The Raptors are riding the nostalgia wave this summer. They reunited with their 2019 championship hero in a trade that sent Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and a bunch of draft picks to the Clippers for Kawhi Leonard. Moreover, Kyle Lowry is expected to sign a one-day deal, so he can retire as a Raptor.
After the Kings waived DeMar DeRozan, there’s a real opportunity for the Raptors to bring back another former star. DeRozan was a four-time All-Star for the Raptors and made the 2018 All-NBA Second Team before the organization sent him to San Antonio in the trade that brought Leonard to Toronto for the first time.
A DeRozan reunion is a fun idea that fans jumped on as soon as his future with the Kings became questionable. NBA Insider Jake Fischer made it seem realer than ever with some comments made on the NBA Insider Notebook livestream for Bleacher Report.
“I do think there’s a lot of excitement in Toronto about potentially having DeMar back in the fold as well,” Fischer said.
He also added, “We’re looking at Toronto. We’re looking at potentially Miami.”
Moreover, Fischer said, “The one thing we know for sure about DeMar is that there was not really a trade market for him at a 20+ million dollar salary, but there will be a lot of interest in him at a vet minimum.”
The Raptors are in a financial crunch after trading for Leonard and will have to round out the roster with veteran minimums. If DeRozan is okay with that, there’s a chance at a reunion.
How would DeRozan fit with the Raptors’ current roster?
Even after trading for Leonard, the Raptors need perimeter depth and offensive firepower off the bench. DeRozan averaged 18.4 points per game as a starter for the Kings. He wouldn’t play as big a role in Toronto, so he probably wouldn’t put up quite as many points. But the point is, even at 36, DeRozan can still score in bunches. He did it efficiently, too, shooting almost 50% from the field. Bringing DeRozan back would be more than just a nostalgic touch. It would also give the Raptors a scoring punch off the bench.
The biggest concern about his potential fit with the Raptors is his 3-point shooting. He is a 30.2% shooter from behind the arc for his career and shot 32% on 1.9 attempts per game last season. The Raptors already lack spacing, so bringing in another scorer who doesn’t really punish defenses from deep is tricky.
The Raptors already signed Kyle Anderson, who can knock down 3s but doesn’t usually take many. If they continue to sign middling 3-point shooters, there will be a lot of pressure on Leonard, Immanuel Quickley, and Ja’Kobe Walter to make their shots.
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