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DeMar DeRozan has experience getting traded, so he knows what his former teammate and close friend, Kyle Lowry, is going through right now after the Miami Heat traded the veteran guard to the Charlotte Hornets in the deal for Terry Rozier.

In an interview with reporters, DeRozan didn’t hold back on his thoughts about Lowry’s trade, bluntly saying, “It sucked.”

Former teammates, lifelong friends

DeRozan and Lowry were the dynamic duo for the Toronto Raptors during their time together from 2012 to 2018. They helped lead the team to multiple playoff appearances, and while their partnership ended when Deebo was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in the deal that brought Kawhi Leonard to the Great White North, their friendship remained strong.

As Lowry faces a similar fate with the Heat trading him away, DeRozan can empathize with his former teammate’s feelings. He knows what it’s like to be dealt from a team and city that you’ve grown to love and where you’ve made countless memories.

“He called me early in the morning. Let me know before it came out what was going on. I think for me, it flips to being there for him more as a friend, more than anything. Basketball kind of goes out the window,” DeRozan shared.

Could Lowry make his way to the Bulls?

The Bulls already have a deep cache of guards, including Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, and Jevon Carter. The team lacks championship and playoff experience, which Lowry has a lot of from his time with the Raptors and the Heat. When asked if he would be willing to facilitate Lowry’s move to the Bulls, DeRozan did not bat an eyelash in saying:

“If that was something he wanted to do, for sure. Why not? That’s one of my closest friends, one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with since I’ve been in the league, so why not.”