Three years in the league, with the minutes he's been given since Day 1, is a lot of time to show your potential.
By 25, you generally are what you are in the NBA, and by 29, you're on your way down, from a physical standpoint, and you better have accumulated some other skills that don't rely on sheer athleticism to help you succeed. In other words, combine that curve with an expiring contract, and time is running short for Demar to really show what he's made of and where his career might max out. Lowry was in a different boat -- he didn't necessarily just become better at 25; he just finally got the minutes. Demar's had the minutes all along, and while he's improved slightly in some areas over the past 3 seasons, he's also regressed in some areas. It's still really tough to guess what kind of player he will end up.
You're right that Demar clearly isn't the talent that guys like Lebron, Rose, Howard, etc. But the question is whether he's the same kind of talent that Toronto has been hoping he would be since Day 1 -- an elite athlete who can use his physical gifts to get to the rim or the line on a regular basis, and use the same gifts to become a top-flight wing defender. I think Toronto thought they were getting another Gerald Wallace type -- not necessarily a lights-out perimeter shooter, but a guy who can cause havoc on both ends with his motor and athleticism, a borderline all-star. Demar is not nearly there yet.
The change to more of a post-up game this pre-season seems promising for his offensive game, but he's still an abhorrent passer and he still can't shoot a long jumper consistently. And his defense is bad, so bad that he's probably become more of a liability on that end than Bargnani. And for the passing and defensive issues, sometimes it's not an experience issue, it's more of a basketball IQ issue -- which you often can't fix.
This is definitely a make-or-break season for Demar, IMO. It's not even a question of how much money he'll be looking for; it's a question of whether he's needed or not. If he doesn't morph quickly into that Wallace type, then he's not much more valuable than a young Terrence Ross (who by most accounts is already a better shooter and defender at the 2 than Demar) or someone they could get in a trade or FA. I can't see them overpaying for him unless he proves he's a big piece.
By 25, you generally are what you are in the NBA, and by 29, you're on your way down, from a physical standpoint, and you better have accumulated some other skills that don't rely on sheer athleticism to help you succeed. In other words, combine that curve with an expiring contract, and time is running short for Demar to really show what he's made of and where his career might max out. Lowry was in a different boat -- he didn't necessarily just become better at 25; he just finally got the minutes. Demar's had the minutes all along, and while he's improved slightly in some areas over the past 3 seasons, he's also regressed in some areas. It's still really tough to guess what kind of player he will end up.
You're right that Demar clearly isn't the talent that guys like Lebron, Rose, Howard, etc. But the question is whether he's the same kind of talent that Toronto has been hoping he would be since Day 1 -- an elite athlete who can use his physical gifts to get to the rim or the line on a regular basis, and use the same gifts to become a top-flight wing defender. I think Toronto thought they were getting another Gerald Wallace type -- not necessarily a lights-out perimeter shooter, but a guy who can cause havoc on both ends with his motor and athleticism, a borderline all-star. Demar is not nearly there yet.
The change to more of a post-up game this pre-season seems promising for his offensive game, but he's still an abhorrent passer and he still can't shoot a long jumper consistently. And his defense is bad, so bad that he's probably become more of a liability on that end than Bargnani. And for the passing and defensive issues, sometimes it's not an experience issue, it's more of a basketball IQ issue -- which you often can't fix.
This is definitely a make-or-break season for Demar, IMO. It's not even a question of how much money he'll be looking for; it's a question of whether he's needed or not. If he doesn't morph quickly into that Wallace type, then he's not much more valuable than a young Terrence Ross (who by most accounts is already a better shooter and defender at the 2 than Demar) or someone they could get in a trade or FA. I can't see them overpaying for him unless he proves he's a big piece.
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