at the midrange-happy DeRozan’s potential offensive fit on Orlando. Kalbrosky notes that DeRozan’s proclivity for mid-range jumpers would fit in well with Orlando, as the team currently ranks third in the NBA in mid-range frequency, according to Cleaning The Glass.
In ten games, DeRozan has attempted just four three-pointers. He has missed them all. Despite this, his excellent handle and size make him a great drive-and-kick cog in any offense. He is currently averaging 19.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, while shooting 49.3% from the floor and 77.2% from the charity stripe.
If the Magic were to make an offer for DeRozan, they’d almost certainly want to hang onto Jonathan Isaac and would likely aim to keep Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon as well. That might mean starting with Evan Fournier ($17.15MM) for salary-matching purposes. The team has a couple intriguing young prospects in Markelle Fultz and Mo Bamba, and has all its future first- and second-round draft picks available.
The Spurs might jump on this, despite Popovich’s 2pt liking, his tendency to wait on scoring talent, and the opportunity in the WC with GSW down.
Call it a building year.
IDK LMA’s opinion; that would matter.
Spurs need to move on from DDR. Good player, but they already have a midrange happy one in LMA. If Gordon and Issac are off the table, though, I wonder what a package that would entice the Spurs would look like.
Muffins !
Mo Bamba not an intriguing prospect anymore?
Good call. I accidentally removed him during the editing process. Re-inserted him now.
“Accidentally” — jk, I haven’t seen enough of the Magic to know whether Bamba is a bust or not, so I should reserve comment.
Okeke is the prospect you missed though.
True, we were just looking at guys under contract, but he should have some value.
He’s looked bad on the court in limited minutes. Poor feel for the game, often out of position, no motor…he’s a project so there’s still hope, but he hasn’t shown himself to even be a rotation player at this point. All he can do is block shots.
So would many other teams…..
Fourniyay would be a good piece for San Antonio…. would be a great trade for both organizations.
4 team deal.
Orlando receives: DeRosen
Toronto receives: Aaron Gordon
Golden state receives: Mark Gasol (cap relief)
San Antonio receives: D. Russell
Salaries are very close and everyone gets what they need.
Orlando won’t give up Gordon for a year of DeRozan. GS doesn’t need salary relief so much they would ditch the asset that Russell is for just an expiring contract. SAS and Raptors are probably happy though.
Nah, spurs just extend Murray for 4 years.
Why would Toronto want another PF when it’s best player is a PF in Siakim. At the theee they have Anunoby who’s looks a good prospect I don’t think they want another forward. Plus I don’t think GSW just let Dlo leave for an expiring contract. Dlo is still young, can lead an offence and is an all star. Plus San Antonio hardly need another PG with Derrick White and Murray their plus Patty Mills as back up.
I guess you could start Anunoby at the 2, Siakam at the 3 and Gordon at the 4. Perimeter D would not be a problem.
Feels like basic framework of Gordon/Fourniers contract for DDR/~5M expiring works with the teams fighting over who adds additional assets (likely spurs)
I think they only really have two packages to offer the Spurs for DeRozan.
It’s either Fournier and Bamba or it’s Aaron Gordon and cap filler. Of those two I think Aaron Gordon would be really good under Pop. And as for the first deal I think Fournier would fit nicely at the 2 and Bamba would be a really good piece to continue to build with.
From the Spurs stand point, I think the first package is probably better in terms of win now and possible long term depending on how Bamba turns out, but I think Aaron Gordon under Pop could be a really good player.
From Orlando’s position, Fournier and Bamba I think would seem like a lot to give up. Bamba was the 6th pick in the draft not that long ago and they chose him over SGA, Carter Jr, Sexton and a bunch of other players would seem dumb to give up on him so early. I think giving up Gordon makes more sense because of the PF jam. DeRozan for Gordon fixes that jam as DeRozan can slot straight in at SF and give the team scoring.
Maybe because of DeRozans possibly opting out of his deal and leaving, the Spurs also need to give up a pair of seconds that wouldn’t bother me if I was a Spurs fan.
Personally I’d rather Aaron Gordon but it’s close and either move is a win. I like the idea of a backcourt of Murray White and having Gordon and Poetl. That’s a good young core to build from, probably need to look for a young 2 way SF next but it’s a step in the right direction
They aren’t trading Gordon for DeRozan. Either SAS will have to send other assets or the deal will have to structure around Fournier + a 2020 1st & 2021 2nd + Aminu to match salary.
Swap bamba for aminu and thats a fair trade for both teams. Outside of lamarcus they have no prospectS inside, poetal is awful. Bamba isnt getting enough minutes behind vooch.
Think they actually would give up Gordon tho. Orlando just let Elfried Payton who was their starting PG go for nothing and I just can’t see Gordon Issacs and Vuce being successful together, that groups ceiling is a first round exit. They just paid Vuce after he had a great year, Issacs im not a fan of but he plays defence and Gordon has kinda plateau’d these last few years. He’s not a SF.
I think maybe A. Gordon and M. Bamba for D.DeRozan and D.White and 2 second rounder works.
Orlando gets a scorer and another star In DeRozan, plus it gets Derrick White to compete with Fultz for starting PG and it gets a pick. Spurs get Gordon as its future PF and Bamba as its future C.
Orlando fix the PF log jam and get a young piece to fix the PG position and picks. Spurs get its future bigs and settles on Murray as the future PG
The Magic aren’t moving a shooter for a non-shooter. They’d be in the same position the Spurs are in right now.
Orlando has top many bigs, SA has lack of bigs, and DeDe doesn’t work anymore
That’s why they have to do it.
Orlando waiting for Go(r)dot too much, they need to go with fultz-isaac-vooch… Maybe + DeDe and a 3p stud (forbes?)
SA in this mood won t go to PO, they need athletism and bigs
Gordon+LmA is not so bad…
What’s about
SPURS Gordon+Dedmon
KINGS Fournier+Walker+Poeltl
MAGIC Derozan+Ariza
Yeah I kinda like it but the kings don’t need Fournier and I also think the spurs give up to much. Maybe swap Forbes for Walker then it’s a deal. I like the idea of Orlando with DeRozan Ariza Issacs and Vuce, that’s a good combo of scoring defence and mid range game.
I think that deal makes the Spurs better in the forwards but weakens their scoring. Kings would get some scraps but Fournier has value and would be a nice bench player, Poetl could be a good young guy for them and Forbes fins fills out the rotation but they aren’t giving up much either. Ariza is 2/3 best SF they have and Dedmon is out of form badly
Wonder if Vuc for DeRozan (+/- fillers) works.
I know the Magic just re-signed Nic after an All-Star year, but right up until the deadline there was talk of dealing him to create more minutes for Issac, Bamba, etc. Spurs need a big, and this could also open up the door for them to deal LMA.
NO!!!
If a deal goes down between these two teams, it will have to involve Gordon.
Not Fournier because the Magic need his shooting and can’t afford to replace him with a guy like DeRozan. And definitely not Vuc or anyone else.
Obviously, more would need to come from the Spurs side to get something done, but they certainly have the assets to do it and it would be a good deal for both sides.
Personally, I’d love to see what Gordon could do under a guy like Pop. IMO he’s always been somewhat held back in Orlando due to poor roster construction and playing for coaches who aren’t the best when it comes to offensive scheming. He certainly has the physical tools to make another leap.
And on the Magic side DeMar would be a much better fit for them. Another guy who can get score, get in the paint and pass a bit. They need all of those things.
Generally agree, but why would more need to come from the Spurs necessarily?
It’s a classic case of two good players, each frustrating the construction of their current rosters/stifling other player development, needing to find new homes. Yes Gordon is younger, but it’s also concerning that he hasn’t really taken the next step by now. Now if Fournier or others are included, I can definitely see the need for Spurs to add more.
A trade may rely on Derozan’s agreement to an extension. Otherwise the Spurs are waiting for a playoff team to trade with in February.