NY Knicks, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Making the case for DeMar DeRozan to the NY Knicks
The 4-time All-Star likely has his best basketball behind him, but he’s still remained an effective offensive weapon as he enters his early 30s.
He averaged 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game this past season while posting a field goal percentage of 49.5%.
DeRozan has honed his passing skills in San Antonio and is now one of the best playmaking wings in the league, finishing 13th in the NBA in total assists.
He’s also maintained his reputation as one of the deadliest mid-range shooters the league has to offer, hitting 48.2% of his shots from at least 16 feet away from the basket all the way up to the three-point line.
There are some concerns regarding his poor shooting from behind the arc and tendency to underperform in the playoffs, so much so that we’ve made the case against signing DeRozan here at Daily Knicks recently.
Regardless, the Knicks should be able to work around those issues and maybe even eliminate them entirely.
DeRozan has actually hit a respectable 36% of his corner threes throughout his career, one of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s favorite shots.
With Julius Randle and RJ Barrett developing into above-average shooters to go along with the expected return of Mitchell Robinson and his lob threat, New York is going to have a fair amount of floor spacing so that the court doesn’t get too crowded.
The veteran wing has also infamously struggled in the postseason. A major reason for this is DeRozan being the top option on every single playoff team he’s been on, which causes him to become unable to shoulder the load of an entire offense.
Julius Randle experienced similar problems in the postseason, having issues with efficiency while Atlanta loaded up their entire defense to stop him from scoring.
If DeRozan joins the Knicks, that offensive burden could be shared by both him and Randle so that defenses wouldn’t be able to collapse on either one.
Add Lowry to the mix and another scoring leap from Barrett, then New York suddenly becomes a team that could have someone new scoring 20+ points on any given night.
While DeRozan does still have some weaknesses, the potential benefits far outweigh them.
The Knicks have an opportunity to add a major offensive weapon without handing out a max contract.
They should absolutely do it.
NY Knicks</a> just capped off an excellent season where they defied all expectations and finished as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<p>Their goal now is to remain a playoff contender and upgrade the roster where it is needed.</p>
<p>Their postseason loss to the Hawks looks better in hindsight with Atlanta currently playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the series defeat still revealed some weaknesses.</p>
<p>The starting point guard and starting small forward spots need to be addressed.</p>
<p>Derrick Rose performed admirably all year but he struggled a bit defensively and often looked gassed when playing over 30 minutes, showing that he’s best utilized as an elite 6th man at this stage in his career.</p>
<h2>Would you want DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry on the NY Knicks?</h2>
<p>Reggie Bullock provided stout defense and a consistent three-ball all year, but his inability to score off the dribble or create for his teammates allowed the Hawks to hide the diminutive Trae Young on him defensively which hurt the rest of the Knicks’ offense.</p>
<p>With an estimated cap space of around $50 million, New York has the ability to make some big upgrades.</p>
<p>One such move could be reuniting <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lowryky01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Kyle Lowry</a> and <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/derozde01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">DeMar DeRozan</a>.</p>
<p>Lowry and DeRozan were teammates for six seasons with the Toronto Raptors, making the playoffs in five of those years.</p>
<p>While they could never get past LeBron James, they still blossomed into All-Stars together and made it all the way to game 6 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.</p>
<p>Lowry and DeRozan have one of the most <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors-derozan-lowry-friendship-1.5030127" target="_blank" rel="noopener">well-known friendships in the NBA</a> and both were extremely hurt when they were forced to separate due to the Kawhi Leonard trade.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kyle Lowry tells <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://twitter.com/Rachel__Nichols?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@Rachel__Nichols about the 2:30 a.m. call where he learned his best friend had been traded to the Spurs. <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://t.co/K30lKS7HLn">pic.twitter.com/K30lKS7HLn
<p>— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1070203212874031104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 5, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>Lowry even continued to do his <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://www.nba.com/news/kyle-lowry-discusses-demar-derozan-handshake-video" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half of the pregame handshake</a> that he shared with DeRozan despite the duo now suiting up in different cities.</p>
<p>The two former teammates will both enter unrestricted free agency this summer.</p>
<p>There’s a very good chance that they’ll want to team up on a postseason squad once again. Their current teams (Spurs for DeRozan and Raptors for Lowry) both missed the playoffs this past year and will likely look to get younger.</p>
<p>The Knicks should try to sign both of them.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Case for DeMar DeRozan </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-119467" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1232676913.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1232676913.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1232676913-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Making the case for DeMar DeRozan to the NY Knicks</h2>
<p>The 4-time All-Star likely has his best basketball behind him, but he’s still remained an effective offensive weapon as he enters his early 30s.</p>
<p>He averaged 21.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game this past season while posting a field goal percentage of 49.5%.</p>
<p>DeRozan has honed his passing skills in San Antonio and is now one of the best playmaking wings in the league, finishing 13th in the NBA in total assists.</p>
<p>He’s also maintained his reputation as one of the deadliest mid-range shooters the league has to offer, hitting 48.2% of his shots from at least 16 feet away from the basket all the way up to the three-point line.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">That side-step <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://twitter.com/DeMar_DeRozan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@DeMar_DeRozan jumper = 💵 <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://t.co/KweizgkeUD">pic.twitter.com/KweizgkeUD
<p>— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://twitter.com/spurs/status/1388292775762964487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 1, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>There are some concerns regarding his poor shooting from behind the arc and tendency to underperform in the playoffs, so much so that <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/16/ny-knicks-free-agency-case-demar-derozan/">we’ve made the case against signing DeRozan</a> here at Daily Knicks recently.</p>
<p>Regardless, the Knicks should be able to work around those issues and maybe even eliminate them entirely.</p>
<p>DeRozan has actually hit a respectable 36% of his corner threes throughout his career, one of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s favorite shots.</p>
<p>With Julius Randle and RJ Barrett developing into above-average shooters to go along with the expected return of Mitchell Robinson and his lob threat, New York is going to have a fair amount of floor spacing so that the court doesn’t get too crowded.</p>
<p>The veteran wing has also infamously struggled in the postseason. A major reason for this is DeRozan being the top option on every single playoff team he’s been on, which causes him to become unable to shoulder the load of an entire offense.</p>
<p>Julius Randle experienced similar problems in the postseason, having issues with efficiency while Atlanta loaded up their entire defense to stop him from scoring.</p>
<p>If DeRozan joins the Knicks, that offensive burden could be shared by both him and Randle so that defenses wouldn’t be able to collapse on either one.</p>
<p>Add Lowry to the mix and another scoring leap from Barrett, then New York suddenly becomes a team that could have someone new scoring 20+ points on any given night.</p>
<p>While DeRozan does still have some weaknesses, the potential benefits far outweigh them.</p>
<p>The Knicks have an opportunity to add a major offensive weapon without handing out a max contract.</p>
<p>They should absolutely do it.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Case for Kyle Lowry </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-119468" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2135,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1312163080.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan" width="3200" height="2135" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1312163080.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1312163080-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Making the case for Kyle Lowry to the NY Knicks</h2>
<p>At 35 years old, Kyle Lowry is going to be looking for what might be his last major payday.</p>
<p>Despite his veteran status, he remained effective as ever in his 15th NBA season. He averaged 17.2 points and 7.3 assists per game while hitting 39.6% of his threes.</p>
<p>At this stage in his career, Lowry has mastered the ability to know when to take a backseat and set up his teammates while also showcasing his tendency to go off for some huge scoring nights.</p>
<p>He dished out double-digit assist totals in 11 games and he also scored more than 20 points in 12 separate contests this year.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">He really is the Doctor of Greatness</p>
<p>37 Pts | 11 Ast | 8 3pm <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://t.co/2HdwTCqryh">pic.twitter.com/2HdwTCqryh
<p>— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1389251779687108614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 3, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>His leadership and experience at the point guard position would be extremely beneficial for a still-developing Knicks playoff team that would have a growing young core of Barrett, Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin.</p>
<p>With a solid young group already in place and a 26-year old All-Star in Randle, New York has the luxury of being able to bring in established veteran players to help keep them in the playoff picture without stunting the development of the youth.</p>
<p>Lowry and DeRozan aren’t in their prime anymore, but they’re still high-level scorers and playmakers that would fill two of the Knicks’ biggest needs.</p>
<p>If Team President Leon Rose can bring them in on 2 or 3-year contracts, New York fans can start dreaming about a deep playoff run instead of another first-round exit.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Two players NY could steal away from the Brooklyn Nets" data-url="https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/22/ny-knicks-2-players-ny-could-steal-nets/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/24/ny-knicks-kyle-lowry-demar-derozan-reunite-ny/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/22/ny-knicks-2-players-ny-could-steal-nets/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Two players NY could steal away from the Brooklyn Nets </a> </div>
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