DeMar Struggling With Accountability?

[slaw]

I seem to recall that he described Derozan as more polished than Stoudamire (who he drafted at #9). I also recall that he didn't shy away from the Vince Carter comparisons. If you go back and find Derozan's introductory day in Raptorland you'll find the quotes. It's classic Colangelo: instead of underpromising and overdelivering, he's so eager to pat himself on the back and be validated by others that he can't help himself from saying stupid things. Triano was also falling all over himself to put him in the starting 5 before he was ever in a warmup. I remember this cause I recall that there were more than a few fans on RaptorsHQ, RealGM, etc. raising their eyebrows.

In any case, as a Raps fan I want Derozan to succeed and hope he does. As I said above, I just get the feeling he's being set up as the next in a long line of scapegoats and it isn't right.

[mcHAPPY]

One other comment should be made. For as much as Chisholm makes of the "accountability" argument, the facts don't really bear it out.

Derozan's USG% is actually up over last year. His minutes played are about the same. His rebounding, assist and steal numbers are all about the same. The two areas where he has struggled are: FG% and Turnovers. Derozan's FG% is off almost 60 points from last year and his TS% is off 30 points. Query: if Derozan was knocking down shots, are we even having this conversation? As for turnovers, he turns it over at the same rate as Calderon and less than Bayless and Barbosa. His DRTG is no worse than Rasul Butler (who Chisholm tells us in there for his defense) and the same as Bargs (who is apparently playing stupendous defense this year).

Now, stats don't tell the whole story and there is no dispute that Derozan hasn't exactly impressed. But I think far too much is being made of the first 11 games. Again, IMO, this all has more to do with Colangelo's establishment of completely unrealistic expectations for Derozan, and the fans and the media buy in to those ridiculous expectations, than anything else.

I also heard Colangelo was responsible for the flood in New Zealand last year and the latest drought in Africa. Not to mention he was at fault for numerous traffic accidents and gang violence.

I have always appreciated BC's efforts - most of which did not turn out very well. I can understand negative opinions about him in the past - even he has essentially admitted it considering he is currently doing the exact opposite of his first few years in Toronto. However, he is finally being prudent with the purse strings, developing young talent, making wise draft selections (instead of trading the pick), and developing a defensive minded roster via roster moves and coaching - he pretty much is doing what many detractors have asked of him since his arrival. But now that these things are being done, he is responsible for raising the expectations on DeRozan? I'm sorry, I call BS. If there is anyone responsible in this situation it is DeRozan - and not because he is not meeting the expectations but because he is not stepping up to the challenge. His body language, demeanour, and glares show this. It is clear the coddling, lovey-dovey approach does not work. Does anyone want to go through any Bargnani experience? I'm happy for Bargnani and the Raptors but he should have been given tough love a 2-3 seasons ago - right around the stage of DeMar's development actually.

[OTFP]

Derozan's 4 facial expressions on the court: boredom or fear or cluelessness or nothing at all.

No fire. No mean streak. No I'm going to f*ck you over and score on you. No killer instinct.

He needs to man the f up.

1 youtube clip of Jonas V has more heart, give a shitness and wnning attitude than Derozan's entire Raptor career.

[mcHAPPY]

I seem to recall that he described Derozan as more polished than Stoudamire (who he drafted at #9). I also recall that he didn't shy away from the Vince Carter comparisons. If you go back and find Derozan's introductory day in Raptorland you'll find the quotes. It's classic Colangelo: instead of underpromising and overdelivering, he's so eager to pat himself on the back and be validated by others that he can't help himself from saying stupid things. Triano was also falling all over himself to put him in the starting 5 before he was ever in a warmup. I remember this cause I recall that there were more than a few fans on RaptorsHQ, RealGM, etc. raising their eyebrows.

In any case, as a Raps fan I want Derozan to succeed and hope he does. As I said above, I just get the feeling he's being set up as the next in a long line of scapegoats and it isn't right.

From my recollection, DD was put in the starting line up because it was the only way to get him minutes with the starters and playing time. I recall him starting the 1st and 2nd half and then predominantly riding the pine for the rest of the game unless he was having a good game. He only averaged 21.6 minutes. As the season went along the number of 25-plus minute games went up - but only if he was having a strong game.

[slaw]

In my opinion, Casey got the job on his own merits. I think BC had an idea of what direction he wanted to go and Casey best served it in the interview/selection process. Have they discussed and collaborated since his hiring? Absolutely. But I think it is a little insulting to Dwane Casey to strip credit away from what is going on. He is a hell of a basketball coach (that is many more people's opinion than mine) and he was the bridesmaid to many head coaching jobs before this one.

I find it incredible that fans are finally getting what they have asked for yet that isn't good enough. It is time to (painfully) enjoy the rebuilding/building process going on in front of us and hope for the best come the draft and free agency.

You're missing my point entirely.

Let me put it this way. If I hire an architect to design my new house and he designs and builds a barn instead, I'm not exactly happy. When he realizes he's built a barn and hires a new contractor to rip it down and build a house that's terrific, of course, but I have to ask why he just didn't build the freaking house in the first place. I appreciate that he's trying to fix my barn problem but I'm not going to give him credit for doing what he should have done in the first place. I think it's great the new contractor looks like he's doing a good job laying the foundation for my house but I'm still pissed that the guy in charge didn't do it right the first time and, MY GAWD, he's still in charge! Maybe he's figured it out, but maybe I should have played it safe and just got a new guy altogether.

Now, he's designing my new house and the contractor is working hard but a lot of the parts aren't really as advertised. And there continue to be disturbing stories that, despite the new engineer's advice, my architect keeps pitching for parts of the old barn to go back up. Meanwhile, the guest wing looks a little off despite the contractor's best efforts and I'm told it's actually the bricklayer's fault or the fault of the old subcontractor who quit months ago. Nothing ever seems to be the archtitect's fault though he's the one who designed the barn and the new house.

I've tortured the metaphor long enough.

[mcHAPPY]

You're missing my point entirely.

Let me put it this way. If I hire an architect to design my new house and he designs and builds a barn instead, I'm not exactly happy. When he realizes he's built a barn and hires a new contractor to rip it down and build a house that's terrific, of course, but I have to ask why he just didn't build the freaking house in the first place. I appreciate that he's trying to fix my barn problem but I'm not going to give him credit for doing what he should have done in the first place. I think it's great the new contractor looks like he's doing a good job laying the foundation for my house but I'm still pissed that the guy in charge didn't do it right the first time and, MY GAWD, he's still in charge! Maybe he's figured it out, but maybe I should have played it safe and just got a new guy altogether.

Now, he's designing my new house and the contractor is working hard but a lot of the parts aren't really as advertised. And there continue to be disturbing stories that, despite the new engineer's advice, my architect keeps pitching for parts of the old barn to go back up. Meanwhile, the guest wing looks a little off despite the contractor's best efforts and I'm told it's actually the bricklayer's fault or the fault of the old subcontractor who quit months ago. Nothing ever seems to be the archtitect's fault though he's the one who designed the barn and the new house.

I've tortured the metaphor long enough.

No, I think I've got the point.

BC came in with a direction that initially yielded success but then faltered. He continued to try and build in this direction but it failed. So essentially, after success he experienced failure. I've yet to meet anyone in any profession or area of life who is perfect - except my wife, or so she tells me.

So after this failure, he starts to rethink things and goes in a new direction. Over the last 13 months (since November because I don't buy he started the rebuild over the summer when Bosh left) he is implementing that new direction.

So BC has grown, evolved, and changed as a basketball 'architect'. However, despite preliminary results which have been fantastic in my opinion, he should be sh!t/fired/replaced/condemned for not doing it sooner? I'm sorry but this wreaks of 20/20 hindsight, a superiority complex, armchair GM'ing at its finest, or a combination of some or all of the aforementioned.


If BC stayed the course with 'his way' before, I'd probably be fed up. But he hasn't. He is one of the most respected basketball minds in the league among his peers and from an owner like Mark Cuban. He most certainly deserves the time to see this through - and 2 years with a team option for a third should be plenty of time.

[jimmie]

I get what you're saying, Slaw, but I don't think the analogy completely works.

The first thing is, "you" didn't hire this architect. So what you wanted him to build is of no consequence. He built what he wanted to build. The fact that the damn thing fell over is sort of beside the point -- it's the design he concocted, and it's his house. We just get invited over a few times a week for an expensive dinner -- so I understand why you're pissed that when you get there for dinner with your credit card ready, it's raining and there's no roof and you're stuck sitting beside Turkoglu.

But now the architect has noticed the rain coming in and leaky pipes and the cracks in the foundation, and he's shoring things up. By this time next year, the house should at the very least be dry and semi-welcoming. The year after that, when the addition is put on the back and hot tub is installed... boy, howdy -- I'll be heading over *early* for dinner.

Let me ask this: If you asked for the house, but got a barn, but that barn won an Architectural Design of the Year award, would you be OK with it?

And by the way, building and/or renovating a house is ALWAYS like you've described. It never goes 100% smoothly. So in that respect, the analogy works, but it won't give you much consolation. The point is: you should never forget the past lest you repeat it, but you should also not dwell in the past lest you miss the scenery ahead.

[sleepz]

I am with this article to a certian extent. Obviously, Derozan is being asked to do a lot more things than he was asked to do in his first two years and he's having difficulty making the requisite adjustments. It's also clear that the expanded role they are asking him to play has exposed his limitations (and he has more than a few). Where I don't buy in is this whole idea that Derozan is "struggling with accountability". To me, it's more a case of the team asking Derozan to do things he can't do, so he's not doing them. Cause he can't.

There's something else that bothers me about what is starting to happen to Derozan. Every year this team under Colangelo has some scapegoat. In 2007-08 it was Ford and Bargnani, in 2008-09 it was O'Neal and Bargs, then it was Bosh. Now, it seems like Derozan is being loaded up with all the sins of the organization so he can be cast aside and everyone else can walk away with clean hands. Enough with this. Derozan was always a limited player. Colangelo sold him as Air Canada 2 and the supplicant Toronto press bit hook, line and sinker. The fans wanted to believe in a new saviour. Derozan was never, ever going to be a franchise player. Ever. How about casting some of the blame for Derozan's lack of development on the guy with the high collar who hired the last coach? Who created and oversaw the "no accountability" system he now refers to with disdain (if I was Triano I would have punched Colangelo in the face by now)? Who continues to wave the wand and yell "Abracadabra" everytime he brings some new retread into town? It's simply amazing to me that everyone in Toronto is praising this new-fangled system and Casey's "new professionalism" without asking the obvious question: why the hell wasn't it like this before?

Tremendous post Slaw. The last part of your post is pure gold and I'm glad I wasn't the only one feeling this way

[heinz57]

Derozan's 4 facial expressions on the court: boredom or fear or cluelessness or nothing at all.

I call them:

1. "I wish I was playing Call of Duty" face
2. "Oh shit, did I leave call of Duty on pause?" face
3. "Hey Sonny....... Ooh that ain't Sonny" face
4. "I got a case of the Mondays" face

[ceez]

I think it's unfair to label him lazy. He just doesn't have that killers mentality. To say he doesn't work hard at his craft is ridiculous as well.

[NoPropsneeded]

He stepped up tonight so you guys can shut up now.

[jimmie]

He stepped up tonight so you guys can shut up now.

He looked a little better on O. 14 points in the 1st quarter and only 9 more the rest of the way, including down the stretch of a tight game, is hardly "stepping up", though.

Demar is still a work in progress. That's about all we can take from his performance through 12 games, and one 23-point performance in a game where he came in with inherited Alpha Dog status doesn't change that. That's not hating, it's reality. He had a prime opportunity to go off, and didn't take it. He's got another chance tonight.

[Ryan_1523]

He looked a little better on O. 14 points in the 1st quarter and only 9 more the rest of the way, including down the stretch of a tight game, is hardly "stepping up", though.

To be fair to DeRozan, I thought they took him out at a bad time.. I was kinda flicking the channels back and forth between the Raps and Leafs game, but he scored his 14 points all before the 6 minute mark in the first I believe, and then soon after that he was sat for a long period of time.. Like the whole first 6 minutes of the second quarter. When a guy is hot, and when your team has a big lead against a superior team, you don't put in the second unit.. You keep your foot on their throats and ride the momentum with the second unit when it's safe to do so, that's the way I see it.

[Hassan]

the truth is demar is not the future star of this team , whoever we draft this year will be, or it could possibly be j-val. and bargnani should be our future sixth man we have to start thinking long term and start building for a conentender and if BC plays his cards right we have all the tools to succeed. demar at best will be a scoring option, not the main alpha dog

[OTFP]

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