Spurs wing DeMar DeRozan has added a three-point shot and built upon his passing game this year, all while taking a step back from lead ball-handling duties, according to Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer. In his 12th NBA season, DeRozan is shooting a career-best 42.9% from deep on 2.6 attempts per contest, while averaging a career-high 7.3 assists per game.
Tjarks notes that DeRozan is averaging 10 fewer touches a game this season than young Spurs guard Dejounte Murray. DeRozan has also closed games as a small-ball power forward, carrying over a sped-up, shooting-heavy offensive approach that coach Gregg Popovich first implemented during the 2019/20 season restart in Orlando.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- New Lakers center Marc Gasol, a three-time All-Star and the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year with the Grizzlies, had an interesting homecoming experience during a 108-94 defeat of Memphis this week, per Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Facing a FedExForum arena bereft of fans due to a raging pandemic, the 35-year-old big man noted that, “In your mind,” Gasol said, “the stands also are full.” Though Gasol was traded to the Raptors during the 2018/19 season en route to a title with Toronto, this marked his first game back at the arena where he became a star.
- New Rockets star center Christian Wood struggled with going undrafted out of UNLV in 2015 and being waived by several NBA clubs before getting the security of the three-year, $41MM contract he signed with Houston during the 2020 offseason, as Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated details. “It showed me how hard I worked and how far I came from going from a minimum and non-guaranteed contract to being waived a number of times that I couldn’t even tell you,” Wood said.
- Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has suggested that starting center Kristaps Porzingis could be close to his return for Dallas, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Carlisle indicated that Porzingis could return approximately a week from now “if all things continue to go well.”
Raging pandemic?
A firedrill pandemic
356,005
What’s not to understand.
Ebola was raging. Covid is like a test. The invader is still immature. Try to imagine when it gets some evolution and kills most who contacts it… that would be raging.
I wonder what deniers think of sports franchises having to deal with virus. I’ll never understand ignorance.
I wonder where DeRozan will wind up this yr. Spurs should be able to get a young player and #1 pick for him. KP should add weight and play C. He won’t last playing the 4. It puts more strain on his joints. He can still shoot at C. Playing inside outside. Mavs should also get a big physical PF old school to protect him on D. Like Oakley did for Ewing.
Powell,Stanley Johnson,McCaw and a first round pick for a Derozen-Raptors reunion…
Why not throw in the trash you forgot to take out last night. Lol
Why not act your age and not your shoe size…
Dude he is right, though!
I mean homers always post here trades were they give trash for good or star players, it doesn’t work like that, you know, right?
Just think you need to give something as good or preferably better than what you getting back… then you have a realistic trade!
Believe me if you don’t like your own trash… everyone else likes it even less than you, as simple as!
You’re welcomed for the shared wisdom!
The trade I mentioned was also said by an analyst on a website for a Derozen-Raptors reunion. Rather then Stanley Johnson they inserted Terrence Davis’s name, along with the pick.
Demar not going back there. You turned on him for Kawhi and Kawhi turned on the Raps.
Demar & Ujiri have already resolved that situation. If you are a hater say that, but the constant bashing is a bit immature….
I’m all for reunions lol. Truth is DeRozan contract is up. So Spurs have to move him to get something. I doubt they want to resign him. So who would want him. Which contender can fit him in. Or where would he want to go and resign. Raptors really could use him. You could get it done in three way using Lowry. Lowry would love to go home to Philly to end his career.
What teams do folks think want Demar at this point? Assume the team would want assurances he resigns.
Feels like Lakers, Miami, Raptors, and maybe nuggets?
Not too many teams can boast having a Big 3 as good as the Rockets have right now.