DEMAR DeRozan

DeRozan stayed durable for the Kings last season. He played 77 games and averaged 31.2 minutes. He put up 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He added 1.0 steal and 0.3 blocks. He shot 49.7 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from three. His true shooting percentage was 59.4. That is efficient for a player whose usage rate was 22.2. He turned it over just 1.2 times per game. One number cuts the other way. His plus-minus was -7.6, and Sacramento was outscored with him on the floor. His shooting held up, but team results did not.

DeRozan's last stretch with Sacramento swung from game to game. On March 28 against Atlanta he scored 22 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 30.0 minutes, a loss. On April 1 against Toronto he had his best night of the group: 28 points and 4 assists in 34.9 minutes, a win. On April 3 against New Orleans he scored 14 points with 5 assists in 23.5 minutes, another win. On April 5 against the Clippers he played only 10.4 minutes and scored 9 points in a loss. The scoring was there when the minutes were there. That is the same pattern Denver has seen early on.

DeRozan's October with the Nuggets started slowly. He played 9.9 minutes against Utah on Oct. 4 and scored 5 points. Two days later against the Jazz he scored 7 points in 11.4 minutes and finished +8. On Oct. 11 against Chicago he had 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 9.4 minutes. He did not play on Oct. 14 against the Clippers. Then his role grew. On Oct. 16 against the Lakers he had 14 points and 5 assists in 26.8 minutes, a win. On Oct. 22 against Oklahoma City he scored 13 points in 28.2 minutes, a loss in which he finished -10.

DeRozan is not on the injury report right now. He landed on it briefly in mid-October. On Oct. 15 he was listed day-to-day, tagged as rest. On Oct. 17 he was cleared. The timing matches what showed up in his game log. He played zero minutes against the Clippers on Oct. 14. He returned on Oct. 16 against the Lakers and played 26.8 minutes. For a player in his 17th season, rest days will likely be part of the plan. Fans should watch the report before back-to-backs. So far there has been no sign of anything more serious than a scheduled night off.

DeRozan's name has been part of the Nuggets conversation since before camp. A Sept. 19 Nuggets Notes item listed him among Denver's camp questions. His last two games point to a steadier role. He played 26.8 and 28.2 minutes and scored 14 and 13 points. That is still short of the 31.2 minutes and 18.4 points he averaged in Sacramento last season. Three things matter from here. First, whether his minutes hold near 28. Second, whether his three-point shot, 32.0 percent last season, gives Denver enough spacing. Third, whether his plus-minus improves after he finished -10 against Oklahoma City.