8 h. ago Norman Powell says Toronto Raptors should never have traded him

For longtime fans of the Toronto Raptors, there's often been a lot of second-guessing as to how exactly the team navigated the years following their 2019 NBA title win.And for Norman Powell, who was traded away to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021 after being a pivotal bench piece of that playoff run, there’s been a lot of “what-if” thinking in the four years since he left the Raptors."The fans still talk about [that era], especially that year after we won the championship," Powell said to the Young Man And The Three podcast, released earlier this month.Powell said he'd received reassurance from his agent in the minutes leading up to the 2021 trade deadline that he’d be staying in Toronto, before he got the sudden shocking news that he'd been sent to Portland in exchange for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood."I just got off the phone, they said I'm good," Powell recalled. "I didn’t know what to do, I didn't know what call to ...

Economics

15 h. ago Steve Nash explains the real reason he didn't join Toronto Raptors

If not for a divorce, Steve Nash says he would have played for the Toronto Raptors.Nash and former Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo each spoke openly about how close the Canadian basketball legend came to coming north in 2012."We tried to get Steve Nash in free agency," Colangelo said in a recent edition of Open Gym, a Raptors-produced video."We had a meeting set with the Raptors, July 1st in New York City at Mr. [Larry] Tanenbaum’s apartment," said Nash. "It was a meeting that was exciting for me."Nash had already put together a Hall-of-Fame resume by the summer of 2012. The Victoria, B.C. native was fresh off his eighth trip to the NBA All-Star Game, and was six years removed from winning back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006.The Raptors pulled out all the stops, offering Nash a three-year, $36-million contract according to reports at the time. They also pulled at his Canadian heartstrings, going so far as to enlist the services of Wayne Gr...

Other

34 h. ago NBA star Kevin Durant explains why he loves Toronto and the Raptors

Though he never has suited up for the Toronto Raptors in his 17-year pro career, Kevin Durant has had quite the connection to Canada's lone NBA franchise.In 2014, team ambassador Drake got fined for trying to recruit Durant to Toronto while the NBA star was in attendance at his OVO Fest concert in the city.In 2019, Durant and his Golden State Warriors side faced off against Toronto in the NBA Finals, where he suffered a season-ending injury during Game 5 that ended up sidelining him for the following season.Despite the bad memory of the injury — and an often-referenced clip of fans cheering after Durant hit the floor before the severity was recognized — Durant has often referenced the energy he felt in the city during that series.And in 2022, while he was a member of the Brooklyn Nets, Durant was heavily linked to a possible trade to the Raptors before eventually being shipped to the Phoenix Suns.But Durant's connections to Toronto actually run much longer than...

Other

37 h. ago ‘If you have eyes’ you see Scottie Barnes is an elite defender: Raptors coach

No epic rant from Darko Rajakovic this time, but it's clear how he feels about Scottie Barnes.

Other

52 h. ago Gracious Kevin Durant takes blame, says he loves Canada after loss to Raptors

'I love Canada. I love Toronto. Has always been nothing but love and respect here. They appreciate the game of basketball to its core.'

Other

3 d. ago Raptors takeaways: Without Poeltl wins quite hard to come by

Toronto dropped to 5-38 without its starting centre the last two seasons.

Other

6 d. ago Gradey Dick says he now likes hockey after becoming a Toronto Raptor

Fresh off his first appearance at NBA All-Star Weekend in the Bay Area, Toronto Raptors sophomore Gradey Dick got a stark reminder of where exactly he's calling home these days."[I'm] coming back to a snowstorm, so it’s a little hard," Dick said in an interview on Tuesday night.But while what might be the worst weather he's seen during his two years in the NBA could get him down, Dick got right back to business at Scotiabank Arena early this week, leading a clinic of 25+ kids as part of the Lay–Up Youth Basketball program.Surprising the group of kids before taking them on in one-on-one and a series of drills, Dick relished the opportunity as a 21-year-old to be in a leadership role, whether it's in a clinic or on-court with the Raptors."I don't take it for granted. It's a blessing to have this platform. So yeah, if I can make an impact and be a role model for some of these kids, you know, that’s really the goal in life, is to impact others," Dic...

Sport

6 d. ago Charles Oakley says Toronto Raptors will be playoff team next year

For many players who come to the Toronto Raptors, there's a bit of uncertainty about what life will be like playing for Canada's only NBA team.While the organization has raised its profile since its inception in 1995, the team's unique location has often seen it as much lower down on the priority list for players around the league.Few people know that feeling more than former Raptor Charles Oakley, who spent three seasons with the franchise after being traded away from the New York Knicks in 1998.A one-time All-Star during his time with the Knicks, Oakley's Raptors made the playoffs in his second season with the squad, a first in franchise history."I knew it was a hockey town, but the guys who came in with me had a different attitude," Oakley said. "[We] know that we're here for a reason: to win games and make sure the fans are happy… as a player with a new team, you’re just trying to show you can make a difference."Oakley's time in Toronto also saw the franchise's firs...

Other

8 d. ago ‘Crazy hard worker’ Brandon Ingram really great for Raptors, says Garrett Temple

'He definitely has something on his mind,' NBA veteran said of Ingram's new start in Toronto.

Society