What if Chris Bosh Never Left the Toronto Raptors?
By Go Paolo
A New Big Three and Rise to Contender Status
2012-2013 Season: Reshaping the Team and the Casey Era Begins
The offseason was one filled with plenty of optimism. The team won a playoff series, have a star in Bosh, and a promising young core.
To create an even bigger splash, Colangelo pursued Steve Nash. When the Canadian declined, Colangelo instead traded the team’s 2012 first-round pick (15th overall) to the Houston Rockets for Kyle Lowry.
Despite the hype, the season would get off to a rocky start. The team would start the season with a 6-10 record with a point guard controversy between Calderon and Lowry dominating the narrative.
Bosh and DeRozan continued to play well. Harris began settling in as the team’s third scoring option and Davis was outplaying Bargnani despite remaining on the bench.
But as good as the team was at scoring, their defensive woes continued and the division improved. With a record below .500 heading into the New Year, the team parted ways with Jay Triano.
Colangelo hired Dwane Casey, who would instill a more defensive approach to the game. Calderon would get traded to the Pistons for Tayshaun Prince and Will Bynum.
With all the changes, the Raptors ended the season strong and make the playoffs as the 6th seed with a 43-39 record. They would fall to the Pacers in six games in the first round.
2013-2014 Season: Breakthrough Team of the Year
Raptors Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief when Colangelo finally pulled the plug on his Bargnani experiment and traded him to the Knicks clearing the way for the likes of Harris and Davis to get more playing time.
Colangelo wasn’t done. Still sticking with his European theme, he selected seven-foot Frenchman Rudy Gobert with the 17th overall pick as the team needed a new centre.
The new starting five of Lowry, DeRozan, Harris, Bosh, and Amir Johnson, plus a weakened Eastern Conference made the team the season’s surprising team.
Toronto would win 50 games for the first time in franchise history and lock-up their second division title along with the third seed in the East.
The Raptors faced the Brooklyn Nets, which featured familiar foes in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, in the first round. They finally exorcized their playoff demons and defeated Brooklyn in six games before running into the Heat.
Bosh would outplay Stoudemire, but the James-Wade combo would be too much for Toronto who would fall in six games.
Just a season-and-a-half with Casey and the team looks different. No longer a doormat on the defensive end, the Raptors also boast one of the league’s best young cores.
Except, the Raptors need to face the music soon as Bosh’s player option kicks in…