Would DeRozan Accept a Bench Role?

[bpcox05]

My Kings have been rumored to be after DeRozan and there is another report that we’d be looking to make another considerable move in addition to DeRozan.

That got me thinking that we may be targeting someone like Finney-Smith to go along with an acquisition of DeRozan which gives us the length, 3&D PF that would be a great fit between Murray and Sabonis but would potentially push DeRozan to the bench.

I really like a starting lineup of Fox - Ellis - Murray - DFS - Sabonis as it has a really good mix of scoring, shooting, defense, and length. And then we’d have Monk and DeRozan as two “super-subs” that would be playing 28+ mpg (in DeRozan’s case, I can see us giving him 32+ mpg).

Also, the long term combined contracts of DeRozan and DFS should be manageable cap-wise when we project what our payroll will be once Fox, Murray, and Ellis are on their new deals.

So with that in mind, how likely do you think DeRozan would be to accept a large minute bench role (while getting paid the 3-4 year contract he’s after)?

[bpcox05]

I’d be really interested to hear what Bulls fans (and to a lesser extent, Spurs fans) think about this since they might be a little more “in the know” when it comes to his mindset.

[ChettheJet]

Having seen him the past 3 years, No Way. He sees himself as The Man, that may be scoring 20 in the first quarter to lead the team or just 4 and thinking he's letting everybody else get involved. But he's not going to take a step back and let somebody else possibly be the star of the game, he wants to control the game.You can't keep track of how many game Nikola Vucevic was hot and had the edge over whoever was guarding him and scored 16, 18, 20 in the first half and ended the game with 20 or 24 and wasn't the leading scorer. It wasn't because he didn't want the ball, DeRozan or Lavine or both decided they needed to get 'theirs'' in the second half to balance the scoresheet.

[sackings916]

I don’t see that at all. In this scenario it would be DFS off the bench.

[oldncreaky]

Having seen him the past 3 years, No Way. He sees himself as The Man, that may be scoring 20 in the first quarter to lead the team or just 4 and thinking he's letting everybody else get involved. But he's not going to take a step back and let somebody else possibly be the star of the game, he wants to control the game.You can't keep track of how many game Nikola Vucevic was hot and had the edge over whoever was guarding him and scored 16, 18, 20 in the first half and ended the game with 20 or 24 and wasn't the leading scorer. It wasn't because he didn't want the ball, DeRozan or Lavine or both decided they needed to get 'theirs'' in the second half to balance the scoresheet.

You have described the last decade+ of DDR's career perfectly

[Texas Chuck]

I mean lots of really good players have accepted 6th men roles if the coach can sell them on why it makes sense for them and the team. Manu is the best modern example, but in Dallas Jason Terry was the 2nd best offensive player and came off the bench(but played starter's minutes and closed games).

Some guys ego can't do that, but DD is 34. He will have gotten his last big contract and he's already got a ton of individual accolades and scored a bunch of points. I see no reason to think it wouldn't be a possibility if coach could sell him on it.

[bdpecore]

I mean lots of really good players have accepted 6th men roles if the coach can sell them on why it makes sense for them and the team. Manu is the best modern example, but in Dallas Jason Terry was the 2nd best offensive player and came off the bench(but played starter's minutes and closed games).

Some guys ego can't do that, but DD is 34. He will have gotten his last big contract and he's already got a ton of individual accolades and scored a bunch of points. I see no reason to think it wouldn't be a possibility if coach could sell him on it.

Great point! I think most players would be willing to play a 6th man role IF they are on the floor to close out games. To me players take more pride in being on the court when it counts the most than at tipoff.

[oldncreaky]

I mean lots of really good players have accepted 6th men roles if the coach can sell them on why it makes sense for them and the team. Manu is the best modern example, but in Dallas Jason Terry was the 2nd best offensive player and came off the bench(but played starter's minutes and closed games).

Some guys ego can't do that, but DD is 34. He will have gotten his last big contract and he's already got a ton of individual accolades and scored a bunch of points. I see no reason to think it wouldn't be a possibility if coach could sell him on it.

Agree that many/most vets accept reality eventually

But for former all-stars, it can take some time, a season or 2. Too many examples to list; it's the classic NBA tale. DDR may or may not be more self-aware than most, but I'd still give him at least a half-season to get it.

[patman66]

Why the hell not? If the money is there. That role of 25-32 min a game as a 6th man will allow him to have favorable matchups and should increase the likelyhood of him being effective at 36YO 3 years from now.

[OGSactownballer]

Ultimately this is remarkably similar to where Iggy was with the Dubs as his career was beginning to wind down

And as far as I am concerned you now have the last two top fourth quarter clutch players in the NBA in the same roster with one of the games top three facilitators and other explosive scorers.

I’m good with everything.

[youngcrev]

I've felt that would be his best role for a while, at least on a contender.

I think it would take a special team roster build and coach to make that happen though, because it requires some major ego finessing.

The Kings don't seem like they'd be that place. On the flip side.. you could just stagger him in such a way that he becomes that 2nd unit leader. He's gonna be in the closing lineup regardless, so it's just a matter of dealing with a potential suboptimal build for the first 5 minutes of each half.

If it's the Warriors, that wouldn't shock me.

[OGSactownballer]

I've felt that would be his best role for a while, at least on a contender.

I think it would take a special team roster build and coach to make that happen though, because it requires some major ego finessing.

The Kings don't seem like they'd be that place. On the flip side.. you could just stagger him in such a way that he becomes that 2nd unit leader. He's gonna be in the closing lineup regardless, so it's just a matter of dealing with a potential suboptimal build for the first 5 minutes of each half.

If it's the Warriors, that wouldn't shock me.

Funny thing. I am not a Mike Brown fan. There are a LOT of things I feel he lacks in his coaching and some seriously poor choices/decisions he has made the last two seasons that are typical of his career history.

That said if there is one thing I do very much admire about him that he is quite superior to his peers is his ability to be a players coach and get especially his vets to buy into his plan.

I was NOT a Malik Mink fan prior to his coming to Sac. I felt he was overrated and a legend in his own mind who would blow up the team. But Mike has been able to convince him to be his best for the TEAM concept and Malik has literally turned his entire game and personality in a way that has literally catapulted him into NBA stardom and he should have won the sixth man award last year.

Oh yeah, Mike convinced Monk to be the sixth man. So I think he could probably figure things out with DeMar.

[hugepatsfan]

I've felt that would be his best role for a while, at least on a contender.

I think it would take a special team roster build and coach to make that happen though, because it requires some major ego finessing.

The Kings don't seem like they'd be that place. On the flip side.. you could just stagger him in such a way that he becomes that 2nd unit leader. He's gonna be in the closing lineup regardless, so it's just a matter of dealing with a potential suboptimal build for the first 5 minutes of each half.

If it's the Warriors, that wouldn't shock me.

Funny thing. I am not a Mike Brown fan. There are a LOT of things I feel he lacks in his coaching and some seriously poor choices/decisions he has made the last two seasons that are typical of his career history.

That said if there is one thing I do very much admire about him that he is quite superior to his peers is his ability to be a players coach and get especially his vets to buy into his plan.

I was NOT a Malik Mink fan prior to his coming to Sac. I felt he was overrated and a legend in his own mind who would blow up the team. But Mike has been able to convince him to be his best for the TEAM concept and Malik has literally turned his entire game and personality in a way that has literally catapulted him into NBA stardom and he should have won the sixth man award last year.

Oh yeah, Mike convinced Monk to be the sixth man. So I think he could probably figure things out with DeMar.

I think this is hyperbole. Malik Monk is not “NBA stardom”. Not even close. And not sure Brown “convinced” him to be a 6th man. He’s never been a full time starter. He wasn’t an anytime starter in CHA. In LAL he got to start down the stretch for them as they finished out a 33-49 year. No team has ever thought he deserved to start honestly.

[Saul Goodman]

If he wants a ring he will accept bench but finishing role with OKC. He and Chet can be a front court against small ball lineups


Dieng
Kenrich Williams
Jaylin Williams
2024 OKC 1st


for

Derozan SnT 4/80



Shai/Caruso/Williams/Chet/Hartenstein

Wallace/Dort/DeRozan/Wiggins/Joe


with all the picks coming will be unstoppable forever.