The stats aren’t exactly jumping off the page right now for DeMar DeRozan. Yet, that is to be expected as he continues to find a comfort level with his new team, and stability in a new, full-time reserve role as he begins his 18th year in the NBA. He’s making just 28.6 percent from the field in the preseason.

And a great many of the misses have come in the midrange, where he has thrived in his career. Half (7) of his total field goal attempts in the preseason (14) have come there so far, and he’s made just two.

Currently, the Nuggets are trying a little bit everything to get him going — pick-and-roll, isolation, post-ups, catch-and-shoot, etc. Additionally, they’ve had him in with a dizzying array of different lineups. And I think they’ve learned a couple of things already.

They’ve got to get him to the rim. He’s got just one official shot attempt at the rim so far. And they can do that by putting him in more situations where he’s moving. Thus far, if he’s in the corner, he’s standing and receiving catch-and shoot 3-point attempts. Getting him on the move in some sort of ‘Chicago’ or other ‘Zoom’ action could get him downhill and toward the rim quickly.

That would also get movement around him because there isn’t any when he gets the ball. In isolation, players are just standing and watching him go to work 1-on-1 with his defender.

And thus he can’t get to collecting assists because of that lack of movement. And defenses are playing him straight up, not bringing extra help, so he is not creating gravity just yet.

All of this is a work in progress. I think it will take a while to get it right everyone wants it to be. And he’ll still have big games while ironing out all of the details. When it’s exactly right, he’ll be a huge asset to the Nuggets bench.