DeMar DeRozan (Photo : Twitter)
The recent playoff run of the Toronto Raptors was not anticipated by some sports media, Stephen A. Smith included.
It has actually prompted an apology from him because of his dismissive remarks at the start of the series. The controversial First Take host's bold prediction blew up in his face as Sportsnet recounted so he personally apologized "to all Canadians out there" and now he admits that "he doesn't even know if the Cavaliers will win this series."
With that sudden turnaround, maybe Stephen A. should apologize for another bold claim that he made regarding the Raptors-that of DeMar DeRozan leaving Toronto to go back home and play for the LA Lakers.
In a previous report, Smith said DeRozan made it "very, very clear" that he wants to go to LA. However, with the Raptors run all the way to the Conference Finals he might think twice about leaving a good situation.
The Lakers are unlikely to match a Conference Finals appearance even if they had DeRozan and even in a best case scenario. The Raptors managed to survive the Miami Heat and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers even after their starting center Jonas Valanciunas got injured.
Now, an article from Lakers Nation mentioned that even the Lakers are having second thoughts on pursuing DeRozan. Despite being the most consistent Raptors player in the entire playoffs, there are still some questions about his game-from a Lakers standpoint.
DeRozan plays the shooting guard position. It can be argued that both D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson are more shooting guards than point guards. While it would be suggested that DeRozan follow his idol Kobe Bryant's footsteps, as he played small forward in his farewell season, DD has been a shooting guard his entire career and the transition might not be smooth.
There are also concerns about his game. Luke Walton is expected to bring the fast-paced offense to LA and ball movement is a big part of why the system has been very effective. DeRozan is known to be a "ball-stopper" who dribbles to place himself in position for a good shot (usually the mid-range).
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has gone back and forth on the Lakers young core, recognizing their potential but at the same time reiterating the need for urgent improvement after a "terrible season." So it would be difficult to predict his offseason agenda. However, most pundits believe that Kupchak would pounce on DeRozan with a max contract, just so he won't strike out three years in a row.
The question is, how far will the Raptors need to go for DeRozan to stay? Will they even consider him as a max player? The Raptors cap situation is not so flexible especially with Bismack Biyombo playing himself to a big payday in the Conference Finals.
