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We had not heard much about DeMar DeRozan since he was traded from the Toronto Raptors against the San Antonio Spurs, except for a handful of social media posts.
That changed late Tuesday, while DeRozan opened in a frank interview with Chris Haynes of ESPN.
DeRozan described his past week as "a blur" before adding "I'm still in shock."
The team saw DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 pick sent to San Antonio with Kawai Leonard and Danny Green returning to Toronto. Prior to the deal, it's unlikely that you would hear DeRozan say anything negative about the franchise that drafted him in 2009, but his departure from the Raptors grazed the quadruple NBA star in the bad meaning. I have not been treated – with what I have sacrificed for nine years – with the respect I thought I deserved, "explained DeRozan. "By just giving me the right to say something, to let me know that something is happening, or it's a chance [that I’d be traded] .I'm all I wanted." I'm not saying that You do not have to trade in. Just let me know that something is happening because I've sacrificed everything, just let me know, do you know what I mean? Is all I ask for.
"Everyone knows that I am the person who has the least maintenance in the world. Please let me know so that I can prepare for my next chapter and I do not understand. "
DeRozan was misled by Raptors president Masai Ujiri, who apologized to DeRozan last week." In communication he could have been when both spoke to the League of Nations. 39, summer before the trade.
"It seemed that I was in this discussion going forward with the team," said DeRozan. "My whole approach was like every summer. Prepare, go out there, support young people in the summer league, find ways to improve, improve my team. It was the feeling and that was the meaning of the conversations we had with Moving forward, having the opportunity to do something special again. So, it was my state of mind and everyone around my state of mind too. "
DeRozan explained that the fact that he had such a strong relationship with Ujiri made trading much more difficult.
" I mean when you use the word "family", "brother", or anything, things that others use lightly … for me once you use this term, I'm sticking to that term. I agree with this term, "said DeRozan." So, whether it's something I like or not, I'll accept it if you come to me and let me know in advance. But do not make one thing look like anything else and take me off guard and do something else.
"That was all my problem, I understand the operation of the game, the operation of the company.My mind was that I would always be in Toronto all my career but I was never naive, let me know, that's where my frustration comes from, and I think it showed, fans to me, it just took me. completely unprepared … To hit me with that at midnight on the blue.As, go in. Two days ago, it was asked, "Is something happening?" If that's just done know me because the rumors are still coming in. Two days later, you go here. "
DeRozan is the leader of the Raptors franchise in both games played and scoring. He is one of the most loved the recent history of sport in Toronto. "The 29-year-old said that the answer he'd received from his teammates, from his peers and his followers were "overwhelming".
He particularly singled out Kyle Lowry as someone who sent him a moving text message. [19659002] "He could not believe it," DeRozan said of Lowry's reaction to the trade. "But he gave me a few words that helped me throughout the day, what to get ready for." As he was just my brother, apart from my teammate, he was there for me in that It could be said that it affected him too, so it was cool to have that support from him. "
Even with the Raptors who got a talent like Leonard back, many Team fans were as upset as DeRozan. when he was informed of the move. The Raptors have often been dubbed a team that star players do not want to keep in the long run, but DeRozan said he wanted to change that stigma, which is why he chose to re-register with him. team in 2016. It was even open "
" I did not want to put ourselves in a mess where we would not be able to help the team by bringing in other guys, " said DeRozan. "I did not want to ask for the maximum, I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that everything we needed to have in the end, we could have. sacrificing for the betterment of the team.I have made it clear that I wanted to be there. "
DeRozan added that the day the trade was reported for the first time, he spent some Drake's hours to get some advice from his friend and talk about the legacy he's left in Toronto. 19659018] Going to the Spurs, DeRozan will be reunited with a former teammate who was traded by the Raptors in 2013.
"The second person I spoke to that night with whom I am very close is Rudy Gay "said DeRozan. . "I called him … I remember being … I was upset and I called him like, 'Dude, dude just exchanged, kind, what? "Rudy is like," Man, to whom? "I said," to you "He started laughing." He said "Look, I do not want to laugh, but I've got my boy back, dude." It'll be okay, dude. Do not worry, I thought, "I should not have even been called." But it was cool to be able to call my man, someone close to my life who is so close to the Spurs. "
When asked what kind of player the Spurs receive, DeRozan describes himself as" a guy who has proven himself many times, and this time, having the bigger chip on his shoulder than I did in my career. "
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