Toronto Raptors: Norman Powell thanks Raptors fanbase, organization in Players’ Tribune piece

The Toronto Raptors had to part ways with longtime swingman Norman Powell this trade deadline, as he was shipped off to the Portland Trail Blazers in order to help Damian Lillard’s playoff push.

This deal brought an end to a fantastic tenure with the Raptors that saw Powell evolve from a second-round pick and seldom-used reserve into one of the game’s premier shooters averaging just under 20 points per game this season.

Powell’s trade might’ve been preceded by weeks of trade rumors, but it still caught most Raptors fans off-guard. Given how suddenly he was traded, Powell needed to get some things off of his chest.

In a farewell piece for The Players’ Tribune, Powell, who claimed that his stint in Toronto was “the time of my life”, took a moment to properly thank the Raptors fanbase for embracing him and the organization for developing him.

"Me, Freddy, Pascal, we all kind of came up together. We’re all about the same age. We’re thick as thieves, man. And I really felt like our group, plus OG, we were destined to be the next great Raptors team."

Norman Powell gave the Toronto Raptors his heart and soul

Powell knew that a deal was possible in the making, but that did little to reduce the stunning nature of the trade. Raptors fans, who Powell spent most of this piece giving effusive praise too, shared in his bewilderment.

Powell claimed that after the initial shock wore off, he wasn’t crying, but some consolation from Fred VanVleet and assistant coach Jama Mahalela is what helped bring the tears out of him.

“[Mahalela] came in to give me a hug, and, man … I just heard that tiny little crack in his voice — and that was it for me,” Powell said. “After that, it was a wrap. It was straight-up waterworks. I started breaking down crying … all the memories that I’d been holding back for those last couple of days, they came rushing back in.”

Leaving VanVleet, whom Powell called his “best friend”, was the toughest pill to swallow considering how the pair have matured as players and men together.

"He’s my best friend. But beyond that, I feel like he’s been this driving force behind a lot of how I’ve grown as a player … and vice versa. That’s just how it’s always been with us. We’ve pushed each other."

Powell also gave a shoutout to former Raptor DeMar DeRozan, as the Southern California kid grew up idolizing DeRozan during his high school run and USC tenure. He also credits him for motivating yo improve as a player.

Kyle Lowry told Powell that “you will always be a part of this history”, and that statement rings true today. Powell has a long NBA career ahead of him, but he will always be thought of as a Raptor.