Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri apologized for “miscommunication” with DeMar DeRozan leading up to the four-time All-Star’s trade to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
"I want to apologize to DeMar DeRozan… We want to win and I have to do everything with this organization to get us to a championship level."
Raptors President Masai Ujiri began his Kawhi / DeMar trade press conference today with a thank you and apology to DeRozan. pic.twitter.com/MdUlWSNxEE
— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) July 20, 2018
DeRozan was apparently blindsided. Ujiri added Friday:
“In my job, I always have to assume we’re going forward with the team that I have. If there was a miscommunication there, I do apologize to DeMar and his family and his representation. It’s not what I meant.”
Ujiri said he appreciated DeRozan’s contributions to the franchise but felt he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to acquire Kawhi Leonard.
“When you have a chance to get a top-five player, which doesn’t come very often, I think you have to jump on it,” he said.
DeMar DeRozan was a great player in the EAST. Is he as good as Leonard, only time will tell. We know Kawhi might not even end up playing there, so who knows how this will turn out. One thing we do know is the Raptors President made his franchise look like crap.
