3 Former players that have excelled since leaving Toronto

The season is over for the Toronto Raptors, and it is one that the entire fanbase would like to forget as quickly as possible. Scottie Barnes breaking out and Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett joining the core were important, but the unending losing casts a pall over it all.

One implication of the significant roster turnover is that the Raptors have alumni scattered across the league. Some former Raptors are bit players or have struggled since leaving the team, but a few had standout seasons this year. Let's look at three, including one hasn't been a Raptor in quite some time.

No. 3: Fred VanVleet

The Toronto Raptors watched Fred VanVleet walk in free agency last summer after the Houston Rockets paid up to add him, and their attempt to replace him with Dennis Schroder fell a little flat, especially when VanVleet proceeded to ball out for the Rockets.

Houston took a major step forward this season, adding a couple of veterans to a young core and leaping from the bottom of the standings to the cusp of the postseason. VanVleet was at the center of it, averaging a career-high in assists and finishing with 8.4 win shares, in the Top-20 in the league.

The Rockets in three years may have a starting backcourt of Jalen Green and Amen Thompson, but for right now they have a championship veteran running the point and he had a great season in Houston this year.