Coach Gregg Popovich says he has no plans to try to change new Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan's game, saying he learned his lesson with LaMarcus Aldridge.
“DeMar’s already an All-Star. He’s played a certain way," Popovich said (via ESPN). "There will be some things we’ll try to add to his game, if he’s willing. I’m not going to jump on him the way I did L.A. I tried to turn L.A. into John Havlicek. I think it confused him.”
Havlicek, the legendary Celtics swingman who retired in 1978, made the NBA All-Defensive first or second teams eight times in his 16 seasons.
The Spurs acquired DeRozan from the Raptors in a blockbuster trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. The Spurs also gave up Danny Green and received third-year center Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 draft pick as part of the deal.
DeRozan averaged 23 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game last season. And while the 6-11 Aldridge's game won't remind anyone of Havlicek, a 13-time All-Star, he's a prolific scorer and solid rebounder (23.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last season).
