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Report claims DeMar DeRozan is one of the most overrated players in the league
DeMar DeRozan established himself as one of the NBA's most lethal scorers, capable of getting buckets from all areas of the court, except outside the three-point arc. However, according to a report, DeRozan is one of the league's most overrated players. It highlights DeRozan's defensive limitations and his aversion to three-point shooting, which contributes to a perception that he may not be as valuable as some believe him to be.
Little team success
There's no beating around the bush with this one: Deebo's teams have seen limited success. While the Toronto Raptors reached the Conference Finals with him, the San Antonio Spurs and the Chicago Bulls have only reached the first round and had an early exit.
"DeRozan's individual bucket-getting prowess has led to precious little team success and comes with a level of defensive ineptitude that basically cancels out (at best) the value he provides as a scorer," Grant Hughes wrote.
Furthermore, DeRozan's inclination towards midrange shots and hesitance to take threes in an era dominated by the long ball raises concerns about the viability of his skill set going forward.
"Throw in a career-long reluctance to work off the ball or shoot threes, and DeRozan has essentially pigeonholed himself as a high-usage weapon who limits his team's offensive ceiling and can't scale down into a supporting role because he doesn't contribute enough in other areas," Hughes added.
The need to be a primary option
While it is widely recognized that the Bulls perform more effectively when Deebo is present on the court, statistical evidence throughout his career unequivocally does not follow this claim.
"In 11 of his first 12 seasons, DeRozan's teams had higher net ratings with him off the floor than on. Though his Chicago Bulls have played better with him in the game than out over the last two years, the defensive issues have persisted, and the friction between him and Zach LaVine is a direct result of DeRozan's inability to help when he's not operating as a first option," Hughes added.
