4. The 2008-2009 Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal frontcourt
This team was supposed to be a lot better than it was. After an expected first-round exit the prior year, the Raptors decided to have a shakeup in the lineup. They wanted to get Chris Bosh help, and that is what they did when acquiring 6-time all-star Jermaine O’Neal. They got O’Neal for T.J. Ford, Roy Hibbert, Rasho Nesterović, Maceo Baston, and a first-round pick in the 2008 draft. A pretty big haul considering what would pursue during the season. They also had an Andrea Bargnani that committed his whole summer to his interior game and was about to have his best season yet.
Head Coach: Sam Mitchell, Jay Triano
Key Players:
- Point Guard: José Calderón (was 0.03% away from having a 50/40/90 season), Roko Ukić, Will Soloman
- Shooting Guard: Anthony Parker, Jason Kapono
- Small Forward: Jamario Moon, Shawn Marion, Joey Graham
- Power Forward: Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani
- Center: Jermaine O’Neal, Chris Bosh
This team did not look bad at all, it was expected of them to make the playoffs but ultimately failed to do so. The head coach, Sam Mitchell got fired 17 games into the season. The O’Neal-Bosh frontcourt did not end up working out, O’Neal was struggling through injuries again and when he did play, Bargnani was just better than him. Bargnani ended up taking his place in starting lineup, and not long after O’Neal was traded to Miami for Shawn Marion in hopes to re-kindle their playoff chances. That wasn’t the case and they end up missing the playoffs and losing Shawn Marion as well in the process.