He doesn’t have a step on the defense if he is taking a step towards where the defense is rotating from. If anything, he’s giving himself less time to get his shot off and more time for the defensive rotation to contest.
Let’s put it this way…a wide open 3 is a more efficient shot than a wide open midrange shot in general. Even if he takes a step or two into the arc and is still somehow wide open, it’s still a worse shot. However, the example you suggest could actually result in a worse trade off than what I just mentioned…it could be the difference between a wide open 3 and a contested midrange shot (since DeRozan would give the defense a bit more time to rotate by dribbling into the arc or just being closer to the help defense in general if he’s spotting up from the midrange).
These are the types of tradeoffs opposing defenses will be considering when deciding how to slow down our team.
Except he gets fouled at an exorbitant rate and usually hits the the shot even when he doesn't. And he still draws the defense while being a willing and creative passer to an open man.
His lack of being a knockdown 3pt threat is way overblown for him, as it has been his whole career. It's been a knock on him since Toronto and he still manages to be effective despite the silly and stupid criticism.
He's not perfect but he checks all the boxes Barnes didn't while still being extremely effective where Barnes was. He's a better team defender, a similar 1 on 1 defender, and a better scorer, facilitator, and rebounder.
Whether or not the Kinga upgraded is not a question, and come opening night everyone who doubts that will look stupid. Barnes on opening night 2023 will be what you get more often than not from Demar, which is exactly what we needed all season long. Someone else besides Fox and Monk who can go and get a bucket or get to the line by putting pressure on the defense and converting at the line.
Against Milwaukie and Phoenix, those are 2 wins with Demar over Barnes simply because you can give the ball to Demar and he will either convert or get to the line and convert. Against Phoenix, Demar would have not only stopped the bleeding but would have been able to swing the tide.
The one thing people have not taken into account is even tho Demar isn't a "true" 3pt threat, you have to guard him out to the 3pt line. He's the modern day RIP Hamilton. From 18-22 ft he is butter. He can still hit a 3, but in that zone, once he is there, you are screwed. He will either make a shot, get fouled, or find a shooter or cutter.
Fox has become a deadly catch and shoot player. Monk is too. Keegan also. Keon for sure. Lyles indeed. Now Demar has options that he has never had. He's the playmaking version of Barnes that we all wished we had but now we are somehow upset we have because he shoots a slightly lower percentage from 3 than Barnes did.
Demar offers so much more versatility than Barnes, on top of being a better team defender and a similar POA defender, I'm absolutely shocked that Kings fans have anything negative to say about this move.
We aren't the national media, we have watched this team get stagnant when they couldn't get an open 3, and yet we are upset we now have a player who doesn't rely on that but we can give him the ball and he can go get a bucket or get fouled and convert his free throws? Yall ****ing wild man.
