On the latest episode of “The Old Man and The Three” podcast with J.J. Redick and Tommy Alter, San Antonio Spurs swingman DeMar DeRozan was asked to talk about how he really felt watching the Toronto Raptors win the 2019 title without him.
The Raptors traded DeRozan to the Spurs for, chiefly, Kawhi Leonard, who guided Toronto to the 2019 championship over the Golden State Warriors in six games.
While DeRozan was happy to see former teammate in Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry win his first ring since they are best friends, the Spurs All-Star admitted it was really tough to watch the Raptors win the whole thing since he wasn't there anymore.
“It definitely was tough. I was there nine years, went through everything. Accomplished so much things that people said we’ll never be able to do. I think for me, that's what drove me my whole career, all the naysayers. My whole time there of us trying to build a winning program. For me to turn into an All-Star starter, see the All-Star game come to Toronto for the first time, make the playoffs, win every type of awards you can think of and kind of trending in the right direction.
“And for the one person (LeBron James) that we only lost to to leave and us not to have a chance to be able to see what that would have turned into, for me personally, then me leave and then see those guys win…it was definitely tough. I wouldn't even lie. Especially once we lost in the playoffs and you sit back and see them winning, you kinda feel like, ‘Damn, was I the problem?'”
DeMar DeRozan is still beloved by Raptors fans and that will likely never change. Many Toronto supporters were initially angry when Raptors president Masai Ujiri traded DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard even though the latter was a better player since Leonard had a bad falling out with the Spurs.
However, the trade clearly worked out for the Raptors since they won the title over the Warriors and Leonard captured his second Finals MVP award.
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