There is lots of concern in Toronto Raptor Land with regard to the first 14 games of DeMar DeRozan's NBA career.
My recommendation at this stage: Chill out!
Yes, he looks like a rookie and yes, he's inconsistent.
While he's got a long way to go, I wouldn't consider sending him to the bench yet.
Here are 3 reasons why I say to just relax and allow the process to develop more before any changes are made.
1. Upside/Potential: The two most overused words today in sports, which gets lots of GM's and Coaches fired because fans expect guys to PRODUCE based upon a few flashes that the player show yet it's not there consistent level of ability yet and the folks involved around the player get blamed due to unrealistic expectations.
DeRozan has upside and potential and the only way it's going to get tapped into is to throw him to the wolves every night and let him experience and learn from the ups and downs of playing in the NBA each night.
I like his coach-ability, attitude, work-ethic and he has the tools to be a good player in the league in time. In a world of expectations/instant gratification that doesn't make folks too happy to wait and experience the growing pains of what is truly necessary.
2. Team vs. Organization: Yes, the current 2009-10 Raptors team is 6-8 after 14 games. Understand the good and the bad. We all want and expect better, yet think for a second.
You're starting a 20-year old rookie with a solid group in the other 4 spots, so there is no pressure on DeRozan. If he plays well, he earns a few extra minutes. If not, Jarrett Jack, Marco Bellinelli and Antoine Wright take the other minutes and he watches and learns.
With all due respect to the three gentleman I just mentioned after DeRozan, do you honestly think that any/all of these three can take the Raptors to deep runs in the playoffs?
Yes, they're good players and if the Team defense improves, the Raptors will be a good team. But, and this is a big BUT what does the Raptors' organization - hopefully Chris Bosh re-signs - become in 2010-11, 2011-12 seasons and beyond if they develop DeMar DeRozan and he blossoms before our eyes into an impact player in the league?
We don't know yet what he is, but the franchise needs to find out.
3. It's not panic time: We're 14 games in. Plan your work and work your plan. Just like Jay Triano and his staff have stuck to the defensive philosophy that they put into play in training camp, you can't abandon 14 games in and it's not like you're 2-12 and by the way, you've played in 12 of the first 14 games teams that were in last year playoffs (can you say: strength of schedule?) and you're hanging in there.
The team needs to play better but you MUST see things through if you're truly going to be able to make the right adjustments/decisions on your defense and a young player like DeRozan in the coming weeks/months that lie ahead.
Only time will tell if DeRozan becomes a star (who knows??) but we'll all be kicking ourselves if we sacrificed two or three extra wins for the short-term (ask: Toronto Maple Leaf fans about this awful philosophy) at the expense of the development of a ninth pick in the First round (a huge organization investment) who MIGHT be able (in time) take you to another level (don't we all want that??) based upon his development.
Lets all take a chill pill and let the process breath for a bit longer before any rash decisions are made.