DeMar DeRozan's transition as a San Antonio Spurs player will be made easier by the presence of his former teammate and close friend Rudy Gay. 

The duo spent just under a year playing together with the Toronto Raptors and developed a strong relationship. 

DeRozan was traded to the Spurs in this summer's blockbuster deal in exchange for Kawhi Leonard. 

Reunited and it feels so good

Despite the four-time All-Star's anger at the trade, Gay can't hide his excitement at taking to the floor with one of his best friends in the league once again. 

"That's my brother, man," Gay said of DeRozan, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

"We talked a lot before this even happened, but since the trade I think we've talked like three times a week."

The pair first met at a Nike camp in China and struck an instant chemistry. 

"We were forced to hang together every day," Gay said.

Their friendship grew when the Memphis Grizzlies traded the 32-year-old to the Raptors in 2013.

He only spent 11 months with the Canadian franchise but he and DeRozan were extremely close during that time.

"I obviously knew (former Memphis teammate) Kyle Lowry, and I gravitated toward DeMar because of their relationship," Gay said.

"We have been really close ever since. He's as close to family to me as you can get without being blood."

New chapter

It's taken DeRozan a long time to get over the trade as he was committed to playing in Toronto for the rest of his career after signing a five-year deal in free agency two years ago. 

But Gay believes the move to San Antonio offers his friend a unique opportunity to do something special. 

"It's a new way for him to (forge) a legacy, and I also explained to him he doesn't have to go through customs every time he goes through the airport," Gay said.

With the Leonard saga now over, the veteran forward believes the Spurs will be more focused next season.

"This year is going to be different, just knowing who we got and continuing to just grow and become a better team together," he said.

"When you have situations like we had last year, there is always something lingering like, 'Are you going to trade him?' Who is going to be packaged in?' We don't have that this year."

Despite being without the services of Kawhi for much of the campaign, they still made the playoffs and the arrival of DeRozan should make them better. 

The Spurs shouldn't be underestimated next season. 

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