DeMar DeRozan On A Short Leash?

[Built Ford Tough]

And just in idle chitchat with a few folks around the team, I get the sense that DeMar’s on a rather short leash these days as far as his position in the starting lineup goes.

 

No one’s suggesting a move to replace him – and I’d imagine it would have to be for Antoine Wright – is imminent but if he doesn’t start having a great impact on games, I can see it happening.

 

And by impact I don’t mean 20 points and eight rebounds. I mean a consistent effort every night at both ends of the floor, no floating, no constantly losing his man on screens, no long stretches of indifference or one-on-five play. Pure and simple hard work.

 

They don’t get it long enough.

 

I was all for the way they used him this season, a crash course in the tough night-to-night life of a NBA shooting guard and there can be no question he’s a better player today than he was on opening night.

 

Kid’s still got a good work ethic in practice, at post-practice and during his preparation for games but it hasn’t translated often enough into anything special once the ball goes up.

 

But it’s truly winning time now and the mild sense I get is that there are those in the organization who think a change may eventually have to be made.

 

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/2010/03/of-going-home-again-irksome-officiating-items-and-so-long-skip.html

 

Since the Raptors drafted DeRozan I have been a huge supporter of having him start every game and let him grow that way. Even when he struggled early in the season and some people were saying that he should be sent to the bench, I said that it was in the best interest of the team to continue having DeRozan start at the 2.

 

However, I think that it is about time to make a change. DeRozan has played very poorly over the last month or so and seems to have hit the rookie wall. As a result of his struggles he is forcing his offense and trying to do too much rather than let the game come to him, which he was doing a great job of earlier in the season. With the Raptors entering into a tough portion of their schedule and seeing their lead for the 5th seed evaporate, I think it is time that the Raptors play the lineup that will give them the best chance of winning ball games extended minutes, and I don't think that DeRozan is one of those players.

 

Now I am not saying to bench him and not play him at all, but I think it could be in the best interest of the team if they were to just bring him off of the bench for 15 minutes a game and start somebody like Sonny Weems or Antoine Wright, both of which give the Raptors a better shot at winning games.

 

Thoughts?

Edited March 9, 2010 by Built Ford Tough

[BasX]

I have missed a lot of games recently, for various reasons, but from what I have seen, moving DeRozan to the bench for either of the two is not a bad move. Sonny might be the better choice because he has been playing well lately but it might depend on match-ups. With a running team, Sonny might be the game you want to start. If you are talking about a slower game, Antoine could be the guy because he is better in half court defense. Marco is a no for starting, though maybe that could get him going.

 

Doug pointed out his work ethic though and that it is good and that is a good sign, the issue is not killing his confidence. The benefit to this is if he does felt upset, he can look down the bench and see how Jose handled it.

 

I'm mixed on the idea, but I'd like to see who they start before benching him.