DeRozan would've asked for trade if Raptors dealt Lowry to Knicks in 2013
DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry form one of the best backcourt duos and lead one of the best teams in the NBA, but that wouldn't be the case if not for a fateful two-week span several years ago.
It's known that the Toronto Raptors nearly dealt Lowry to the New York Knicks in 2013-14. It turns out if that trade went through, DeRozan would've asked to be moved, too.
DeRozan, 28, recalled to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Lowry was "practically gone" and already said his goodbyes in the locker room. He wanted out next.
"I remember my frustration came in too, like I'm not trying to go through this again," DeRozan said. "I don't wanna be one of them players that never make the playoffs until five years in, and if you're getting traded too, I'ma ask for a trade too. I'ma ask too."
Related: DeRozan says he and Lowry barely talked their 1st year together
The reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week said entering the season, the players understood they were treading on thin ice and gave themselves 20 games to "figure it out." A game short of that mark, the Raptors found themselves at 7-12 and traded Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings in a move that was sure to trigger a rebuild - or so they thought.
"I remember once that trade happened, I said, 'Everybody get ready,'" DeRozan recalled, adding:
"'We got two options: Either sink or swim. Either we gonna be Michael Phelps or somebody with ankle weights on our ankles, sinking.'"
The players resolved to give it their all "until someone gets traded." From that point on, Toronto went 41-22 and won the Atlantic Division. The Raptors finished 10th in both offensive and defensive rating as they made the playoffs for the first time in six years.
In the end, nobody in the rotation (sorry, Austin Daye) was traded, and the Lowry deal was nixed by Knicks owner James Dolan out of fear of getting fleeced by Masai Ujiri again. So, the point guard remained north of the border where he fostered a fairy-tale bromance with DeRozan, who indicated the aforementioned two-week span brought them closer together.
Since then, the two have each earned three All-Star appearances, an All-NBA nod, and an Olympic gold medal, leading Toronto to four straight playoff runs and serving as the catalysts for the most successful era in franchise history.