Danny Green reveals how angry Kyle Lowry was with DeMar DeRozan trade before Toronto's 2019 title: "He wasn't fu—ing with anybody"
The fact that the NBA can be a ruthless business is something many players experience during their time in the league. Players often know they are just cogs in the wheel toward higher goals, and off-the-court relationships are rarely taken into account. That was the situation when the Toronto Raptors traded DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs in the summer of 2018.
DeRozan had become a fan favorite in Toronto during his nine-year tenure in The Great White North, and one guy who was particularly upset about the deal was his longtime running mate, Kyle Lowry .
In fact, Lowry was so revolted with the move from the organization that he made sure everyone knew how he felt. The situation from the beginning of the DeRozan-less campaign is still fresh in the memory of Danny Green .
"Kyle, he, at the beginning of the year, he didn't, he wasn't rocking with the organization. I mean, they traded DeMar. He wasn't fu—ing with anybody," Green explained in his recent appearance on "No Fouls Given" podcast.
The partnership came to an ugly end
Lowry and DeRozan had spent six seasons together as the main one-two punch for the Raptors, and even though they didn't have a playoff breakthrough together, they consistently kept Toronto near the top of the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for them, they almost always stumbled against LeBron James-led teams, which ultimately earned the nickname "LeBronto."
But winning it all or not, the two were like brothers, and their combo defined the Raptors during the 2010s era. That all ended in one move. Even though the Raptors received Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in return, Lowry still held grudges against the front office. Being the consummate professional that he is, Kyle still put in the work, but as they say, the vibes just weren't there.
"We started our training camp, our preseason in Vancouver, and we started working our way through Canada, and we didn't see K-Low; he came on his own and left on his own. He wasn't on the bus with the team. He'd be there early, doing his thing in the corner, doing his own workouts, he got his work in, he would practice with us, but he just wasn't rocking with the coaching staff or the front office at the time like that," the retired sharpshooter added.
It all worked out perfectly in Toronto
The situation escalated to the point where head coach Nick Nurse and the rest of the veterans staged a sort of "intervention" for the point guard, to keep his eyes on the ultimate goal, no matter how bad things seemed. With a little hindsight, it clearly paid off.
As painful as the move might have been for Lowry, Kawhi proved to be the man the Raptors needed to finally get over that hump. Toronto dispatched the Orlando Magic , Philadelphia 76ers , and Milwaukee Bucks on its way to the NBA Finals against the defending champion Golden State Warriors . With a little bit of injury luck on their side, the Raptors finally lifted that long-awaited Larry O'Brien trophy, with Leonard taking Finals MVP honors, averaging 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
With a little bit of hindsight, every cloud has a silver lining. Although his partnership with DeRozan ended on an ugly note, that move produced the only ring Lowry has earned in his two-decade career, and the first Championship in the franchise's history. So, it is safe to say that the move paid off in the end.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
