Toronto Raptors decade in review

BY KAYLA KARIM

Looking back at the Toronto Raptors in 2019 almost feels like reliving a fan’s wildest dream, but like everything else in life, you don’t usually reach the top without having to struggle to get there. At the beginning of this decade in 2010, started off as another rebuild year for the Raptors organization. Chris Bosh left in the off-season to sign with Miami and, as a result young gun DeMar Derozan was drafted. Dwane Casey was then added to the team as the head coach that was going to turn this franchise around. However, not much progress was made until Kyle Lowry was acquired in 2012. In 2013, after a rough few years, Masai Ujiri was hired as the General Manager in hopes that he was able to push this team to new heights. And that he did.

Masai managed things differently. He was able to secure top players while trading away ones that weren’t progressing as well as they were expected to. Another addition came shortly after, being none other than Drake. The Canadian rapper was named the Global Ambassador – again in hopes to advance the team in ways it’s never seen before.

For the first time in five years Toronto became the Atlantic Division Champions in 2014 but lost in the first round. That trend continued the following year – this time they were swept by the Washington Wizards.

When 2016 rolled around, things were looking up for the city of Toronto and some may argue that the year was a high point in this emotional roller coaster of a decade.

Toronto hosted the NBA All Star festivities on the coldest weekend the city has ever seen welcoming the biggest stars around the Association and then went on to achieve their first ever 50 win season.

The Raptors won their first playoff series in fifteen years, followed by beating Miami in the second round where they would face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers putting their post season run to a halt. LeBron James and his very solid Cleveland squad returned in 2017 spoiling the Raptors playoff hopes with a sweep.

The beginning of 2018 was off to a great start with players like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry becoming a new power duo in the league, breaking personal and franchise records. When the Raptors advanced to the second round in the post season, fans hoped that they wouldn’t have to experience another early exit but it was the Cavaliers once again who got 4 wins in row once again. It was back to the drawing board for the Raptors and their front office staff.

As a result of the early exit and despite being awarded the Coach of the Year, Masai Ujiri came to the decision to fire head coach Dwane Casey in May 2018 of the offseason.

But a few months later, in July 2018, Masai worked his magic again in executing one of the most unexpected moves when he traded fan favourite DeMar DeRozan in return for three- time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs.

The rest as we all know was history in the making – Kawhi led the Toronto Raptors in a very successful playoff run where they surprised the world and won Canada’s first ever NBA Championship.