Toronto Raptors: 2017-18 player grades for DeMar DeRozan

The Toronto Raptors drastically altered their offense this season with DeMar DeRozan playing a big role in that change. But how much did he improve this year?

In the age of analytics, many pundits and fans see high-volume shooters like DeMar DeRozan as relics of a bygone era, similar to big men who primarily work in the post. In today’s NBA, 3-pointers and floor-spacing reign supreme and DeRozan’s game runs counter to this philosophy.

Historically, DeRozan has made his living with the mid-range jumper, statistically the most inefficient shot in the game. Combine that with his reticence to pass and his shaky defense and you get a player that feels more at home in the 1990s.

This year, the Toronto Raptors tried to modernize their offense, hoping to finally best LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. As far as the regular season went, it worked (I won’t bring up the postseason…yet).

They ranked 22nd in isolations plays this year after finishing seventh in 2016-17. They ranked 16th in passes per game; last year, they ranked 27th in that category. All of this helped Toronto become the third-best offensive team in the NBA this season, only trailing the Houston Rockets (who, ironically, used an iso-heavy style typically synonymous with these Raptors) and the juggernaut Golden State Warriors.

DeRozan contributed a great deal to the team’s offensive renaissance; some writers even believed he deserved some MVP consideration. But did DeRozan truly shed the “inefficient scorer” label and take a step forward? Let’s look and see.