NBA Rumors: Toronto Raptors Eye DeMar DeRozan Exit; Will SG Abandons Kyle Lowry and Cory Joseph?

By Mitch de Leon
DeMar DeRozan
Toronto Raptors' DeMar DeRozan has attracted the attention of the Detroit Pistons. GAMEFACE-PHOTOS/Flickr/CC

The Toronto Raptors surprised fans this NBA season with unexpectedly high ranking in the Eastern Conference. A relatively young basketball squad, the Kyle Lowry squad now ranks fourth place in the Cleveland Cavaliers-led division. With the LeBron James squad on top, the Toronto Raptors are closely behind the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat - a remarkable feat for a young team. Amid the success of the NBA team, fans of the Toronto Raptors see three men responsible for their remarkable run this season: Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Cory Joseph.

However, reports are now surfacing that the Big Three of the Toronto Raptors might meet their end soon. DeRozan is reportedly expected to opt out of his contract by the next NBA season. Dubbed as one of the most promising players in the NBA today, the Toronto Raptors star is speculated to become a free agent soon.

"I can tell you he'll opt out," revealed a source of DeRozan's plans, according to the New York Post. The insider added, "But how he feels about Brooklyn - or anybody else - I can't say. Only he can answer that."

As per the source's info, one of the teams widely rumored to be interested is the Detroit Pistons. This deal might seem plausible especially because the Andre Drummond squad will be having a cap space worth $40 million this summer. With this in mind, fans speculated that the Detroit Pistons might be the next destination for DeRozan.

However, the source revealed that such may not be the case. The insider shared that the shooting guard feels extremely grateful to the Toronto Raptors, saying that DeRozan "has a trait that's been lost by so many players. It's called loyalty."

The Toronto Raptors drafted the 26-year-old star way back in 2009. Since then, DeRozan has become a core member of the basketball team and a mentor for some of its newer members. In 2014, the shooting guard was included in the NBA All-Star Game group. His current standing regarding scoring is 11th place, with an average of 22.9 points per game.

Unlike other teams, the relationship of Toronto Raptors' leading scorers remains close. DeRozan and Lowry have always been reportedly chummy with each other, even opting to sit together in plane rides to discuss their lives and basketball. This comes as a fresh change as players such as Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler as well as Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been regularly reported to be quite competitive of one another.

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