With the most recent Demar Derozan trade from the Raptors to the Spurs, there was a lot of buzz around conversations that happened in the off season, particularly around Derozan being told he would not be traded while in Las Vegas. But as we know, that is exactly what happened, with Raptors President Masai Ujiri trading Derozan for Kawhi Leonard. With Derozan visibly upset, posting late night Instagram stories and speaking out against the move, it was no less of a heartbreak for Toronto Raptors fans, who displayed a strong dislike for Masai, taking their frustrations to Twitter.
One Fan, @Enes_Kanter tweeted
“Mad respect for @DeMar_DeRozan a classy player who has given his heart to a franchise. One of the most Loyal player I know. Giving you away for nothing..@Raptors.”
DeMarre Caroll, former Raptors player, currently a Brooklyn Net tweeted
“No matter what…When I think of Toronto Raptors Basketball… I think of DeMar Derozan…He deserves a statue…”.
The love and respect Derozan received as a Raptors has impacted the city and its fans, as well as the players. Despite this potentially being a huge move for the Raptors, an opportunity to move forward further than they have in franchise history, fans and players have stated their dislike and shock over this trade. There is no telling if this trade will pave a new path for the Raptors to the finals, or ultimately end with Leonard coasting his way through his last year and ending up in LA once a free agent. This uncertainty also adds to fan frustrations because of the possibility of this being a fruitless trade, considering Leonard’s alleged negative attitude towards coming to Toronto.
But at the end of the day, this move proves that the NBA is a business, not a family, and doesn’t offer any loyalty for any player. If this trade has taught us anything, it’s that loyalty and respect does not guarantee job security, nor does it have a place in the NBA. Once a player is seen as an obstacle to an end goal, moves are made.
Derozan showed up during the season, but fell flat during playoffs, and unfortunately never quite found a way to get his momentum back. There was missed plays, missed shots and overall bad decisions from Derozan on the court. Even as fans, it was frustrating to watch. But regardless, fans stood behind the man who once said
“I am toronto.”
Understandably so, Ujiri was criticized for his “betrayal” of a long time standing player. But, from a President’s perspective, the goal is to take your team as far as you can, which is what sports fans ultimately want to see as well. This could be the loyalty sports management believe they need to show the fans; the loyalty of giving them a winning team to watch and embrace, no matter the consequences.
Derozan has not been the only one to feel betrayed by the NBA. Isaiah Thomas felt the same way, being traded from the Boston Celtics to the Cavaliers. Thomas was respected and loved playing in Boston, with a heartbreaking past and a loyalty to his fans. When he was traded, fans expressed their outrage, and Thomas felt betrayed and angry – for good reason.
But unfortunately, these trades teach us the hard reality that the NBA and the sports industry are a cold hearted business. As fans, we get to capture the emotion and the rush of watching our team play on the court and we begin to feel emotionally attached to the players. We begin to create our own loyalty, our own dedication to the players of the team. They become part of our city and of our legacy, therefore when one gets treated unfairly, we feel as if they are family. We cause a commotion and an outrage, making sure our support is heard by the disgruntled player and our distaste acknowledged by the team executives. We forget that we have no effect on how the NBA deals with its players or what moves they make. We cannot change or affect a trade, no matter how strong our loyalty is. We also usually forget our outrage after a few days until someone brings it up again or we see the team without him. The emotions and rage we feel during these “betrayals” are short lived – the possible future success (or failure) of the team because of a trade is not.
At the end of the day, if the Raptors make it to the finals, Toronto will focus less on the Derozan trade and more on the accomplishments of the current Raptors. As important as loyalty is, emotions can only last so long, especially if a championship is within reach.
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