Raptors GM: No. 1 goal is to bring back DeMar DeRozan

It looks as if the Toronto Raptors‘ top priority in free agency is to bring back shooting guard DeMar DeRozan.

The Toronto Raptors are coming off of their best season in franchise history and they hope that they can take that next step in the Eastern Conference in future seasons and represent their conference in the NBA Finals.

However, before the Raptors can get ready for the next order of business, they have some big decisions to make this offseason. Their biggest free agent is guard DeMar DeRozan and he is expected to get a max contract from a team.

While the rumors persist of DeRozan wanting to return to Los Angeles, no one should rule out a return to Toronto either. As for the Raptors’ plans in regards to DeRozan, it’s sounding abundantly clear that he is the top priority for them in the offseason.

According to James Herbert of CBS Sports, the Raptors top priority is to re-sign DeRozan and it came straight from the mouth of general manager Masai Ujiri.

"“That’s the first thing you want to hear,” Ujiri said Monday. “And when you hear that — we heard it from Kyle [Lowry] — you like that about your players. And then I have to figure it out, we have to figure it out, what we do. But our No. 1 goal is to bring DeMar back here. And we feel great that he wants to come back to our organization.”"

Ujiri would further go onto say that the two sides obviously would need to be on the same page in discussions, but the Raptors can offer him a larger deal than he can get anywhere else and there’s no reason for them not to.

If the Raptors really are trying to improve and get better, they need to keep their core together and that means giving their shooting guard what he wants on the market. From there, they will have their pieces in place and can continue to build from there.

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