Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan Wants To Stay Put

After leading Toronto to the Eastern Conference Finals, will DeMar DeRozan elect to re-sign with the Raptors?

The Toronto Raptors can officially begin creating the blueprint to how they will attack offseason duties considering that they were eliminated from the playoffs four days ago. In recent history when this team is eliminated, there’s a bitter feeling surrounding the franchise.

That’s because since the 2001-02 season, they’ve had first-round exits in their five playoff trips prior to this year.

This season was different. The Raptors finished withe a franchise record of 56 wins, which was good enough to earn second place in the Eastern Conference.

None of the three playoff series was a cake walk for Toronto, but the fact that they continued to advance and finally got past the first round for the first time since the 2000-01 season relieved them of major pressure.

Now, DeMar DeRozan has the chance to test the free agent market and ink a huge contract after a very impressive year. It’s safe to say that if he decides not to return to Toronto, their championship chances decrease drastically.

DeRozan averaged a career-high 23.5 points per game to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists this season.

With the salary cap expected to rise to somewhere in the $90 million to $92 million range, it’s expected that he will decline the player option on the last season of his current four-year deal.

DeRozan’s name has often been associated with the Los Angeles Lakers, being that he is from Compton, Calif., and they’re in dire need of a star player, but DeRozan has made his voice heard that he would like to remain in Toronto.

"”My mindset has always been Toronto,” DeRozan said. ”I’ve always preached it. I was passionate about it when we were losing. When we were terrible I’d say ‘I’m going to stick through this whole thing and I want to be that guy who brings the organization to where it is now.’ I definitely don’t want to switch up after we win.”"

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DeRozan and his backcourt mate

Kyle Lowry

have developed into one of the best duos in the league. This season, they each were selected as All-Stars and continue to build a culture of winning within the organization.

Lowry himself went through two free agent periods, but chose to remain in Toronto, so in a way, there is an expectation that DeRozan has to do the same.

If this season had ended with another first- or even second-round exit, the chances of DeRozan signing elsewhere would be much higher.

But now, they can build off this season’s success in hopes to advance one more round next season, which would ultimately be the NBA Finals.

Doing so would be a monumental task considering that this guy named LeBron James has ruled the conference and been a part of the last six Finals, but Toronto proved that they are worthy of being in the same conversation as the Cleveland Cavaliers after pushing them to six games.

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One thing is for sure, if the Raptors plan on raising a banner in the near future, re-signing their two-time All Star shooting guard will be first on the priority list once free agency officially begins.

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