Breaking: Raptors’ Star Comments on Missing Championship After Departure
DeMar DeRozan Reflects on Raptors’ 2019 Championship Win
DeMar DeRozan, now a swingman for the Chicago Bulls, shared his feelings about watching the Toronto Raptors win their first NBA championship in 2019, just a year after he was traded.
After nearly a decade with the Raptors, DeRozan found himself with the San Antonio Spurs when his former team clinched the title. Reflecting on the experience, DeRozan admitted it was difficult to watch.
“It messed me up because we couldn’t beat one person. We couldn’t beat LeBron. The year I got traded, LeBron left. I was more so mad because I was like, ‘Give it one more shot.’ In my mind, that’s why I was like, ‘We got this now.’ So when I got traded, that’s what made it hurt even more. I couldn’t watch, I’m not gonna lie.”
DeRozan, a six-time NBA All-Star, was traded to the Spurs in the summer of 2018 in exchange for Kawhi Leonard. Leonard’s arrival in Toronto led to the Raptors’ historic championship win in 2019, leaving DeRozan as the odd man out.
For years, DeRozan and his backcourt partner, Kyle Lowry, turned the Raptors into a formidable team, securing the best record in the East during their final season together. Despite this, they struggled against LeBron James in the playoffs, culminating in an embarrassing sweep as the No. 1 seed.
DeRozan’s trade came just months after LeBron moved to the Western Conference, making it feel like a betrayal. Even as his close friend and teammate, Kyle Lowry, celebrated his first title, DeRozan couldn’t bear to watch.
In hindsight, the Raptors’ decision to trade for Kawhi Leonard proved to be the right move, as it brought the franchise its only championship. However, for DeRozan, the trade is a bitter memory.
DeRozan’s Personal Struggle with the Trade
Despite not winning a ring with the Raptors, DeRozan is regarded as a franchise hero, averaging 25.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 44.8% shooting during his tenure.
The 6’6″ swingman led some of the Raptors’ most successful seasons and developed a deep connection with the city, the organization, and Raptors fans across North America. Given these ties, it’s understandable why the trade hit him hard.
“I took it personally,” DeRozan said. “It took me a while to get over it. It’s easy to talk about it now, I don’t feel any way about it, but in that moment it messed me up because I was like ‘you worked so hard, this is the place you wanted to be, you put everything into it, everything was centered around me.'”
DeRozan had a productive stint with the Spurs but was eventually traded to the Bulls. Now, with his chances of winning a championship looking slim, it’s clear why DeRozan feels regret over how things unfolded and wishes he had more time to achieve his goals with the Raptors.
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