Revisiting the top 5 trades in Toronto Raptors history

4. Vince Carter to the Toronto Raptors

This trade would be a little higher in the rankings had the Toronto Raptors not had the ability to draft Vince Carter in the first place. Still, Glen Grunwald managed to snag Carter and cash considerations from the Golden State Warriors in the 1997 NBA Draft, so it’s still a pretty decent trade all around.

The Raptors traded Antawn Jamison with the fourth-overall pick and then subsequently traded him to the Warriors for his UNC teammate Vince Carter plus some cash on the side. Jamison would go on to have a pretty great 15-year career and was a two-time All-Star in a spell with the Washington Wizards, but his impact was nothing like Carter’s.

Carter was the first player to propel the Raptors onto the national stage and Vinsanity took Canada by storm. He was the Raptors first-ever superstar and spent a successful seven seasons with the team and was a five-time NBA All-Star.

Even now, it’s hard to fully quantify the impact Carter had on the Raptors, but it’s safe to say that he is, without a doubt, a top-three player in franchise history. He averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in his 403 appearances for the Raptors.

His tenure with the team ended in pretty acrimonious circumstances and it took a long time for the fans to forgive Carter. They have now though, and it’s just a shame we won’t get to see him play in Toronto one final time.