First, let us examine what happened to the 2018 trade between the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors involving DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard.
How it all started
The two teams agreed on a deal involving the Leonard-DeRozan trade in 2018. Later, the inclusion of Danny Green and Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 first-round draft pick happened. Leonard and Green were headed to the Raptors while the three went to the Spurs. Also, the Raptors received $5 million cash from the Spurs for Leonard's trade kicker tax.
It was reported that neither was happy to land a new home. According to sources, Leonard first requested the trade, as written by Jabari Young, an inside reporter of San Antonio Express-News.
Leonard had started his cold war with the Spurs when he suffered a quad injury. He only played nine games in 2018. In a tweet by Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, what pushed Leonard to leave was the Spurs' treatment of him when he was suffering from the pain of his injury.
Hoping for the brighter side, DeRozan joined LaMarcus Aldridge with the Spurs. He fared well during that season as the Spurs entered the playoffs for their 22nd appearance but fell short in a tightly-contested fight against Denver Nuggets, 4-3, spearheaded by the duo Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
The Raptors, on the other hand, won the 2019 NBA Championship led by Kawhi Leonard. It was a significant setback for DeRozan, who just became a home-crowd favorite in Toronto.
In 2020, the Spurs were seen struggling in their season. They have fought close battles but could not land a spot in the playoffs, cutting a 22-year playoff streak since 1999. DeRozan did not also make it to the All-Star selection prompting speculations of a trade for a rebuilding process to happen.
Now, the rumors emerged that the San Antonio Spurs is considering trading several pieces, including veteran forward Aldridge and Rudy Gay, for much younger players. This trade will likely involve DeRozan, who is now on the hot seat following a failed playoff chase. If it happens, these three teams will be on the move to acquire DeRozan for a strong playoff campaign.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks were the dark horse of last season. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis led the team to the playoffs before the Los Angeles Clippers nipped them. It was surprising that Dallas could compete with the West's powerhouse team despite's Luka's injury and Kristaps' suspension. It only proved that they are something to be scared of in the next season.
Despite getting Josh Richardson, the team still lacks offensive power should Doncic or Porzingis falter in scoring. Richardson could be used defensively but could not give an offensive run when the team needs it.
DeRozan's addition to Dallas might be great so that Doncic can utilize his full potential as a playmaker. Porzingis will then take care of the post while DeRozan can keep attacking the basket inside and outside.
Indiana Pacers
With Victor Oladipo's possible trade, the Indiana Pacers will seek a more comfortable room to recruit another star. Oladipo can be on the trade block while T.J. Warren and Myles Turner also hang by a thread.
The Pacers refused Oladipo's contract extension. Rumors have it that someone else is the missing key to the team, and they could find it in DeRozan.
If DeRozan moves to Indiana, he will now brave the competition in the East, which is lighter than the Western counterpart. The contention is possible as he will be supported by Domantas Sabonis, who helped the Pacers reach playoffs in the absence of injury-ridden Oladipo.
Detroit Pistons
Another young team that is rebuilding is the Detroit Pistons. DeRozan has a chance to find a home in Detroit. With Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose hampered by injuries, the Pistons look forward to a new leader. Not only will DeRozan be a good fit for the squad, but the leadership under Dwane Casey is special. Casey is DeRozan's former head coach with the Raptors who built his skills from the beginning. The reunion will likely produce good results since the connection is already established.
With DeRozan in the team, the rotations can now be freely utilized, as DeRozan's firepower will compensate for the inexperience of the young Pistons players.
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