Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan in the same equation? Lowry’s retirement may have already leaked, but the longtime Raptors star appears determined to control how the story ends. Days after reports surfaced that he was preparing to hang up his boots, Lowry teased the NBA world. The veteran guard posted a cryptic video on IG that quickly shifted the conversation. 

What began as a response to the leak ended with an unexpected twist involving his former teammate, DeMar DeRozan.

The teaser opens inside Lowry’s home as he calmly takes swings on his indoor golf simulator. Meanwhile, his phone lights up with nonstop calls and text messages. Rather than answering, he ignores the flood of notifications until he picks up DeRozan’s call. 

It metaphorically aligns with the way he has been dodging the retirement rumors this past week.

Lowry had already expressed frustration after the news leaked before he could make the announcement himself. Posting on Instagram, he urged people to “wait for the word to come from me,” making it clear he wanted to tell his own story instead of being broken by insiders.

The teaser’s subtext seems to carry the same message.

Messages from former teammates flash across the screen. Fred VanVleet texts, “Don’t make me find out like this, man,” while Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby also reach out as the phone keeps buzzing. Lowry remained unfazed, choosing to swing another instead of responding to the rumors.

The screen switches to an incoming call from DeMar DeRozan. Lowry answers immediately, “Yo, what up?” before the video cuts to black.

The ending instantly fueled speculation. After all, Lowry and DeRozan spent six seasons together with the Raptors (2012-18), forming a brotherhood both on and off the court. If anyone could interrupt Lowry’s silence, it would be DeRozan.

The timing of the teaser only intensified the conversation.

Hours after the veteran guard shared the teaser, Shams Charania reported that the Sacramento Kings had waived DeRozan, making the 6x All-Star a free agent. This update came only days after the speculation that the Kings could part ways with the star forward to allow him to pursue a championship opportunity.

Earlier reports linked DeRozan to the Miami Heat, pairing him with Giannis Antetokounmpo amid their dramatic financial outlook. As many constraints were involved in that rumor, a reunion in Toronto has again become a popular talking point.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Monday that DeRozan has been dropping social media hints suggesting he would welcome a return to Toronto. Meanwhile, DeRozan himself fueled the buzz by liking an Instagram post about growing momentum toward a Raptors reunion.

Especially with Kawhi Leonard returning to the side. The Raptors acquired Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers on June 30, a move that reunited the 2019 Finals MVP with the franchise where he won his only championship. The same star for whom the team had to sacrifice DeRozan. DeRozan still leads the Raptors’ all-time scoring list with 13,296 career points and has never won a championship in 17 NBA seasons.

That is why Lowry’s teaser has garnered so much attention. What initially looked like a response to the media now feels like something more. The only call he answered was from DeMar DeRozan, whose future is suddenly uncertain.

Well, we may not have to wait for so long to know the rest of the story.

The Raptors have scheduled a press conference for July 7, a date that caught fans’ attention. It matches Lowry’s jersey number. The organization has billed the event to invitees as a “monumental moment” in franchise history.

While the team hasn’t revealed the agenda, many expect it to center on Lowry’s long-awaited farewell. Reports indicate Lowry will sign a one-day contract with Toronto before officially retiring, fulfilling a promise he made when the Raptors traded him to Miami in 2021.

His No. 7 jersey is also expected to be retired during the 2026–27 season, joining only Vince Carter’s No. 15 in the rafters at Scotiabank Arena.

Now that DeMar DeRozan has also joined the plot, this could mean something big!