DeMar DeRozan Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, DeRozan, Embiid, Knicks

January 24th, 2017 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

Evan Turner is no longer a member of the Celtics, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have some suggestions for GM Danny Ainge on the team’s next move. As Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald details, Turner praised Boston’s young core, but said that adding a veteran player and improving team defense should be priorities for the club. And he even has an idea of what the C’s could offer to upgrade their roster.

“I think you’ve got to probably trade that (2017 Nets) pick,” Turner said, suggesting that the Celtics can afford to give up a top pick in a draft heavy on point guards. “I mean, if you have to take a point guard, you’ve got Isaiah (Thomas) playing how he’s playing, and Marcus (Smart) is developing. There’s no room. You barely get to play Terry Rozier, and that kid can play. And you don’t want to overload with the young guys, because you run into the same thing where you have to cut a young, promising guy. … I know Danny’s going to do the right thing, and a lot of teams might want that first pick, so maybe he can get some great things for it.”

As Ainge takes Turner’s suggestions into consideration, let’s check in on a few more items from around the Atlantic…

A pair of Atlantic stars are out of action for the next few days. Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan will miss at least two games for Toronto before his ankle sprain is re-evaluated, according to the team (Twitter link). Meanwhile, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link) that Joel Embiid is expected to return to the Sixers on Friday after missing three games.
The Knicks finally managed to pull out a clutch victory on Monday night against Indiana, much to the relief of head coach Jeff Hornacek. “We lose another one like that, guys probably would’ve quit, called it a year probably,” Hornacek said, per Mike Wells of ESPN.com. While Hornacek may be exaggerating a little, another bad loss on Monday likely would’ve intensified calls for a rebuild in New York.
Speaking of the Knicks‘ roster building, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News provides a list of the 10 worst moves Phil Jackson has made since taking over as the club’s president.

Westbrook Tops Snub List Among All-Star Starters

January 19th, 2017 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Triple-double machine Russell Westbrook, the league’s leading scorer, will not be among the Western Conference starters for next month’s All-Star Game in New Orleans. The league’s Twitter feed unveiled the starters for each conference, and the Thunder superstar lost out in the balloting to Stephen Curry and James Harden (Twitter links).

As ESPN.com’s Rachel Nichols points out, the fan voting counts for 50%, while the players’ votes weigh in at 25%, as does the media vote under the revised system. According to NBC’s Kurt Helin, Westbrook missed out because the fans had him third among Western Conference guards behind Curry and Harden.

Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant will comprise the starting frontcourt for the West.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler and LeBron James were selected as the frontcourt starters for the Eastern Conference. DeMar DeRozan and Kyrie Irving were chosen as the starting backcourt.

It’s a breakthrough for Antetokounmpo, who will be making his first All-Star appearance. Arguably the biggest snub on the Eastern Conference side was Celtics point man Isaiah Thomas, the fourth-leading scorer in the league and the conference’s top scorer.

Do you think Westbrook should have garnered a starting spot ahead of Curry or Harden? Besides Westbrook, which other player has the biggest beef about failing to land a starting spot in the league’s annual showcase event? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts.

Raptors Notes: DeRozan, Patterson, Valanciunas

December 31st, 2016 at 3:30pm CST by ChrisCrouse

DeMar DeRozan became the Raptors‘ all time leading scorer earlier this week and his commitment to the franchise has never been stronger, Mike Ganter of the National Post writes. Back in 2010, Chris Bosh left Toronto and at the time, DeRozan tweeted, “Don’t worry, I got us.” Since that summer, the shooting guard has been the face of franchise and Ganter envisions his new record lasting for quite some time.

Here’s more from Toronto:

Patrick Patterson has a strained left knee and if the injury forces him to miss significant time, the Raptors will have a major issues with their rotation, Ganter contends in a separate piece. Jared Sullinger is at least a month away from returning the court, so the team could be hard-pressed to find reliable minutes in Patterson’s absence.
Jonas Valanciunas doesn’t fit in with Raptors anymore, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun argues. Wolstat believes the big man needs to play with more energy and if he doesn’t start showing improvement, Lucas Nogueira is a better option at the center position.
The Raptors lead the league in offensive efficiency and Ben Alamar of ESPN.com details how the team has found success despite being in the bottom half of the league in 3-point attempts. Alamar finds that Toronto’s ability to avoid turnovers is a major reason why the team is finding success.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Afflalo, Nets, Celtics

December 5th, 2016 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

DeMar DeRozan didn’t take meetings with any teams besides the Raptors in free agency this summer, and has spoken since then about wanting to spend his entire career in Toronto. As Masai Ujiri tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, that sort of commitment from an All-Star like DeRozan is a big step for a franchise that historically hasn’t been a go-to destination for top free agents.

“It means a lot coming from a player like him,” the Raptors president said. “When DeMar came here, he dedicated himself to Toronto. He’s giving it his all. Everyone was saying, ‘Oh, when DeMar makes all that money,’ and blah, blah, blah. It’s not like it’s going to change that guy. All that guy knows is basketball. DeMar got his contract in the summer and he is performing and playing even better than before. But that is who DeMar is. We all know he is a phenomenal person and basketball player.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

Kings guard Arron Afflalo played his old team in New York on Sunday, and said that even though his brief stint with the Knicks didn’t result in much success, he still valued the experience, per Newsday’s Barbara Barker. “Playing for the Knicks is one of those things that whether it was good, bad or indifferent, it’s something to be proud of. It’s really a historic franchise,” Afflalo said. “Had some good times, had some bad times. Quick one-year run, but it’s something I’ll always remember.”
Brian Lewis of The New York Post spoke to NBA scouts about the Nets‘ offer sheet for Donatas Motiejunas, and the general consensus was that it makes sense for Brooklyn to try to land a player like Motiejunas. “What’s to lose? It’s a good move. I don’t see a negative,” said veteran scout Scott McGuire. “They have to shake the bushes.”
While Caris LeVert has been cleared to make his debut for the Nets, it’s not clear how much playing time the 2016 first-rounder will actually receive right away, Lewis writes in a separate piece for The Post.
With their schedule “about to crank into overdrive,” the Celtics continue to be a bit of a mystery, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com.

DeMar DeRozan Talks Toronto, L.A., Free Agency

November 23rd, 2016 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Heading into free agency this past summer, DeMar DeRozan seemed likely to re-up with the Raptors, but there were several teams lurking as probable suitors for the All-Star shooting guard. As Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated writes, those teams included the Heat, Clippers, and Lakers.

DeRozan is a Los Angeles native, and the idea of returning to Southern California to play for one of his hometown teams certainly had some appeal to him. However, the 27-year-old quickly reached a new agreement with Toronto instead, declining to take meetings with any other team. DeRozan spoke to Spears about that decision and a few other topics, so let’s round up some of his more interesting quotes from the piece…

On whether it was hard to pass up the opportunity to play for an L.A. team:

“Yeah, of course. At the end of the day, the Lakers are the Lakers. I grew up a Lakers fan. Kobe [Bryant] was my favorite player growing up. I didn’t miss a game as a kid. Just to have the opportunity was amazing. I watched one of my favorite players create a legacy of his own and leave his mark there. He left his own mark there. It will always be there. I want to leave my own mark in Toronto.”

On why he chose not to meet with any teams besides Toronto in free agency:

“If I knew where I wanted to be from the beginning … I didn’t want to waste anybody’s time and just hear somebody else talk or say something when I know in the back of my mind that I want to do something else. As long as that something else was mutual, there was no point of me doing anything else. … I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. I didn’t want to give false hope if I knew what I felt inside was right. And that was me going back [to the Raptors].”

On what it meant that the Raptors pushed hard to re-sign him to a long-term deal:

“It meant a lot. It was a mutual feeling. It made everything else easier. Nobody had a doubt, from the organization to the fans. Everything we created was going to be there and still was going to be the same. That’s amazing when everybody is on the same page.”

On whether he wants to become the greatest player in Raptors history:

“Without a doubt. No question. How many people get to say they hold one record for an organization, or were on the winningest team in Raptors history, or did this with one organization? All of those things last longer than your playing career. It took time for me to get out of the second round [of the playoffs] in Raptors history. And we did that [in 2016], and that’s something that is going to be there. … If we don’t do it and someone else wins a championship, they are still going to revert back to the 2015/16 team as the best team until then. Ten, 15, 20 years from now, whatever it might be, those things last longer. It’s something you put your all into.”

Be sure to check out Spears’ full piece for more thoughts from DeRozan on living in Canada, growing up in Compton, playing for Team USA in the Olympics, and watching the U.S. election results.

And-Ones: Oden, Durant, DeRozan

November 14th, 2016 at 10:24pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kevin Durant doesn’t believe Greg Oden should be considered the biggest bust in NBA history, as he tells Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. “Nonsense. That’s nonsense,” Durant exclaimed. “In order for you to be a bust, you have to actually play and show people that you progressed as a player. He didn’t get a chance to.” Oden was the only player selected ahead of Durant in the 2007 draft.

Here’s more from around the league:

Durant added that he initially wanted to be drafted by the Blazers, Haynes writes in the same piece. “I definitely wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but I landed in a great situation,” Durant said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better. I would love to play with LaMarcus [Aldridge] and Brandon Roy, but when I was the second pick, I was very excited to get to Seattle. We had traded Ray Allen, like, two picks later, and I was like, ‘Wow. They’re really opening it up for me and really allowing me to grow as a player.’ So I didn’t even worry about being the No. 1 pick after that. Once we traded Ray Allen, I was like, ‘This is my team.’ They’re going to allow me to grow and make my mistakes. So I was looking forward to it.”
DeMar DeRozan has been sensational this season and he credits his summer dedication for the elevation in his game, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes. “I didn’t get to enjoy the summer,” DeRozan said. “It was really one of them summers where it was just a sickening dedication to where I had a lot of days where it was [difficult]. It was really tough to be that self-motivated. It was all on me. It was no one saying you have to do it. I wanted to do it.” The shooting guard re-signed with the Raptors over the summer on a deal that will pay him $139MM over five years.

Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Paul, Lowry

September 26th, 2016 at 5:36pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks are hoping that the roster changes they made this offseason will alleviate some of the pressure off of Carmelo Anthony and don’t want the forward feeling like he needs to “do everything” in order to be successful, Ian Begley of ESPN.com relays. “A lot of times he has a penchant to take the ball himself up the court and slow the play down, the development down, by pushing the ball up the court himself or taking the inbound pass,” team president Phil Jackson told the media. “Those are some of the small things that we asked to look at and maybe we could change. With the outstanding guard corps that we have — Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings, guys who can really push the ball at a certain level — I think he’s going to be much more comfortable allowing them to do what they’re best at.”

“We’re hoping that the level of talent that is on the team will lead to him not thinking, ‘I have to do everything,’” coach Jeff Hornacek added. “He’s a great passer. He’s made great passes in some of these games that we’ve seen. I think when he has that trust in his teammates, he’s going to make those passes, and we’re going to get easy buckets.”

Here’s more from out of the Atlantic Division:

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, who can opt out of his current deal after the 2016/17 campaign is complete, told members of the media that he won’t be discussing free agency until the season is over, Eric Koreen relays (via Twitter). Lowry will assuredly command more on the open market than the $12MM he is owed for 2017/18.
Despite the Sixers bringing 20 players into training camp, Brandon Paul has a legitimate shot to make the opening night roster, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders opines. The scribe notes that Paul’s contract has more guaranteed money included than the deals of Robert Covington, Hollis Thompson, Jerami Grant, T.J. McConnell, Shawn Long and James Webb. Discussing why he chose to sign with Philly, Paul told Kennedy, “I just felt like, all around, it was the best decision for me to come in and compete. They obviously have a young roster and I kind of bring in a little bit of maturity to that roster. Obviously, I’m relatively young as well. But around those guys, I’m kind of the older one and I’m a little more seasoned because I played overseas and in the D-League. I think I can bring a little bit of toughness and maturity to the roster.”
Neither the Raptors nor DeMar DeRozan wanted the player to end up anywhere other than Toronto, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who details the free agent process the two parties went through in reaching a five-year agreement this summer.

Eastern Notes: DeRozan, Plumlee, Pistons, Heat

August 3rd, 2016 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we passed along some comments made by DeMar DeRozan about the free agency process, which only lasted about two hours for him, as he quickly agreed to re-sign with the Raptors in the early hours of July 1. DeRozan also spoke to Michael Lee of The Vertical about his offseason, and he admitted that the idea of having the NBA’s highest salary in 2016/17, approximately a $16MM increase on his previous salary, hasn’t really sunk in.

“Honestly, I haven’t looked at it like [that],” DeRozan said. “It’s crazy when you do say it. But I’m going to go out there and play like I’m still playing for a contract.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, Miles Plumlee‘s new four-year deal with the Bucks has an annual $12.4MM cap hit, making it worth $49.6MM in total. Plumlee’s contract can max out at $52MM, so it features about $600K in unlikely incentives annually.
In his latest mailbag at NBA.com, Keith Langlois discusses a handful of Pistons-related topics, including the possibility of a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope extension and Stanley Johnson‘s role and future with the team.
Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel cautions that Heat fans should keep their expectations in check regarding the possibility of landing Russell Westbrook in free agency next summer, since Miami – and any other team besides Oklahoma City – is a long shot for the star point guard. Winderman suggests that it makes more sense for the Heat to focus on developing their young talent rather than to “build an entire season around an all-or-nothing run for Westbrook.”

Raptors Notes: DeRozan, Wright, Ibaka

August 1st, 2016 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

DeMar DeRozan signed the second-largest free agent contract of 2016, but his foray into free agency flew somewhat under the radar — perhaps because it only lasted for a matter of hours. Although he admits to David Morrow of DefPen.com that the idea of joining his hometown Lakers was somewhat intriguing, DeRozan never took a meeting with a team besides the Raptors.

“It was tough,” DeRozan said of his free agency decision. “But at the same time, I know what I created in Toronto, and it was something I wanted to continue building.”

Here’s more on DeRozan’s free agency, along with a few other Raptors-related notes:

DeRozan also spoke to Morrow about the stress of entering free agency: “You got everybody pulling at you, trying to give you a reason to come to their team, and it’s tough. Especially when you’ve been with one team for so long, you feel like you mold into that one team, that community. It’s tough.”
Raptors point guard Delon Wright underwent arthroscopic surgery today to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder, the Raptors announced today (via Twitter). The 20th overall pick in last year’s draft, Wright didn’t see much NBA action in his rookie year, having spent a portion of the season in the D-League. His quest for a larger role in his second season will be put on hold while he recovers.
The Raptors reportedly made an effort to trade for Serge Ibaka earlier this summer, but balked at Oklahoma City’s asking price, and Ibaka ultimately landed in Orlando. However, the big man will be a free agent in 2017, and Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes in his mailbag that Ibaka is “very much on [the Raptors’] minds” as a possible target next summer.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Olynyk, Sloan, Nets

July 31st, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors have focused on keeping as much of their own talent as possible in free agency, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Over the years, Toronto has been a place that star players have left, with the list including Marcus Camby, Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. This summer, the Raptors didn’t have the cap room to keep backup center Bismack Biyombo, but they held onto DeMar DeRozan as part of a core that is largely tied up with long-term contracts. “The improvement of our team is going to come from inside,” said GM Masai Ujiri. “Kyle [Lowry], DeMar, and Jonas [Valanciunas] and Patrick [Patterson] and Terrence [Ross]. They will probably take it to another level.” The Raptors’ major addition in free agency was former Boston power forward Jared Sullinger.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics will probably wait until next offseason to make a long-term decision on Kelly Olynyk, Washburn writes in the same piece. Olynyk can sign an extension up to the October 30th deadline, but Boston wants to see the 25-year-old big man for one more season before making a commitment. Olynyk has missed 43 games in his first three seasons, and Washburn writes that the Celtics want him to display more “toughness and consistency.”
Donald Sloan, who played 61 games for the Nets last season, has reached an agreement to play in China with the Guangdong Tigers, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. His teammates will include former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer and one-time lottery pick Yi Jianlian. The 28-year-old Sloan averaged 7.0 points and 4.4 assists with Brooklyn in 2015/16.
The $100K guarantees the Nets gave to Yogi Ferrell and Egidijus Mockevicius are the largest the organization has ever handed out to an undrafted college player, according to NetsDaily. Brooklyn signed both players to partially guaranteed training camp contracts this week, along with Beau Beech, who got $45K in guaranteed money. Brooklyn now has 18 players under contract, and the website projects veteran big man Henry Sims and summer league standout Marcus Georges-Hunt as possibilities if GM Sean Marks decides to go with the league maximum of 20.