Toronto Raptors: Give DeMar DeRozan His Money

Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan is worth a max deal, as a matter of fact, he’s earned it.

So DeMar DeRozan dropped another 27 points in a 90-83 win for the Toronto Raptors over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

DeRozan is having another All-Star caliber year, yet the public is still split on the idea of re-signing him.

Many believe the two-time All-Star is unworthy of a max deal this upcoming off-season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, and that a trade should be made to free up space for the Raptors to go after a bigger free agent.

In response to those who believe the price is too steep, who are we replacing him with on the wing? Kevin Durant? Keep dreaming.

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Or maybe we can pick up the $123 million dollar man Joe Johnson with all of that extra cap space? Or maybe the king himself, LeBron James, will bring a ring to the six after giving one to Cleveland this year?

J.R. Smith? Mike Miller? Leandro Barbosa? No wait, how about Lance Stephenson?

What about the guy behind him in that position, Terrence Ross?

All of the options on the table for the Raptors this upcoming summer are either unrealistic or a serious downgrade, and both DeRozan and his agent Aaron Goodwin know it.

Go ahead and take a look at the entire list of restricted and unrestricted free agents that are coming up in 2016, and you tell me if anyone there is a suitable replacement that will either fit within the cap, or match DeRozan’s production over the last few seasons.

You won’t find many likely solutions.

Trying to justify getting rid of DeRozan at this point in time for an upgrade is not unlike someone who owns a Mercedes, but sells it for a lottery ticket to win a Lamborghini.

Mar 4, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) fouls against Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) at the Air Canada Centre. Cleveland defeated Toronto 120-112. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

If the ticket doesn’t hit, they wind up with neither a Mercedes or Lamborghini, and now must settle driving around a minivan for the next few years.

It’s a gamble, a stupid gamble that would take a herculean effort of swooning to bring in a guy like Durant, who will very likely be just fine in Oklahoma recruiting players like DeRozan to his side.

Worst more, we finally have a player that is just one notch below superstardom, a guy who will be consistently playing an extra game in February for at least the next five years if he’s healthy, and he actually wants to play in Toronto.

Isn’t that what we have always wanted here?

Now suddenly because we have some playoff appearances, and the world’s hottest rapper consistently courtside at our games, we think we’re too good to cash out to him? The one guy who has been here since we were a league wide afterthought?

Wait, I think I figured it out.

Raptors’ fans you are all so clever, I’m on to your game now, we’ll have Drake play small forward! That man can do anything!

There is no way this could possibly go wrong, he will instantly make us the hottest brand in the NBA!

Next: Is Harvard Star Jimmy Vesey Headed to the Maple Leafs?

Whoops…

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