The case for DeRozan

by Robby1987 on May 27, 2009 6:42 PM PDT

With the draft less than a month away seems like everyone here at Sactown Royalty has an opinion on who to take. Some decide to take this exciting one month strech to bash our GM while others give meaningful input on potential moves we can make to grab Rubio and such.

Dont get me wrong, best case scenario is we walk out with Rubio with this 4th pick. Realistically however, he will not be sitting there for us at pick 4.

That leaves the likes of Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holliday, etc. The popular pick would be some sort of point guard, and while that is absolutley the smart thing to do seeing as we dont have a legitimate point guard, i have another theory.

DeMar DeRozan is possibly the biggest boom/bust prospect in this draft with an amazing amount of potential that could possibly make him the best player in this draft. We all know superstars run this league and DeRozan could be that next great 2 guard.

I know we have Kmart and we all love him but I personally believe best case for Martin is where he is at now. His body frame doesnt seem to be improving which is leading to one ankle injury after another. DeRozan is built like a tank and has all the physical tools to be the next flashy, superstar like player. Even with DeRozan and Martin on the same team we could probably use them both in the line up at the same time.

Need wise PG is the obvious pick but with so many pgs in this draft im sure we could pick up a serviceable pg with the 23rd pick.

What do you guys think? I wouldnt oppose Brandon Jennings here either. I just think with the 4th pick we need to take a chance that could turn into a great thing. Jennings and DeRozan are high risk high reward guys.

For those unfamiliar with Derozan you can read more about him here.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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Hmm

I agree with your line about high risk/high reward guys. Because I think Brandon Jennings and DeMar DeRozan are essentially similar levels of talent at each position, I think I would have to lean towards picking Jennings solely for that reason.

Nice idea put forth Robby.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 27, 2009 7:04 PM PDT reply actions

jennings

i wouldn’t be disapointed with Jennings because he fills an immediate need. Ive just been a big fan of DeRozan for a few years now so I would love for him to be on our team. We lack explosiveness and boy is he explosive.

Stang PRIDE!!!!!!!!!

by Robby1987 on May 27, 2009 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Good points Robby

That’s why I read it. This team isn’t good enough to say we don’t need DeMar DeRozan because we have Kevin Martin.

But, it’s going to have to take more than what you’ve already described on DeRozan. That isn’t a criticism of DeRozan exactly, but more a belief that this team needs other things more right now, and unless DeRozan is that surefire stud and the other guys aren’t, than maybe the BPA is just a red herring at this point.

Thanks for bringing DeRozan up.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 27, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree with the high risk/reward of DeDe and Jennings

but the ultimate high risk/high reward guy in this draft is Hasheem Thabeet, IMO.

But of course, they are all high risk/high reward – the higher the pick the higher the risk. If you take Harden with the 3rd pick and he turns out to be so old school that he doesn’t make the grade – than your GM just flunked.

by betweentheeyes on May 27, 2009 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions

HIGH Risk

There is no doubt about it. DeRosan is high risk. Statistically, he has shown little to nothing that would warrant him being taken in the lottery. I am not saying he isn’t worthy, but his risk is WAY too high at #4.

Let’s compare DeRosan to last year’s freshman forward with hops and athleticism = Donté Green

(Per 42 minutes) APG RPG PPG FG% 3-pt% STL BLK
Greene: …………. 2.3, 8.4, 20.8, 41.8, 34.5, 1.5, 1.9
DeRosan:……….. 1.9, 7.2, 17.5, 52.5, 16.7, 1.1, 0.5

Now we all know the differences between the two. Greene is more of an outside player and 3-pt bomber on offense while DeRosan is more of a slasher and offensive rebounder. On defense, Greene was actually much better in steals and blocks than DeMar. Greene was drafted 28th. We all know what a work in progress he is. He has a LOT of potential, as does DeRosan, but the Kings can’t take that type of risk by drafting DeRosan #4.

DeRosan (and Greene) may become a star, but at this point it’s waaaay too early to tell and is a huge risk. I would be much more content drafting Jennings or Thabeet for that matter.

Kings rule! (They are royalty - right?)

by dalt99 on May 28, 2009 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions

But Dalt here's the thing

Greene played the 4 at "Cuse. Doesn’t that mitigate some of the differences in averages they both had, and particularly rebounding?

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 28, 2009 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Sure it does

Yes, Pookey it matters for rebounds but not for scoring, blocks and steals. Also with assists and 3-pt shooting, you would expect DeRosan to be better than Greene because of the fact he played the 3 and not the 4. There not.

Let me give you a different comparison than. How about comparing DeRosan with a player who we already KNOW how good they have become. Let’s compare DeRosan to Vince Carter’s freshman stats per 42 minutes.

Carter = 3.1 APG, 8.9 RPG, 17.6 PPG, 49.2 FG%, 34.5 3-pt%, 1.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG

Again, I am not saying DeRosan can’t or won’t be a star, but based on stats, he is a big risk at this point. I would take him at #23 in a heartbeat but I think that at #4, it’s a huge stretch. The Kings need a player with star potential that can come in next season and start. I don’t see DeRosan starting for a couple years at least.

Kings rule! (They are royalty - right?)

by dalt99 on May 28, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Good stuff dalt

Thanks for setting me straight!

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 28, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions

By the way

When you compare DeRosan to fellow freshman Tyreke Evans, there is no comparison. Tyreke is leaps and bounds better. If the Kings were to take a freshman at #4, he would be my choice by far.

Kings rule! (They are royalty - right?)

by dalt99 on May 28, 2009 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah

Him or Jennings. I might be leaning Jennings especially if he lights up the Treviso camp. For our sake, I hope he does. I want Petrie to draft the best player with the most upside, and for my money, I would be willing to bet that Jennings is it.

The guy already has to had live with reduced playing time, working on his shot with coaches, and taken a ton of criticism. He’s getting thicker skin. An AAU Kid he is no longer. I believe if he had stayed in Italy for 3 year, he would have completely dominated the league and be ready to come over. In a way, I wish he would have. Shut alot of people up about how “bad” European ball is. Also, from the stats point of view, people woudl realize what passes over there is not what passes in the NCAA. Slowly but surely people are becoming more aware of the European game.

But, the NCAA is still up to it’s same old tricks. Blame the poor black kid who had an AAU style system all the way through high school and then wonder how he probably is not ready to take an English/Math test to get into college. Go figure how that might work.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 28, 2009 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry dalt

That rant had nothing to do with you.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 28, 2009 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I appreciated it

I still hate the required 1-year of indentured service in the NCAA. I was hoping that Jennings would light it up in Europe and shut up some of the proponents of that rule. Hasn’t exactly happened yet, but it still could if he ends up a success in the NBA.

by Charlieb on May 29, 2009 9:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Jennings is another boom or bust prospect

I’d rank Jennings as an equal risk to Derozan. In fact, think Derozan is a better bet to at least be a solid player.

I’ll be interested to see how tall Derozan is.

by abasketballfan on May 28, 2009 6:43 AM PDT up reply actions

i dont know about that

i think they are equal in that regard. Jennings would have been better off staying back and going to college because how there are dark holes in his game that we just don’t know about, which is the primary reason hes considered boom/bust.

Jennings came out last year as one of the highest rated players. that doesn’t go away after one year.

Stang PRIDE!!!!!!!!!

by Robby1987 on May 28, 2009 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions

If the Kings could get another lottery pick...

and the first pick is a point then this is my guy. I see him as a 3 with unbelievable upside who would compliment Martin very well if say Ricky Rubio was running the point. If the Kings landed the #1 I was very interested in a Griffin/Curry combo but I like a Rubio/DeRozan combo very much since the ping pong balls screwed us.

I guess the Kings could try to move up from the 23rd to the mid-teens to grab a point but that would require giving something up. The PGs available at 23 aren’t good enough to start anytime soon.

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.

by jjham15 on May 27, 2009 8:55 PM PDT reply actions

I've always really liked DeRozan

I agree with your assessment that he has the potential to be the leagues next great 2 guard, I think on talent alone he is easily my pick at 4. I think if he landed on the Kings the coach would have to know how to use him his first year, I think his development on offense will be slow especially because he seems to think too much. I think by the end of the year when he knew how his offense worked he was the Trojans best player, and he looked to me like he didn’t know how good was as he was the teams best player against Michigan State and he seemed to defer to his teammates.

I think that he has great value to the Kings as a defender and presents great match-up problems in the future. Hes not a great shooter unless hes left alone, but he is the best finisher at the wing position in the draft in my opinion. I’d love to have him as a King, there is risk though.

by jstnblke41 on May 27, 2009 9:53 PM PDT reply actions

I like Derozan

He’s the only non-pg not named Blake Griffin that I’d be happy with if Petrie took at 4.

Father of the "Natt this!" movement.

by Aykis16 on May 27, 2009 11:32 PM PDT reply actions

for the most part

I think drafting safe isn’t what we need to do right now. For us to turn this around we need to hit on a player. I don’t mean hit like a role player, i mean hit like a superstar. Jennings and DeRozan give me the best feeling of that as far as availability at the 4 slot.

Stang PRIDE!!!!!!!!!

by Robby1987 on May 27, 2009 11:34 PM PDT reply actions