Raptors Rapture
Fansided

7 Worst free agent signings in Toronto Raptors franchise history

By Michael Saenz

Toronto Raptors DeMarre Carroll (Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Toronto Raptors DeMarre Carroll (Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next
Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

6. Rafer Alston

The contract: Six years, $29 million (2004) 

Most known as streetball Skip 2 My Lou, Alston struggled at the beginning of what would be a long NBA career. After spending one unimpressive season with the Toronto Raptors in 2002-03, Alston reinvigorated his career with a bounce-back season with the Miami Heat in 2003-04.

It was such a great season that the Raptors, in an attempt to solve their need at the point guard position, signed Alston to a six-year deal during the summer of 2004.

Even though Alston played 80 games for the Raptors (starting 78 of them), the whispers surrounding his attitude during his time in Toronto soured the relationship. It came to the point that the Raptors traded Alston to the Houston Rockets (for Mike James) during the 2005 offseason.

Rafer Alston wasn’t great for the Toronto Raptors.

Alston never turned into the answer at the point guard position that the team believed he could be and Toronto would end up losing the roll of the dice move on the streetballer turned NBA star.

Alston was productive during his time with the Raptors, averaging 14 points and six assists on 36 percent shooting from 3-point range, but there was some disconnect between the two and that led to a premature divorce.