DeMar DeRozan: Two Raptors Fans Debate His Future In The NBA

Well loyal readers, I felt that it was only appropriate that I share a conversation that I had with the lead writer of all things Raptors on Bleacher Report, Robert Segal.

I think Robert is an intelligent, dynamic writer and his passion for DeMar DeRozan is unmatched. So without further ado here is our debate based on this article.

Robert Segal:

You're absolutely wrong on every point, and I'm willing to put my reputation and whatever credit I have on the line for it.

DeRozan isn't raw at all. His last few games at USC showed what kind of player he is, and if you watched them (and you have not clearly), you'd see just how dominant he could be.

The Raptors will give him a chance, and he's talented and driven enough to do something about it. I assure you he'll be at the rookie-sophomore game and that he'll finish in the top three for rookie of the year voting, with only real threats being Jennings and Griffin.

His shot is much better than Tyreke Evans, his handle is better than people are giving him credit for, he's a good rebounder, and a terrific finisher. If the Raptors move Calderon for a better passer, DeRozan could see 13-16 ppg in year one. If not, it might be closer to 10-13.

Micheal Malcolm:

Robert, I am flattered that you have taken the time to comment on my article, and I apologize if I struck a nerve (and clearly I have). As much as you think that I have not watched DeRozan, I have and I am NOT saying he's not a good player, and won't be in the future.

I'm saying that I believe his contributions this year will be somewhere in the range of 10 ppg, 5 rpg, and 3 apg. I think that if he did that, I'd call the season a success. However, I do not believe that he will avg between 13-16 ppg (I find it interesting that you do not find Calderon to be a good passer. It's not that I do, it's just an observation).

I believe most reasonable young players (Juilian Wright for an example) with good athleticism are good finishers. In order to play in the NBA, though, you have to have some other skills besides "finishing."

I do not believe that DeRozan will open the year as a starter, but I think he may finish as one. If he keeps up his defense (as you have said), I don't need you to put your "cred" as you put it on the line. This is just another viewpoint.

I respect your work and I do enjoy reading your articles but I respectfully disagree on your "overly-rosy" outlook. There are no guarantees as a rookie, and a lot of things have to fall in place for DeRozan to make the kind of impact you're suggesting.

Thank you again for taking the time to comment. As a true fan of the game and a person who calls Toronto home, I hope I'm wrong. I just don't see it this year.

Maybe next year? Please feel free to continue this conversation at your leisure.

Robert Segal:

Well, I do agree that things have to fall into place for him. But at the same time, being the ninth pick and playing a position of need are both things that will, at least to some degree, give him a SHOT to get significant minutes.

Look at Marion or Amare in their first year in the league, or the opportunity we gave CV. People want to see their top-10 picks play, especially when there is no chance in hell at a championship. I think he has a chance to be a special talent.

I've been high on a lot of players in the past two or three drafts. These drafts have included Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Ricky Rubio and yes, DeMar DeRozan.

If you go back a few months, I've been pushing for this guy for a while now. He started the year as a top-three pick and moved down to 15-18 after his first few games at USC, which was understandable. He looked terrible; much like Blake Griffin looked like a terrible defender. However, you have to understand that there's a reason for these things.

For Griffin, as he stated, he was told to stay on the court at all costs. Thus, he couldn't foul, resulting in him to be cautious defensively. For DeRozan, he said that he played the majority of his first year trying to work out kinks in his game.

Unlike Harden, who faded when the games mattered, DeRozan actually played better in bigger games because he was playing to win, as opposed to the rest of the year when he was playing to improve.

I have played ball overseas, and I had games that didn't matter where I would go out and focus on going left to improve, or to work on shooting off the bounce. When you play like that, you play poorly, but you improve.

Like Jennings, DeRozan would have opted to go straight into the NBA but was forced to play out a year for the NCAA. While he didn't go to Italy, he did use the situation to his benefit. Instead of giving USC a season of DeMar DeRozan, he took from USC a year of tutelage from a former NBA coach while trying to ensure he could make a big impact the second he made it to the league.

This is going to be a Carter-esque rookie season on a lesser scale because he has three or four players he'll be playing behind, where as Carter had none. I have no doubt he'll be one heck of a player. I think they're waiting until the summer league to get a read on where he's at and I expect big, big things.

Robert Segal:

Being from Compton, CA, he is mature and has a lot of high-profile buddies. He reminds me of J.R. Smith by having money and "super-stardom" on his mind.

Unlike J.R., he's mature and committed to both ends of the floor. If you told GM's that eight of them passed on a slashing, 19-year old J.R Smith with a commitment to defense, he probably wouldn't have slipped past three or four.

The Raptors are lucky as hell that he slipped, because had he come out of high school last year, someone would have snagged him with the sixth or seventh pick. The point is, he's a much better player after one year.

I watched him a lot this year and he was my favorite player in the country. I saw him do small things that he wasn't doing, and he did more of them as the season went on.

He really became a smarter player as the year went on, and his defense is underrated. I know I sound like a fool for saying that the ninth pick in such a horrible draft can be special, but the point is he slipped five or six picks lower than he should have gone.

There is no doubt he'll be a better player than Thabeet three years from now. However, people don't need wings, they need point guards and big players. That's why Thabeet and Jordan Hill went before him.

If you told me in 2008 that those two would even have a chance to go ahead of DeRozan, I would have laughed my ass off. The same story can be said about Jennings.

These two players are going to make a lot of people seem silly for paying too much attention to stats. Had DeRozan gone back for a second year, I have no doubt if he was trying to play to his ability, he'd be a 20 point scorer, without a question. The difference between him and a guy like T-Will is SO enormous, you almost have to slap yourself to imagine that they went two picks apart.

Robert Segal:

Also, watch some of his high-school videos. I haven't seen a player like him in a log time. It isn't how high he jumps or how easily he scores, but it's about that look he gets when the situation calls for it.

It's that "IT" factor, and "IT" is what separates Austin Daye from Kevin Durant, or Vince Carter from Deshawn Stevenson, or Carmelo Anthony from James Johnson.

The talent level between a superstar and a role player isn't THAT far apart, but their minds are entirely built differently. It's what made Jordan great, and Drexler not AS great.

It's what made Andrea Bargnani, in my view, a better pro-prospect than Chris Bosh. He has a killer instinct and is has cold-blooded composure in bad situations.

When the team is down two, some players rise and others fall. Why a player like Carter always won, and why a played like Bosh always failed is really just a matter of how reactive they are.

Bosh is emotionally reactive, while Carter is a cool customer. Bosh, or a guy like Adam Morrison for example, reacts to the things around him.

Micheal Malcolm:

WOW!

Well Robert, again your comments are very much welcomed and I encourage you to keep up our friendly banter. All I have to say is that while I do not share your optimism at this point, I wish DeRozan all the best in his first NBA season.

I would love for him to put up 15-5-5 if he could. Then again, I am the type to temper my expectations. With your reference to Charlie V, it took some very interesting situations (managerial pressure, media attention) for anyone to realize that he wasn't playing much.

Any young player with a shred of talent and work ethic generally will improve with playing time. Again, Charlie V with the Bucks has improved greatly than the Raptors version (ditto for Charlie Bell, Mo Williams just to throw some other random names out there).

I believe that if young players received an opportunity, they may flourish if they have the drive to cultivate their potential. Can you imagine what would happen if Brendan Wright of GS or even Jerryd Blayliss of POR would do with consistent playing time?

Look at Monta Ellis for example. People knocked his talent, and the Raptors would have killed with him at the two spot. Nevertheless, the point I'm making is that the Raptors have been generous with the PT for rookies if they earn it and im not sure how DeRozan will handle that challenge (I mean if J. Moon can stay on the floor jacking up threes, then defense makes all the difference).

I feel your passion for DeRozan in your words, and I suppose I am the Yin to your Yang You expect flashes of greatness and I expect small spurts of passable consistency.

As far as the Raptors go, DeRozan is no savior (at least not yet). He, like much of his draft brethren, has some ways to go before super-stardom beckons.

If anything, your article was well though-out and factual based, as was mine. However, I do want to say that your point about playing the game consistently and non-emotionally is a great one. It is something that great players do possess.

Robert Segal:

Just wrote a new one. I think my faith in DeRozan goes way beyond what he showed on the court, but more or less what he showed off the court. There is a process for evaluating talent.

Skills, work ethic, polish, age, and mental toughness are all points in the right direction. Also, I'm not alone in my "Koolaid" frenzy as Colangelo is on record saying DeRozan has more potential than Marion or Amare. Talk about a compliment, those guys are All-NBA'ers (you can read Robert’s article here).

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did going back and forth with Robert. I hope he reads this, I really do.

Once again Robert, when you do, please know I would love to do this again. You can pick the topic this time.

-Mike M.