Should the Toronto Raptors reunite with DeMar DeRozan?

The Toronto Raptors are going to be in a position this offseason to make big decisions on the makeup of their roster going forward. There are some big names who could be available once free agency opens. They include one of the best players to ever pull a Raptors jersey over his head, DeMar DeRozan. He will be an unrestricted free agent.

DeRozan and the Raptors’ relationship ended poorly. The team used him as trade bait in the summer of 2018 to acquire Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs. This didn’t sit well with DeRozan who felt that he had been betrayed by Masai Ujiri. Since then, the Raptors president has worked to repair his relationship with his former player.

If those hurt feelings have been mended, perhaps there may be interest from both parties to come back together next season.

At the start of next season, DeRozan will be 32 years old. He’s coming off a season with the Spurs where he registered an average of 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.

For context’s sake, over the nine seasons where DeRozan became the Raptors’ all-time points leader, he averaged 19.7 points, 4.1 boards, 3.1 dimes, and 1.0 steals. There is no doubt that he can still ball and should be a valuable contributor to a club next season.

DeRozan played his best when he shared the court with his friend and teammate Kyle Lowry who also happens to be hitting free agency this offseason. If they wanted to reunite, Toronto would be an ideal place to do it. The question is, does it make sense for the Raptors, especially with so many contending teams looking to get a piece of him?

Why the Toronto Raptors should sign DeMar DeRozan

It appears that Fred VanVleet is the player the franchise expects to be their leader. If Lowry is brought back into the equation, the pair should continue to play with the same dynamic that Raptors fans have enjoyed watching.

They would cover the two starting guard positions and Pascal Siakam would be the starting power forward. That just leaves the center and small forward spots to fill. While there are question marks on who the Raps will have at the five, DeRozan can open ballgames at the three.

Bringing DeRozan onboard not only help the team win games, but it brings back a locker room veteran to help young players like Gary Trent Jr., Malachi Flynn, and whomever the team drafts with their fourth overall pick.

With VanVleet and DeRozan, there would be a lot of valuable voices on the court and in practice. If Lowry does return as well, it makes that locker room even dynamic even better.

The ideal situation for Bobby Webster would be for DeRozan to return to Toronto on a sweetheart deal, however unlikely that may be. Recruiting him could also entice Lowry to return without having to overpay him. If Webster could sign both DeRozan and Lowry, the only thing left on the shopping list would be a center.

As an added bonus, DeRozan is already a fan favorite. His return should add buzz and subsequently eyeballs to the team. The more fans that can be drawn to watch the team means a greater opportunity for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment to sell tickets and merchandise. There’s a lot to love from the Raptors’ perspective about bringing DeRozan back.

Why the Toronto Raptors will NOT sign DeMar DeRozan

While there is a lot to love about the potential that DeRozan brings, it isn’t enough for the Raptors to gamble on bringing him back to the Six. Let’s not forget why he was traded away in the first place.

The franchise clearly didn’t believe that they could capture a title with him. Now, three years older, there’s no reason to believe that things have changed enough in DeRozan’s game that helps him overcome his playoff woes.

In DeRozan’s last year with the Raptors, they finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference with 59 wins. However, in the playoffs, they only made it as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals where they were swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In San Antonio the next year, while the Raptors were winning the franchise’s first title, DeRozan couldn’t get past the first round. He and the Spurs didn’t even qualify for the postseason the last couple of years. The Raptors know that he’s not the player that can elevate his team to the heights needed for a successful playoff run.

It’s possible that a part of those postseason struggles was because DeRozan is not a complete player. In San Antonio, coach Gregg Popovich recognized that and allowed him to concentrate on his strengths instead of trying to add an element to his game that has always been missing, converting from beyond the arc.

For his career, the Compton native has a 28.1 three-point shooting percentage. While there is a lot to like about his game, homerun ball isn’t one of them. Based on the way the game is currently played, that’s a big flaw. Nick Nurse may prefer adding a player to his rotation who can drain threes.

There is also the possibility that the Raptors believe Trent Jr. should be a starter this coming season. He had a strong finish to the season and the Raps will likely be paying him on a sizeable contract.

If that’s the case, it doesn’t make sense for them to bring in a player to take the same role that Trent would have. Nurse and Webster may prefer to reserve the minutes they’d give to DeRozen for the 22-year-old swingman.

DeMar DeRozan is far from the best possible available free agent this summer.

There is also a case to be made for Toronto to go after Dennis Schroder or Victor Oladipo. If they did then they would be paying significantly for either one of their services, leaving less cap space to bring in DeRozan. If Webster believes that the team could do better with a different free agent, then he may prefer to break the bank for them instead.

Hopefully, the Raptors are able to make a splash this offseason. If that includes bringing DeRozan back to Toronto he will surely be greeted with a great deal of fanfare. He is and will always be a Raptors legend.