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DeRozan 'happy' for Raptors' success, still keeps in touch with ex-teammates

Richard Lautens / Toronto Star / Getty

Despite how his nine-year tenure north of the border ended, San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan still has a great deal of love for his former Toronto Raptors teammates.

"You can't never have no malicious intent towards nothing. Because they'll come right back on you at the end of the day," DeRozan said to ESPN's Cari Champion. "Every guy that I have a relationship with on that team, I talk to them at least once a week ...

"It'd be different if I was the guy like, 'I don't want to hear that. Don't call me. I hope you all lose.' I just try to be supportive because, at the end of the day, it will come back around. For me, I'm happy for them."

DeRozan was dealt to San Antonio last summer as part of a package for Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors' all-time leading scorer felt blindsided by the trade at the time after he was apparently told by team president Masai Ujiri he wasn't going to be moved.

Ujiri later issued an apology to DeRozan, blaming a gap of miscommunication between the two while also thanking the 29-year-old for all he contributed during his time in Toronto.

The Raptors are in the midst of their second-ever Eastern Conference finals appearance against the Milwaukee Bucks.

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