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Knicks Rumors: The Only Players Worth A Max Contract

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) guards Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) guards Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) drives to the basket past New York Knicks forward Derrick Williams (23) and Jerian Grant (13) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) drives to the basket past New York Knicks forward Derrick Williams (23) and Jerian Grant (13) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

The Calculated Risk: DeMar DeRozan, UFA

Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 26 (8/7/1989)
Slash Line: .446/.338/.850
Season Averages: 35.9 MPG, 23.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 3PM

DeMar DeRozan has led the Toronto Raptors to three consecutive Atlantic Division titles. He was the leading scorer on all three of those teams, and overcame a slow start to help Toronto reach the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.

The question is, is a slashing scorer with a subpar 3-point shot and a dated dependency on midrange shooting worth a max contract?

DeRozan finished 2015-16 at No. 1 in the NBA in points via drives and free throw attempts via drives per game. He admittedly has a tendency to settle for jump shots, but on a team with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, DeRozan would have a specifically outlined role.

Anthony and Porzingis are consistent threats as shooters, which means Jeff Hornacek would task DeRozan with relentlessly driving and leaving the pull-up jump shots to his teammates.

In most other situations, DeRozan likely wouldn’t be worth a max contract. The exception is found with a team that has two other players who can create in isolation, and a head coach who runs a motion offense.

This would be is the perfect situation for DeRozan to enter, and that’s without addressing the Phil Jackson factor.

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