Lebron: Raps should retire Derozan’s jersey

[blastttOFF]

[wayoftheroad]

Bring him home

[PD28]

Well if Lebron says it, it's gotta happen. GTFO lol

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[raptorforlife88]

I mean this is a pretty easy choice I think. Lowry gets it first but DeRozan absolutely deserves it as well.

Leads them all time in multiple categories. Homegrown star with several all star game, playoff appearances, and all NBA selection. Part of the best stretch in Raptors history.

I know it seems odd to think about, but if he continues to score at the pace he has he'll likely end his career with 22,000-23,000 points which may sneak him into the HOF.

[grimlock]

Yes.. Spoiled ass raptors fans need to go back 15 years to remember how crap this team was for so long. DeRozan helped build the culture this team has come to be recognized for.

[PT416]

Shut up, Lebron. You don't get to choose things for us just because you are our father. We are grown ups now.

[Qhawe]

He's not wrong.

[raptoradical]

I guess the question would be, has another NBA franchise ever operated in that manner, rewarding their hard workers just for doing their best? As every player does or should. (And no LeBron just because we are in Canada it make us some sort of an exception.)

Maybe then you can also argue the fact he was our franchise player... but then again he wasn't franchise player caliber. After that then what....

[hsb]

I agree with LeBron. Obviously, he will have it retired. DD knows how much the city loves him.

[bboyskinnylegs]

Kyle is the only one that deserves to get his jersey retired imo. Next on the list is Kawhi. No one else as of yet. If we're going to take championships out of the equation, it cheapens everything and we're back to celebrating Atlantic Division banners again. There are other ways to recognize former Raptor greats that don't include retiring jerseys.

[Jcity08]

Yes.. Spoiled ass raptors fans need to go back 15 years to remember how crap this team was for so long. DeRozan helped build the culture this team has come to be recognized for.

That is a low ass bar to get your jersey retired. The best thing he did in his entire career as a Raptor was get traded.

[rapterz_iz_best]

Retire number - Lowry
Ring of honour (around the ACC above the press boxes) - DeRozan, Kawhi, Carter
Statue - Masai, same stance and location as where he said "eff Brooklyn"

[WaltFrazier]

Why is this an issue now, why is it in the news? Demar has quite a few seasons left to play anyway. And who cares what Lebron thinks

[Raps1103]

He's not wrong.

Yes, yes he is ! Hell to the No !!

[Raps in 4]

I certainly wouldn't oppose it. He was far from the greatest Raptor in terms of talent, but we've never had a player embrace the city like he did.

[Reeko]

Yes, absolutely. For some odd reason there are posters here who think that we would somehow be lowering the bar if we retired DeMar's number, we wouldn't be. Just take a look at some of the players who have had their jerseys retired.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Basketball_Association_retired_numbers

[rapstarter]

Yes, absolutely. For some odd reason there are posters here who think that we would somehow be lowering the bar if we retired DeMar's number, we wouldn't be. Just take a look at some of the players who have had their jerseys retired.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Basketball_Association_retired_numbers

There are definitely a few teams who are treating it like a joke, but for the most part, it does look like we would be lowering our bar. What hurts DeMar is that he had to be carried by his teammates in so many of the playoffs series he played in, and his replacement won us the championship right after he left. He's too closely associated with failure and disappointment which he directly contributed in.

[Johnny Bball]

100% it gets retried eventually. and second behind Lowry.

[JJ From Deep]

If Derozan comes back and helps us win a championship...then yes we should absolutely retire his jersey. Anything short of that, no. I'm sorry but there needs to be a certain standard here for that type of commemoration.

[Reeko]

Yes, absolutely. For some odd reason there are posters here who think that we would somehow be lowering the bar if we retired DeMar's number, we wouldn't be. Just take a look at some of the players who have had their jerseys retired.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Basketball_Association_retired_numbers

There are definitely a few teams who are treating it like a joke, but for the most part, it does look like we would be lowering our bar. What hurts DeMar is that he had to be carried by his teammates in so many of the playoffs series he played in, and his replacement won us the championship right after he left. He's too closely associated with failure and disappointment which he directly contributed in.

Take a good look at that list and tell me how many teams haven't retired the number of a player that helped them get to the Conference Finals but failed to get them to the Finals and/or win a championship. Not many. We aren't the Celtics or the Lakers who have had so many great players and won so many championships, that we can be dismissive of a guy who played an enormous part in turning this franchise around and holds several franchise records.