Open Thread: DeMar DeRozan was our rebound, Doug McDermott is the player we’ve been waiting for

Last year, the Spurs employed a starting five of DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl when all were healthy. This year, the exit of DeMar DeRozan left opportunity for Lonnie Walker IV or Devin Vassell to fill the gap. Instead, the Spurs signed free agent Doug McDermott.

McDermott made no bones about his excitement to join San Antonio. He’s already achieved a personal record making seven three-pointers in the Spurs last game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

McDermott is playing a bigger role than he is probably even aware. In a world where heartbreak can set in and sully the next relationship, McDermott is the fresh new relationship Spurs fans have been awaiting.

After the Kawhi Leonard debacle, Spurs fans went through — like it or not — a rebound relationship with DeMar DeRozan. I recently found an article “6 Signs You’re in a Rebound Relationship.” Tell me if any of this sounds familiar:

  1. You can’t reach them emotionally– Spurs fans were 100% on board with Kawhi Leonard taking the helm as the future of the Spurs as the Big 3 began their individual exits. DeMar DeRozan never got those keys to the kingdom.
  2. They seem to care more about what their ex is doing than they do about forming a relationship with you- I don’t know about you, but I felt more invested in Toronto’s title run than I had been for any other non-Spurs team. Watching Kawhi win Finals MVP in Toronto was the relationship equivalent of getting dumped and then seeing your ex having a star-studded wedding in the society pages.
  3. Your relationship is stagnant- This gets to the very core of DeMar DeRozan’s tenure with the Spurs. He wasn’t raising the bar for the Spurs. Unfortunately, he was maintaining himself as an essential piece in the Spurs success. Only when the level of success wavered did it become clear he was not filling out the role.
  4. They’re still upset about their previous breakup- We’re all still salty whether we admit it or not.
  5. You’ve never met the ones closest to your partner and they have no plans to introduce you to them– Pundits and fans alike have never given DeMar their full-throated support. He’d been a discussion of trade options and missed opportunities since arriving. Spurs fans haven’t been unkind to DeRozan, but he’s definitely been in Leonard’s shadow from the get go.
  6. They won’t commit to any plans that aren’t immediate– I think his exit says it all. It was two-sided.

Be honest with yourself. Is seeing Doug McDermott fit into the Spurs like-up so effortlessly feel like the rebound is over and a healthy fandom can now begin?

Doug is that relationship after the rebound. Only time will tell if he truly fits into the schematic of what is developing this season, but so far there is no reason to believe that is not the case.


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