Raptors GM Ujiri apologizes to DeRozan following controversial trade

Two hours after stepping off a plane following a trip to Africa, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri took to the podium at Scotiabank Arena to address the media for the first time since trading DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio. And he apologized.

“I want to not only apologize to DeMar DeRozan for maybe a gap in miscommunication but also to acknowledge him and what he’s done here with the Raptors, for this city, for this country, there’s no measure to what this kid has done,” Ujiri told the Toronto media at a news conference Friday morning.

Ujiri also announced plans to honour the all-star shooting guard for his time in Toronto, but didn’t get into detail about what that would entail.

“We appreciate him and I promise you that we’re going to celebrate him in the best possible way that we can as long as I’m here.”

“Both of us had a conversation… and me and DeMar know what that conversation was and maybe I should have handled it better, so that’s what I’m apologizing for.”

Back to the apology…

DeRozan posted a mysterious message on his Instagram account earlier this week suggesting he was “told one thing” and another thing happened. “Ain’t no loyalty in this game… sell you out quick for a little bit of nothing…,” he wrote.

During the news conference, Ujiri addressed DeRozan’s condemnation and issued an apology for what he dubbed a “miscommunication.”

“I had a conversation with DeMar at summer league…maybe my mistake was talking about what we expected going forward from him. So not necessarily talking about a trade… but what I expect from him going forward and I think that’s where the gap was, because in my job I always have to assume that we’re going forward with the team that I have and if there was a miscommunication there, I do apologize to DeMar and his family and his representation, it’s not what I meant…”

KAWHI VS. TORONTO?

Along with the controversial handling of DeRozan, Ujiri also addressed rumours that Kawhi Leonard does not want to play in Toronto.

When asked about Leonard’s attitude towards moving north of the border, Ujiri said he didn’t sense any concern.

“[Kawhi] didn’t express a lack of interest to not play in Canada to me… I’ve only talked to him [Kawhi] a couple of times… I didn’t get the sense of negativity or anything different than just wanting to know me and us and looking forward to meeting and talking face-to-face.”

Leonard was sidelined with a hamstring injury for most of last season in San Antonio. When asked if he would be ready to suit up for the Raptors, Ujiri said Leonard would be undergoing a physical in the next few days.