Toronto Raptors: Top 3 trade deadline trades in franchise history
By Ben Fisher
Raptors deadline trade No. 2: Jerome Williams, 2001
The Raptors went all-in on deadline day in 2001, surrendering five players and a first-round pick to reel in Jerome Williams, Eric Montross and Chris Childs, along with another first, as part of Vince Carter’s supporting unit.
The net result was a second-round seven-game loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, which stood as the high water playoff showing for the franchise over its first 20 years of existence.
The first-round pick ultimately netted the underwhelming return of Lindsey Hunter and Chris Jefferies. While the Junkyard Dog trade cost them a first and a package that included future Sixth Man of the Year Corliss Williamson, who came up huge against the Raps in the 2002 playoffs, Williams remains a franchise icon.
Jerome Williams meant so to the Toronto Raptors
A quick look at his stats would beg plenty of questions about his value, but the high-energy big man’s hustle and heart served as a significant component of those early 2000’s teams – stats and analytics be damned.
Despite playing less than 200 games as a Raptor, Williams has remained a team and community ambassador all these years later, still getting loud ovations from crowds on hand at
Amalie Arena
Scotiabank Arena.