With the NBA season now in full swing, I can’t help but admit that the Raptors aren’t looking that bad. That being said, they’re still sitting at under .500 after their Friday night loss to the Nets but there are good signs. Their defense seems to be improving and they have held their opponents to under 100 points all but once this season. They have allowed 91.5 points per game this season, as opposed to the 105.4 points last year. Basically instead of sitting 5th last in the league in points against, they’re sitting in 6th.
So the new Raps are doing just fine. But, how are the old Raptors doing? The ex-Raptors? Those tricky relationships that sometimes leave you feeling sad? Here’s a look back at those exes that we just can’t forget about.
5. Vince Carter (1998-2004).
Current Significant Other: Dallas Mavericks
Relationship: Happy marriage quickly turns bad when one partner begins acting like a 12 year-old. Nasty divorce ensues with no make-up in sight.
When Vince Carter left the Raptors in 2004 it was messy. The story of Carter’s desire to be traded and his less-than-one-hundred-percent effort (to put it lightly) enraged Toronto fans and the former Raptor still enters the ACC to choruses of boos to this day. This past December, the former Raptor signed with the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks; I assume he hopes to finally win a championship himself. He has been coming off the bench down in Texas and has not done anything too impressive in this, his 14th season. Still, he’s still a player for Raps fans to watch if Dallas makes another drive in the playoffs, if anything just to cheer against.
4. Tracy McGrady (1997-2000).
Current Significant Other: Atlanta Hawks
Relationship: A misunderstood McGrady feels under–appreciated and files for separation. The bitter partners, still not ready to let go, feel hurt for years.
Second cousin of former partner Vince Carter, the Raptors bordered on incest during the late nineties to early two-thousands. McGrady and Carter helped lead the Raps to their first ever playoff berth in 2000 before T-Mac left Toronto for the Orlando Magic the following season. I personally have no ill will against McGrady. Actually, I feel sorry for him. McGrady, currently in his 14th year, is known for having never made it past the first round of the NBA playoffs in his long and productive career. This year he has been coming off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks, a team and city with its own postseason struggles, and I can’t help but hope a little bit that his streak is broken. I think it’s time we forgive this ex and just become friends again.
3. Jarrett Jack (2009-2010).
Current Significant Other: New Orleans Hornets
Relationship: Battling for attention with another more-established partner, this part-time lover never stood a chance.
When Jack was traded to the Hornets in 2010, it felt like T.J. Ford all over again. The Raptors had another decent point guard that was playing backup to Calderon, who was not going anywhere. Ford went to Indiana and oddly played alongside Jack in 2008, averaging a career high 14.9 ppg. He followed that up however with less-than-stellar seasons before signing with the Spurs for 2011-12. Unlike Ford, however, Jack was not traded into a starting roll, instead playing backup to superstar point guard Chris Paul in New Orleans. He averaged only 19.6 minutes per game his first season down south, but all that changes this season.
With Chris Paul leaving for the Clippers via a blockbuster trade for Gordon, Kaman, Aminu and a first round pick, Jack has found himself no longer playing backup. He has made the most of it through the first 5 games of the season (he missed the first game of the Hornets’ schedule due to a suspension) averaging 17-8.6-3.8, career highs in all three statistics. He is definitely an ex to watch this year and one Raptors fans should not have any lingering dislike for.
2. Kris Humphries (2006-2009).
Current Significant Other: Kim Kardashian New Jersey Nets
Relationship: Tired of being disrespected, made fun of and not getting what he deserved, he finally found love in 72 days of blissful marriage… and beautiful New Jersey.
There’s nothing really to say that hasn’t been said already about Humphries’ hilarious real life relationship and breakup, but his game on the court is something that deserves further mention. Since leaving the Raptors for the Mavs, and afterwards being traded to his current team in New Jersey, Humphries has steadily improved to become a viable starting option at power forward for a weak team. Averaging the first double-double of his career last year (just barely, posting 10-10.4), he has followed up his career best performance by putting up 12.4 points and 10 rebounds per game so far this year. Although Jack is playing better in New Orleans, I still rank Humphries second just for hilarity’s sake. After all, he was named most disliked player in the NBA…
1. Chris Bosh (2003-2010).
Current Significant Other: Miami Heat
Relationship: Led us on the whole way. Disappointed us often. We gave him second and third chances; then he ran away with two other dudes.
It’s no surprise that Bosh is number one on this list, and probably more disliked than any one else on here this season. Somewhere in the future Vince Carter will return to the rank of most hated Raptor ever, but for now, every fan in Toronto can’t help but hope the Heat and their dream team falter at every step. Of all the exes to watch this year, Bosh is the one we probably want to watch lose the most. If he gets traded away from the Heat to a team out of the playoffs it will be bittersweet victory for Raptors’ fans, but if he plays games like he did the other night in Atlanta (posting 33-14-5 in triple overtime), we might see him hoisting Larry O’Brien next spring.
Nick McIsaac is a sports writer for Toronto Standard. Follow him on twitter: @nickclass.
