DeMar DeRozan parting ways with the Chicago Bulls has been one of the biggest stories of this offseason. While this decision came as a surprise to many, Zach LaVine was mentally prepared for the same. On a podcast appearance, DeRozan revealed how he had kept communicating his thought process with his former teammate so that the latter didn’t receive the news as a surprise.
DeRozan has been part of the league for 15 years. Having played for three different franchises during this span, the 6ft 6 forward is aware of the business decisions a player or organization must take. However, he is also known for being a great teammate. Hence, he admitted to keeping LaVine in touch with every moment that led to him joining the Sacramento Kings.
Additionally, with LaVine having not the greatest season in terms of injuries and constantly being in the headlines for trade rumors, the six-time All-Star believed it was all the more essential to have honest conversations.
“A lot of these conversations was talked about early on as certain things being a possibility… Me and Zach used to have a lot of those conversations on a plane, in a locker room. He was going through a lot this season with injuries and everything he was going through with rumors and everything,” DeRozan said.
Due to the constant communication, LaVine was prepared for his teammate’s departure. Instead of holding any grudge, because of the smooth ways that the situation was dealt with, LaVine displayed support and wished DeRozan the best of luck.
“Me always trying to have those conversations with him so it could be one reassuring and understanding that you know like this is part of the game this is part of the business that we in it was a constant communication of everything along the way – the ifs, the possibilities. So when it came to make a decision it wasn’t a surprise or a shock or anything. It was more so like ‘go be happy. Go win, you deserve to win’ because it was so it was always that constant communication,” DeMar concluded.
Even LaVine has been in the NBA for 10 years and jumped ships when joining the Chicago Bulls from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017. Hence, he understands the decision made by his teammate.
Paul George narrated a similar anecdote, revealing his conversation with Kawhi Leonard when leaving the Clippers.
George and Leonard’s discussion before the Sixers trade
Veterans like DeRozan, George, and others understand the importance of building and maintaining relationships. Hence, they made it a point to explain the decision to their former teammates. A few months before DeRozan spoke about his conversations with Zach LaVine, PG also disclosed the details of his discussion with Kawhi Leonard.
Before signing a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, George revealed his decision to Leonard.
“I owed Kawhi that conversation. I called him up and was just like, man, listen, I think I’m going to go elsewhere. Conversations with the Clippers didn’t go how I wanted to. I kind of broke down how I told you guys how it all played out and we had that conversation and I was like, man, I got to do what’s best.”
As a result, Leonard was supportive of this move.
“He understood, like, ‘Go get your bag like P, go get your bag. I can’t even be mad at you’,” George said.
“I owed Kawhi that conversation … it was tough to leave him.”
PG got Kawhi’s support on his free agency decision 🤝 @coinbase pic.twitter.com/FY2z1XR0lN
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) July 8, 2024
Handling such delicate situations most professionally will help George and DeRozan continue to have great bonds with Leonard and LaVine, respectively.
