Being traded from the Toronto Raptors to the San Antonio Spurs ended up saving DeMar DeRozan a significant amount in taxes.
Selected ninth overall in 2009, DeRozan spent nine seasons in Toronto, a stretch he later described as financially challenging due to Canada’s higher tax rates.
On the May 27, 2025, episode of the “Run Your Race” podcast, he shared how the move to Texas and playing under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich not only shaped his growth as a player and a person but also gave his finances a major boost. This episode recently resurfaced in media outlets.
“When I went to Texas and my first check that I got playing in Texas, I felt like I’ve been getting robbed for nine years of my life,” DeRozan said comparing his Spurs payroll to his Raptors. “My first check in Texas, I was like, ‘Oh my God!’”
He was reflecting on high taxes he faced in Canada.
A 2018 Forbes analysis detailed how dramatic the tax difference was between playing in high-tax Toronto and no-state-income-tax Texas. When Kawhi Leonard was traded from tax-friendly San Antonio to high-tax Toronto, he faced roughly $2 million more in taxes on his salary. DeRozan, however, moved in the opposite direction — from Canada to Texas, which has no state income tax — and was projected to save more than $8.5 million over the remaining years of his contract. The report highlighted how location alone can significantly impact NBA earnings, making DeRozan one of the biggest financial beneficiaries of the trade.
According to Spotrac, DeMar DeRozan played for the San Antonio Spurs from 2018 to 2021, earning approximately $83.7 million over three seasons.
He then signed with the Chicago Bulls, where he played from 2021 to 2024 and earned roughly $81.9 million across three years.
As of the 2025–26 season, the Compton, California, native is with the Sacramento Kings on a three-year contract worth approximately $73.9 million.
挺不错的样子嘛！