In a recent interview with a talk show, Bulls player DeRozan was asked by reporters if he would consider returning to the Raptors with a similar contract amount, and DeRozan also quipped: "If Lowry is still here, I will go back." As the backcourt double gun that the Raptors once relied on the most, Lowry and DeRozan had been together in Toronto for 6 seasons, in these 6 years, they also made the Raptors a regular in the playoffs (a total of 5 playoffs), 15-16 seasons, the Raptors under the leadership of Lowry and DeRozan, once entered the Eastern Conference Finals stage, only 2 wins away from reaching the Finals to compete for the championship, but met the Cavaliers led by James, the Raptors finally went out with hatred 2-4, and in the next few seasons, The Raptors were basically sniped by the Cavaliers in the playoffs.
Unlike Lowry, who was originally traded to the Raptors by the Rockets, DeRozan can be said to be a Raptors player who is "rooted in the red", in the 2009 NBA Draft, he was selected by the Raptors with the 9th pick in the first round, in the first season of entering this Canadian team, DeRozan was fortunate to be appreciated by the team and was entrusted with the responsibility of starting (65 starts in 77 games), and since the second season, DeRozan's average score per game has never been lower than 15+, and DeRozan, who was cultivated by the Raptors, He also became an All-Star and scored a career-best 27.3 points in the 16-17 season.
In order to repay the team's kindness, DeRozan also took the initiative to reduce the salary when he renewed his contract with the team in the summer of 2016. It is reported that at that time, he could have received a top salary of 153 million yuan for 5 years, but in order to let the Raptors get ample salary space for reinforcements, DeRozan finally agreed to sign a 5-year 139 million, a salary reduction of 160 million, and thought that he could be with his partner Lowry in Toronto after that, and try his best to help the team win the first championship in team history, but DeRozan's loyalty was finally disappointed by general manager Ugerry.
In the 18-year offseason, when the scandal about DeRozan's trade can be said to be full of storms, and Ujery also made a promise to DeRozan that the team would not trade him, the result was that DeRozan finally underestimated the cruelty of the business league, and in the case of having the opportunity to get Leonard, a superstar with both attack and defense, DeRozan was ruthlessly swept out by the Raptors, so he left Toronto, where he had been playing for 9 years, and went to San Antonio. After the good brother and good partner was traded without warning, Lowry was even more reluctant to take Ugerry's call.
After DeRozan was traded, Lowry would high-five and shake hands in the players' tunnel before each Raptors game to express his longing for the good brothers. In the 6 seasons of working with DeRozan, Lowry can be said to be DeRozan's most close friend, because DeRozan suffers from depression, and the older Lowry is also taking the initiative to take care of this good brother, whether on the court or off the court, they almost all appear together, and even when they were suppressed by the Cavaliers for many years, Lowry also took the initiative to give himself and DeRozan a "garbage brother" joke title to help him divide the pressure.
With Lowry also leaving Toronto last season to switch to the Heat, both are now playing for different teams, and if one day the "garbage brothers" can really reunite in Toronto, I believe it will make many fans feel very emotional.