DeMar DeRozan’s fingerprints remain all over the Raptors franchise, and he will always have a special place in its lore.
He bought into the team, the city and the country like few before him ever did. He helped turn them from losers into perennial winners, and he established standards that will last forever.
But there is one thing that maybe he doesn’t get enough credit for, a subtle move within the framework of the team that had as much to do with its rise to prominence around the league as any mid-range jump shot he took or free throws he made.