NBA: 5 takeaways from Kawhi Leonard-DeMar DeRozan trade

2. The end of an era in Toronto

The Raptors selected DeRozan with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft following a season in which they won just 33 games. Success didn’t initially come easy with DeRozan in the fold, however, as the Raptors missed the playoffs in each of his first four seasons.

That narrative changed a bit after that, as the Raptors have made it to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. During that span, DeRozan has averaged at least 20 points per game, while earning four All-Star selections in the process.

In 2016, DeRozan displayed a sense of loyalty to the team that drafted him by signing a five-year deal worth $139 million. Furthermore, he willingly sacrificed aspects of his game for the good of the team.

Although his scoring average dipped from 27.3 points per outing in 2016-17 to 23 points per contest last season, DeRozan hit a career-best 89 3-pointers and he posted 5.2 assists per game, which was also a career high.

On the heels of the best season in franchise history, along with supposedly being told by the front office that he was not going to be traded, the news caught DeRozan off guard and he responded with a very interesting Instagram post.

While we may never know if DeRozan was assured of his status with the organization, what we do know is that his time with the Raptors has come to an end and in one of the worst ways possible.