Do Not Put Too Much Stock Into Summer League Raptor Fans

Truly the NBA summer league is one of the best times of the new basketball season. It reminds me of who is going to be in Live ‘10 this year and allows the fans of their respective teams to bask in their teams investments. (Jodie Meeks, Patrick Mills, and DeJuan Blair are VASTLY underrated and will make teams pay for passing on them).

This year the Raptors have fielded a half decent summer league team. However after being accused of being ‘negative’ or a ‘hater’ I will say this much: Please give Mr. DeRozan the last quarter of the season before calling for his head.

I understand that Demar DeRozan has looked wonderful during summer league, and I will be the first to say he has looked better than I expected. Here’s the alternative dunking over Joe Alexander and ‘wowing’ the crowd.

You will have to examine the loss to the Lakers where DeRozan picked up some early fouls and wasn’t the factor he was in previous games against Milwaukee and Portland.

Yes I understand that all NBA players will struggle when early fouls take them out of their rhythm but the mark of a great player is in his ability to play under these conditions and three turnovers (when he doesn’t primarily handle the ball) and five rebounds does not an All-Star make.

Please temper your exceptions. I see message boards with such far reaching messages claiming DeRozan as ROY, as better than Vince Carter (he’s not quite there yet) and the difference maker for the Raptors this year. (I think not).

This article is not to say that DeRozan won’t be a star. He has made some plays that have left my jaw on the floor, and others that left questions begging to be asked. There will be growing pains, nights where DeRozan is the best player on the floor others where he’ll be so invisible you’ll wonder where he is.

Ultimately from the interviews he’s done and what he has displayed in the summer league I have some hope.

For those that continue to state that I am ‘negative’ or a ‘hater’ I will simply give you two names: Joey Graham, and Marco Belinelli. These are the individuals and prime examples of players that excel in summer league and when the year starts completely disappear.

Raptor fans do you remember the excitement of seeing Graham use his athletic ability to dominate in summer league not more than four years ago? Belinelli put on a shooting clinic daily two years ago (Everyone followed up with the requisite drafting in fantasy leagues) and he couldn’t even keep up with the NBA game when the season started.

Every year there will be a handful of players that will overwhelm you and convince you that they are the real deal. However when the season starts you can’t find your favorite summer leaguer anywhere. Then the hype dies and you move on without a whimper.

While I am not completely sold on DeRozan’s pending All-Star status (as some have stated he’ll be within 3 years) I believe at worse he’ll be an excellent starter with torrid stretches of dominance a couple times a year. At this point I will accept anyone with any type of consistency and if DeRozan can deliver this, I can be sold.