Nearly one month into the 2018-2019 season, we visit former Toronto Raptors DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl and evaluate their performance thus far.
The Toronto Raptors broke many hearts by trading away DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl. It also gave Raptor fans a new breath of life. Nearly one month into the season, we decided to check up on our old friends and see how life on the other side has been treating them.
It’s been a slow start for former Toronto Raptor Jakob Poeltl and understandingly so. Poeltl currently resides on the bottom half of Popovich’s pecking order which has limited his production so far.
Yet, despite averaging only nine minutes per game, Jakob has still managed to be effective. Currently averaging two points, three rebounds, and one assist per game is an encouraging stat-line for such limited minutes.
With a washed-up Gasol and much-needed frontcourt depth, Poeltl’s minutes should go up and with that his production.
Toronto’s Own: DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan appears to be a man set on one mission: to prove the Raptors made a mistake trading him.
On the court, DeRozan has been phenomenal. Mr. Toronto seems to be playing a new brand of basketball with a strong emphasis on ball movement. It’s probably the Popovich effect but to be fair, DeMar has adapted to the new system like a champ.
Posting a stat-line of 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game with a career-high in 51.6-percent field goal percentage has DeRozan flirting with an MVP nomination. For now, DeRozan has established himself as the focus of the Spurs offense and has delivered.
Key performances such as the Lakers-Spurs showdown has DeMar going toe-to-toe with LeBron James and disproving the familiar rhetoric of “DeRozan freezing against Lebron.” This has no doubt been a significant factor to Popovich and fans when entrusting DeRozan to be the team’s focal point.
Off the court, DeRozan still seems somewhat heartbroken over the Raptors decision to trade him away. In a recent interview with ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright, DeRozan opened up once again and explained in detail how the trade made him feel.
"I definitely was extremely hurt. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t. I always made it clear that Toronto was where I wanted to retire. You never heard a player say that. No star player. Nobody. My whole objective being there was fighting against the stigma that guys didn’t want to play there. As it happened to me, when I gave everything I could on the court and off the court, it definitely hurt. It definitely hurt. To feel like, ‘Damn, I wasn’t nothing? I wasn’t this? All right, cool. Now, I’m going to show you."
It’s understandable for DeRozan to feel that way. For a franchise to turn it’s back on you after you’ve given them everything is heartbreaking. With that being said, the Toronto Raptors trading DeRozan may be a blessing in disguise. DeMar is playing the best basketball of his career, and he would be wise to fully embrace his new team and fans.
Jakob hasn’t gotten a fair chance to prove himself, but DeRozan is in MVP form. He may be a Spur now, but the Toronto Raptors will always have love for DeMar DeRozan. Here’s to his fruitful career and eventual retirement as a Toronto Raptor.