You just have to man up and go out there and perform the best way you can." We have played through all types of whatever (adversity) you want to call it. "I've been playing with six or seven guys on this team before," he said. Playing shorthanded, even for the one night and even if that night marks the return of Kobe Bryant was not something that DeRozan felt would be a problem. but he was growing into it and doing a good job with it." "Doing a better job because he can see over the defence and that was a different role for Rudy. "We were using him more in a drag situation, pick-and-roll situation, he was growing into that role," Casey said. With the trade not expected to become official until at least Monday, head coach Dwane Casey was unable to comment directly on the players being moved, but with all three being held out leaving the Raptors with 11 healthy bodies (Tyler Hansbrough is nursing a sprained left shoulder) he talked a little about what the team has been doing with Gay in particular. "All I can do right now is just stay ready, stay positive and when I'm out there play hard." At the end of the day that's coach's decision," Fields said. He did make the start Sunday night in Gay's spot. You don't get used to it but you have to shake it off, especially before games."įields might be in line for additional playing time going forward with the teams' only true small forward dealt, but he wasn't thinking in those terms. We're losing three great guys in my opinion, so it's tough but at the end of the day it's part of the business. A guy in a position as he's in, such a star quality athlete, to remain that humble through it all is something to be admired. Landry Fields, who was among those already at the arena when the deal started to leak spoke about Gay the person and how he was viewed within the locker room walls. Gay had not left the hotel and did not come to the arena.
Some of the players were already at the arena.
Word of the trade which sent Gay, Aaron Gray, and Quincy Acy to Sacramento in exchange for John Salmons, Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes started to leak out late Sunday afternoon here in Los Angeles. "I just go out there and do whatever I can and let my game speak for itself and leave it up to management."
"Nah, I don't think about it like that," DeRozan said. You just go out and play."ĭeRozan said he never allowed himself to think there was actually a possibility that it might be him on the move. I mean we're still friends at the end of the day. "It's just something you have to deal with. "One of my best friends (hello there, Ed Davis) got traded last year and I had to go out and play," DeRozan said recalling that tough night in Atlanta late last January. Having been down this road - watching a good friend and teammate traded away just a year ago - at least made it a little easier. That it was Rudy Gay who is leaving, the guy who had the tougher contract to peddle is a testament to Toronto Raptors president and GM Masai Ujiri's ability to wheel and deal.ĭeRozan was trying his best to keep his focus on the pending game with the Lakers, but it wasn't easy. The duplication of the skill sets of the two high-scoring wing players was and would be a problem. No one is going to come out and say it, but one of Rudy Gay or DeMar DeRozan was going to be traded. When all was said and done, it was going to be one of them.