One Drake lyric for every player on the Toronto Raptors
By Lior Kozai
Pascal Siakam
"“I ain’t grow up playin’ ball, but I’ll show you how the f*** you gotta do it” (feature on Meek Mill’s Going Bad)"
Much has been made about how Pascal Siakam didn’t start playing basketball until he was 15 years old. Less than a decade later, Siakam was a borderline All-Star last season, and he’s surely going to be a candidate in 2020.
Just last summer, Siakam made a surprise visit to the Raptors Basketball Academy camp to help teach the game to kids. He can definitely show ‘em how to do it.
Marc Gasol
"“I’m here for a good time, not a long time” (feature on Big Sean’s Blessings)"
This line doubles as the dating app bio for roughly 40 percent of people under 25.
As the film indicates, Gasol indeed had one heck of a time at the Raptors’ championship parade in June. Since he was acquired in February, Gasol’s time in Toronto has been a huge success, the most joyous half-season in Raptors history.
From the moment the Gasol trade happened, though, it was clear that he was only a rental. At age 34, Gasol could play a few more seasons, but it seems unlikely that he’ll be a part of Toronto’s future plans. He’ll hit free agency the summer of 2020, and the Raptors will probably want to surround Siakam with younger, faster, and more athletic players. That’s assuming that Toronto doesn’t trade Gasol for assets midway through this season before he hits free agency.
Even if Gasol plays out the remainder of his contract, that would only give him a year and a half total with the Raptors. But, hey: It’ll have been a truly great year and a half.