2024-2025 NBA/Toronto Raptors thread

[Hockey_Ninja]

Didn't see a thread for this upcoming season so I figured I'd start one. Vince Carter's #15 will be retired on November 2nd, first Raptor to get his jersey retired

https://twitter.com/user/status/1839730789791023220

https://twitter.com/user/status/1839740547201937736

[aaronck]

I agree with everything I have read online about this- Didn't win anything and then pretty much quit on the Raptors and forced a trade out of town.

First retired # should be Lowry without a doubt!

[bluejays]

Carter was a unique situation. People don't remember but with that dunk contest there was a reputation he had to live up to and he knocked it out of the park to the point where it put hockey on the backburner that year post the all star competition. Without him the Raps may as well have gone the way of the Grizzlies as many didn't want to come here out of ignorance. That perception has changed only slightly recently but back then it was a hell no I don't want to come to Toronto, but for Carter I will make an exception. I vividly remember rumors of a Kobe for Carter swap being discussed and some saying LA would have to include more!

And yes he gave up on the Raptors, and at the time was rumored to have tipped off NJ about plays (to me there was credibility to it). It was unprofessional and a major hit to his credibility as Toronto got zilch for the deal that Babcock made. Babcock himself wasn't a bad guy, but he was in over his head in a terrible ownership situation. I was a kid working for MLSE and that organization was terrible to work for even at the bottom. So I can see how he was ultimately lied to, and he gave up on the organization and tanked his value. He deserves some critique for that but he made the franchise. Lowry won a championship and worked hard that one year, but he was never a player that you could say was your first option to carry the team. Vince was that guy, and he put Toronto on the map. To me it's just shortsighted to retire Lowry first. Vince was the man after Stoudamire's hype died down. Aside from Kawhi, nobody's had that level of impact out of nowhere.

[SuperMatt18]

Yup the reason the Raptors still exist and the Grizzlies do not was pretty much Vince Carter.

He handled his exit wrong but as you read more about the organization and how much of a mismanaged mess it was at the time you start to understand why he wanted to leave.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Sam Mitchell was beating up his players. He made Rafer Alston cry. He almost derailed that organization but luckily for Toronto they always find a star player.

Vince was the face of the NBA for while along with the other stars like Kobe and Shaq.

I wasn’t the best player by any means but he was electric with his high flying ability.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Sam Mitchell was beating up his players. He made Rafer Alston cry. He almost derailed that organization but luckily for Toronto they always find a star player.

Vince was the face of the NBA for while along with the other stars like Kobe and Shaq.

I wasn’t the best player by any means but he was electric with his high flying ability.

Physically getting into it with anyone is probably wrong, but there was so much going on with badass coaches at that time. Kevin O'Neill (sp?) had that crazy reputation as well. Then they brought in the opposite guy, Lenny Wilkins. Now that you bring it up though, they likely brought in coaches to put some level of discipline to the team back then. Back around 2008, I was told by someone I worked with that a certain NY player when brought to Toronto would party every Friday and Saturday night smoking up until 4-5am for a 1pm start on the Sunday. He apparently outwardly said he didn't care, and just wanted to party at the end of his career. He'd get others who were clean to piss for him too. Anyway, truly those who came to Toronto only came to party and didn't care too much about the professional aspect. So I can see why these over the top coaches were brought in. What a disaster that era was.

[bluejays]

Dikembe Mutombo passes away. Shame. Seemed like a great human being.

[transplant99]

Dikembe Mutombo, the Hall of Fame, finger-wagging center who spent much of his post-basketball career as an ambassador for the sport, has died of brain cancer at the age of 58, the NBA announced Monday.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-cancer-age-58

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Physically getting into it with anyone is probably wrong, but there was so much going on with badass coaches at that time. Kevin O'Neill (sp?) had that crazy reputation as well. Then they brought in the opposite guy, Lenny Wilkins. Now that you bring it up though, they likely brought in coaches to put some level of discipline to the team back then. Back around 2008, I was told by someone I worked with that a certain NY player when brought to Toronto would party every Friday and Saturday night smoking up until 4-5am for a 1pm start on the Sunday. He apparently outwardly said he didn't care, and just wanted to party at the end of his career. He'd get others who were clean to piss for him too. Anyway, truly those who came to Toronto only came to party and didn't care too much about the professional aspect. So I can see why these over the top coaches were brought in. What a disaster that era was.

O'Neill was brought in to have them play defence and win 68-66 games. Just awful.

Are you talking about Charles Oakley?

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

O'Neill was brought in to have them play defence and win 68-66 games. Just awful.

Are you talking about Charles Oakley?

Nope. A lesser known player (PG). I'd rather now say his name but first name is Chris.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Nope. A lesser known player (PG). I'd rather now say his name but first name is Chris.

If this is the player it looks like he never fully kicked the habit.

https://archive.seattletimes.com/arc...3&slug=2353998

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

If this is the player it looks like he never fully kicked the habit.

https://archive.seattletimes.com/arc...3&slug=2353998

Just an FYI, that was from 1996. Perhaps he did kick it at some point since.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Just an FYI, that was from 1996. Perhaps he did kick it at some point since.

He was suspended by his new team for being out of shape in 2002 and that was his last year.

He’s probably blazing while we are discussing this.

Kevin Durant loves smoking.

[Paulie Walnuts]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1844942068302610474

https://twitter.com/user/status/1844961896837021862

Sam Mitchell wow. That’s probably it for his career.

[Paulie Walnuts]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1845929430067159412

I love it. Bl

[bluejays]

Some of the things I've heard of Sam Mitchell over the years tell me he's not a very good person overall. On the other hand it's sports, so character people aren't the norm.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Some of the things I've heard of Sam Mitchell over the years tell me he's not a very good person overall. On the other hand it's sports, so character people aren't the norm.

My earlier comment of him beating up players and making some cry seem on brand.

I think it was Vince who he body slammed.

[bluejays]

^ yeah. That interaction was so odd. The host had some silly throwaway line as a joke, and Mitchell put him in his place for some unknown reason. Anyway, decent entertainment. How he got the guys address is so weird. I doubt there are people creating a problem for the guy to go to his address, as I don’t think Michell has swifties but what a petty guy.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Kawhi out indefinitely.

Getting to the point he should just retire.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Kawhi out indefinitely.

Getting to the point he should just retire.

2024-25 Cash
$49,205,800

Career Earnings
$276,566,211

Would you retire...? May as well collect the one million per game played that he'll be making this year. Absolute insanity, how is he worth that?