DeMar DeRozan has been having a good season with the San Antonio Spurs but anything can go down by the NBA trade deadline. Set for Feb. 6, there is a chance the Spurs could opt to ship the 30-year-old player. Among the possible destinations would be DeRozan's former team, the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors current sits at second spot behind the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks. However, the resurgent Miami Heat is not far behind and head coach Nick Nurse may be open to added help. The 9th overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft could be that guy.
For the Spurs shipping DeRozan would depend on the team's outlook this 2019-20 NBA season. He had two years remaining in his contract. However, he has a player option next season and pundits believe he could exercise it. That in mind, San Antonio may want surety that they don't end up empty-handed if the four-time NBA All-Star does decide to jump ship.
This season, DeRozan has played in 46 games averaging 22.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per Basketball-Reference.com. With those numbers in mind, there is no doubt that the 6-foot-6 swingman has boosted his stock, enough to possibly place him among the guys that could get a better contract this summer. DeRozan will make $27.7 million this NBA season and in the 2020-21 wars, assuming he opts in.
A DeRozan return could also reunite him with old pal Kyle Lowry, the Bleacher Report reported. Together with rising stars Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, Nurse could have better chances in the NBA playoffs. It could also boost their chances of making it back-to-back.
Despite the departure of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors have proven they can survive with their current crop. However, it remains that Toronto has its work cut out with the Bucks doing great this season. Even if they do retain the NBA Eastern Conference title, whoever they face from the Western Conference will not be a walk in the park. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers are among the teams heavily favored. Ironically, Leonard is one of the top guns of the Clips right now.
Addressing their weak link at small forward could be a big sigh of relief. But all that depends on what Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has in mind. San Antonio is currently in the 9th spot. They are in a situation where they can make the playoffs or not. And assuming they do, the bigger question is can coach Pop survive without the California native?
