San Antonio Spurs: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season

3. How will DeMar DeRozan fit?

This is perhaps the most obvious of the three questions, but it is one that must be asked. DeRozan accounts for a large part of the return the Spurs got for Kawhi Leonard, who is undeniably a top-five player when healthy. Because of that, DeRozan had better be good, or the Spurs may find themselves regretting their decision.

Although DeRozan was upset at being traded from Toronto, there is no reason to think that this new match with the Spurs won’t work out perfectly well. DeRozan plays an old-school brand of basketball and takes a ton of mid-range shots. This fits perfectly with the Spurs’ system of slow, methodical play, and Popovich is a huge proponent of the long 2.

From a chemistry standpoint, there is also no reason to think things won’t work out, as the Spurs have historically been a very well-functioning and drama-free organization (with the big exception of the Kawhi Leonard saga, of course). DeRozan is a classy guy and he doesn’t have a big ego that will clash with others on the team.

If DeRozan can find happiness in San Antonio and continue to produce at the level that he did in Toronto, then he should be a great fit for this new-look Spurs team. He will be the first option on offense and should get plenty of opportunity. The only concern here is that he will have trouble making the adjustment from a more isolation-heavy offense to one that focuses much more on ball movement.