{"id":204055,"date":"2026-07-07T07:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T11:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=204055"},"modified":"2026-07-06T22:35:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T02:35:11","slug":"derozan-raptors-reunion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/07\/07\/derozan-raptors-reunion\/","title":{"rendered":"Why a DeMar DeRozan Raptors Reunion Finally Makes Sense"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A DeMar DeRozan<\/a> Raptors reunion no longer feels like a fantasy. Following Sacramento’s decision to waive\u00a0DeRozan, one of the greatest players in Toronto Raptors history is finally available at a point where both sides could benefit from a reunion. Unlike previous offseasons, Toronto would not be asking him to carry the offense. Instead, he could embrace a valuable role off the bench while helping guide one of the NBA’s youngest playoff teams.<\/p>\n

Why a DeRozan Raptors Reunion Finally Makes Sense<\/h2>\n

Toronto No Longer Needs Him To Be The Franchise Player<\/h3>\n

The Raptors are in a completely different position than they were when DeRozan was traded in 2018. Scottie Barnes<\/a> has developed into the face of the franchise, Kawhi Leonard<\/a> has returned to lead a championship-caliber roster, and Collin Murray-Boyles<\/a> has already established himself as one of Toronto’s brightest young talents. Instead of asking DeRozan to score 25 points every night, Darko Rajakovi\u0107 could deploy him as the second unit’s leader, relying on his experience in late-game situations.<\/p>\n

Even at this stage of his career, DeRozan remains one of the NBA’s most reliable mid-range scorers and a player capable of creating offense when possessions break down. That type of veteran shot creation becomes especially valuable during the postseason.<\/p>\n

Toronto’s second unit occasionally struggled to generate consistent half-court offense during last season, particularly when Barnes was off the floor. DeRozan would immediately address that issue by giving the Raptors another player capable of creating his own shot without relying on three-point shooting. While the league has shifted toward spacing and perimeter scoring, every contender still benefits from having someone who can manufacture points when offensive possessions stall. That has been one of DeRozan’s greatest strengths throughout his career, and it remains a skill that ages well.<\/p>\n

A DeRozan Raptors reunion would allow Toronto to strengthen its bench without disrupting the hierarchy already established around Barnes and Leonard.<\/p>\n

Leadership Could Be His Biggest Contribution<\/h3>\n

The biggest reason to pursue this move may not even be basketball. Toronto’s roster continues getting younger. Murray-Boyles is entering his second NBA season, Ja’Kobe Walter<\/a> is expected to take another step forward, and Allen Graves<\/a> has just entered the organization<\/a>. Adding another respected veteran would only accelerate that development.<\/p>\n

Few players understand what it means to wear a Raptors jersey better than DeRozan. Throughout his career, he consistently embraced the city, the fans, and the organization. Even after being traded, he has repeatedly spoken about his appreciation for Toronto and admitted that retiring where his NBA career began would mean a great deal to him.<\/p>\n

That connection matters because Toronto’s current roster is built around players who have never experienced the franchise’s rise from lottery team to NBA champion. DeRozan lived through every stage of that journey. He understands the expectations that come with playing in Toronto and the work required to transform a young team into a legitimate contender. Those experiences could become invaluable for players who are still establishing themselves as leaders at the NBA level. Statistics cannot measure that type of leadership.<\/p>\n

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A Reunion With Lowry Would Complete The Story<\/h3>\n

The possibility becomes even more interesting if Kyle Lowry<\/a> also returns. Rather than signing a ceremonial one-day contract before retirement, Lowry has been linked to a possible return for one final season. If that happens, Toronto could reunite arguably the greatest backcourt in franchise history while asking both veterans to embrace complementary roles.<\/p>\n

Neither player would be expected to start every night. Instead, both could mentor Toronto’s young core while providing reliable production whenever called upon. That veteran presence would perfectly complement the identity Rajakovi\u0107 has built in Toronto, especially after his contract extension<\/a>, giving the coaching staff experienced voices inside one of the NBA’s youngest locker rooms.<\/p>\n

A locker room featuring Lowry and Leonard would also provide Toronto’s young core with championship experience that few organizations can match. Barnes, Murray-Boyles, Walter, Graves, and the rest of the roster would benefit every day from learning alongside players who have experienced deep playoff runs and understand what it takes to compete for a title.<\/p>\n

The Timing Finally Makes Sense<\/h3>\n

Timing has always been the biggest obstacle. Earlier in his career, DeRozan was too productive to leave his team for a reserve role, while Toronto was still searching for a new direction after the championship era. Today, both situations have changed.<\/p>\n

The Raptors have a playoff-caliber roster built around defense<\/a>, versatility, and youth. At the same time, DeRozan has reached the stage of his career where winning and legacy may matter more than individual numbers.<\/p>\n

Unlike previous summers, Toronto would not be asking him to change the direction of the franchise. That responsibility already belongs to Barnes, Leonard, and the rest of the young core. Instead, DeRozan could embrace a role that maximizes his experience while reducing the physical burden of being a primary scoring option. Few former All-Stars have accepted those transitions gracefully, but joining a franchise that already feels like home could make that adjustment much easier.<\/p>\n

A reunion would also give Raptors fans something they never truly received after the 2018 trade: the opportunity to properly celebrate one of the greatest players in franchise history while still watching him contribute on the court. Rather than signing a ceremonial one-day contract years from now, DeRozan could help a playoff team, mentor the next generation, and finish his career wearing the jersey that defined his NBA journey.<\/p>\n

That is exactly why a DeRozan Raptors reunion feels realistic for the first time in years. Toronto would not be bringing back a former star out of nostalgia. The organization would be adding an experienced scorer, respected leader, and franchise icon capable of helping the next generation compete for championships while finally getting the opportunity to finish his career where it all began.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A DeMar DeRozan Raptors reunion no longer feels like a fantasy. Following Sacramento’s decision to waive\u00a0DeRozan, one of the greatest players in Toronto Raptors history is finally available at a point where both sides could benefit from a reunion. Unlike previous offseasons, Toronto would not be asking him to carry the offense. Instead, he could […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5768,"featured_media":204074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,3,29,14],"tags":[50481,49857,49557,350,49324,319],"class_list":["post-204055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-news","category-kings","category-raptors","tag-allen-graves","tag-collin-murray-boyles","tag-darko-rajakovic","tag-demar-derozan","tag-jakobe-walter","tag-kyle-lowry"],"modified_by":"Daniel Benjamin, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5768"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204055"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":204075,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204055\/revisions\/204075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}