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DeMar DeRozan Reveals Brutally Honest Feelings After Kawhi Leonard Raptors Trade

DeMar DeRozan was traded from the Toronto Raptors in 2018 for current LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard

Joey Linn

Feb 22, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan (10) and Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) at Scotiabank Arena.
Feb 22, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan (10) and Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) at Scotiabank Arena. / Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
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DeMar DeRozan was a legend with the Toronto Raptors. Making four All-Star appearances and two All-NBA teams in Toronto, DeRozan had an incredible run before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard.

This was an emotional experience for DeRozan, because he was unable to get Toronto over the hump during his time there, and wanted to be the player to do it. Leonard led the Raptors to their first championship in 2019, winning Finals MVP before leaving in free agency to join the LA Clippers.

During an appearance on the Club 520 podcast, DeRozan got brutally honest about his feelings after that trade, saying he did not speak to anyone for two weeks.

“It was tough, because everybody knows I wanted to be there,” DeRozan said. “I wanted to stay there. That was home. Getting traded, the way it went down, that part hurt more than anything.”

DeRozan said once he settled down he was able to appreciate the opportunity to play for Gregg Popovich and the Spurs organization, but it took him some time to get to that point.

“What’s crazy, when I got traded, I didn’t talk to nobody for like f—king two weeks," DeRozan admitted. "I didn’t answer my phone. I was mad as s—t. I ain’t gonna lie, I was in my feelings. Man I was hurt.”

DeRozan said he had a conversation with Popovich that helped changed his perspective, and he ended up having three solid seasons with the Spurs.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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