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DeMar DeRozan: Where Are You?

By Joshua Howe

Mar 15, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) reacts to a non-call during their game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Air Canada Canada Centre. The Trail Blazers beat the Raptors 113-97. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) reacts to a non-call during their game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Air Canada Canada Centre. The Trail Blazers beat the Raptors 113-97. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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When DeMar DeRozan was drafted to the Toronto Raptors back in 2009 with the ninth pick overall, I wasn’t sure what to think. Just an athletic guy from USC. That was the best way to describe him. An athlete. Not yet an NBA player.

But as seasons passed by and the Raptors had disappointing season after disappointing season, first with the likes of Chris Bosh leading the way, then Andrea Bargnani (a.k.a. “Primo Pasta”), I started to notice the changes in DeRozan’s game. Every year he got better.

He went from being a guy who put up more bricks than Emmett in The Lego Movie to someone who actually had a midrange jumper that demanded respect.

DeRozan’s work ethic was and remains his most admirable trait. There was a chance he could’ve never become what he is now. He’s made his own narrative through work, work, work that has continued to impress as the seasons pass. He, along with Kyle Lowry, have now led the Raptors to the playoffs and DeRozan was the one who hit some of the biggest shots.

As you may have guessed, I am a fan of DeRozan. He loves Toronto (not many guys want to play there, as you may know) and puts his heart and soul into trying to win for the team every single night.

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So you must believe me then, when I say that he’s been just plain disappointing this season.

Some of it may indeed have to do with the injury he sustained back on Nov. 28, but even before that time his numbers were down. Why? It’s hard to guess. At this point in the season, we can still be blaming the injury. But that may prove pointless in the long run.

DeRozan did improve something in the offseason: his handles, but unfortunately (and this part may truly be due to the injury) he hasn’t been able to use them to their fullest effect. Across the board, his numbers are down significantly.

Not, of course, his season averages – although his scoring has dropped from 22.7 points per game last season to 18.9 this season – but in other, less obvious areas.

Perhaps most notable is his drop in free throw attempts per game from last season. He averaged 8.0 in 2013-14 and is only getting there 6.8 times a night now. This is where DeRozan gets a lot of his points, because although he’s a poor overall shooter (40.0 percent) he is a great free throw shooter (81.6 percent) and his percentage there hasn’t dropped off much from last year.

Speaking of poor shooting, DeRozan’s TS% (true shooting percentage) is only a measly 49.2 this season. That’s the lowest of his career. By contrast, Dwyane Wade’s TS% is 53.8 and he’s well past his prime due to injury.

Yet, DeRozan’s usage percentage is the highest it’s ever been this season at 28.2. He’s having the game run through him now more than ever and he’s not delivering. He’s falling off. And this is one of Toronto’s several issues.

Want an even more staggering stat?

During last year’s magical run, DeRozan had his best season ever and during it he accounted for 8.8 total win shares. Pretty good overall and by far the best he’s ever done; he almost doubled his previous season’s number (4.7).

This season? He’s only accounted for 2.2 total win shares.

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    • Yowza. That’s one heck of a tumble. In 2013-14, he surpassed that total number of win shares with his defensive win shares alone (3.0). Needless to say, the Raptors could use defense in any form right about now as they continue to plummet in defensive rating.

    So what now? Will he start improving again when he feels 100 percent recovered from that injury? Does he have an issue that’s just mental? Or has he simply really fallen off and we may never see him get any better?

    I don’t know. No one does. He might not even know.

    But I do know this: if the Raptors plan to get anywhere at all important in this season’s playoffs, they’re going to need the DeRozan from last season. They’re going to need that gritty determination to win and that meticulous work ethic.

    Let’s just hope that that part of him is still intact.

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