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Raptors fans remember the heartbreakers

A greedier Tim Duncan could just as well have been a Raptor. Rodolfo Ganzales/Allsport

Your article mentions Stoudamire, Camby and T-Mac but what about Tim Duncan or Allen Iverson? If Duncan had not returned to Wake for his senior season the Raps, at No. 2, would have got either Duncan or Iverson instead of "the rail with the attitude," Marcus Camby. With Carter and Duncan, maybe T-Mac foresees a championship and stays. As a Raptors fan, Duncan's admirable choice to stay in school broke my heart.
Dave MacDonald, Toronto

If I were Glen Grunwald, I would do it all over again. Consider this: Nobody wants to play for an expansion team ... worse yet in Canada. With all that in mind, we still have a winner. Of the big three to ask out, McGrady was by far the worst. He mislead us. We put up with his mistakes and finally when it's time for the investment to pay off he blew us off along with a Hall of Fame coach and player Lenny Wilkens. McGrady is a real class act and I will him boo forever. The city is at peace with Stoudamire and will probably cheer him soon. Camby was traded because he is injury prone prone. He has missed 41 games since the trade compared to four (due to suspensions) for Oak.
Tyler, Guelph, Ontario

Damon Stoudamire was the star when he left, but his departure yielded Alvin Williams and eventually Antonio Davis and other supporting members. Marcus Camby may never have realized his potential if he had not been traded to the Knicks. Charles Oakley has provided and is still providing strong leadership and is an imposing figure for the team. Doug Christie's departure eventually yielded JYD. The most disheartening event in the Raptor's short history has to be T-Mac's departure.

Management had some responsibility in that a trade may have been made. But, considering that the team at the time was really beginning to come together and become a playoff team, the growing superstar potential of McGrady and the strong relationship between McGrady and Carter, there was a big risk in trading McGrady. McGrady did not indicate at time that he was not returning to Toronto and it had always seemed that Toronto had a strong chance in resigning McGrady. Toronto had the potential of being an elite team, as this may been the closest duo, in Carter and McGrady, as being the next Jordan and Pippen. Even McGrady felt this way at the time.

But the summer of 2000 destroyed all those hopes. McGrady did not just leave the Toronto Raptors, he insulted the franchise and its fans. He did not bother to make a courtesy visit or even a phone call to the team that put faith in him and nutured him throughout his career. He blasted the star -- Carter -- of his former team and degraded the city of Toronto and its people. His image to the people of Toronto (and I assume to other cities) changed from a fan favourite to a greedy and selfish pro athlete.

And the sad part of all of this is not that McGrady left for the money and fame but rather because he left behind a thought of "what of could've been?" If he had stayed in Toronto, could the Toronto Raptors have become the next Chicago Bulls or even better? That thought can now only be answered in our dreams.
Kenneth Lam, Toronto

When the Toronto Raptors selected Tracy McGrady with the ninth pick in the '97 draft, no one questioned that fact that he had superstar potential written all over him. Certainly coming out of high school and into a "foreign" country to play basketball meant that he had much maturing to do. In his first year he was pretty much nailed to the bench. It was in his second year that flashes of his potential were shown. His third year showed much more of his development. Basically, Toronto made him the player that he was. They took the chance on drafting him and eventually let him blossom. Now he is on the same level as Vince, perhaps better. But he has Toronto to thank for his $93 mil.

My bitterness comes from the fact that he completely played Toronto. I would have much rather liked if he just said that he did not want to play in Toronto and that was it. The truth is that he did not tell the truth, he always knew he was going to go to Orlando. We could have had the next Jordan and Pippen combo, but Tracy's ego could not take that. I hope he will be happy being the man behind Grant Hill. I know I will be there when he comes back strolling into town, and I will let him know how I feel about his departure.
Joe, Toronto

Even though he has never really amounted to much anywhere, while he was in Toronto he was an offensive dynamo who never got any minutes, if you could guess that I was talking about John Wallace, you deserve a prize. In his few years in T.O. he would consistently come off the bench and pour in 10 points at least. I do have a biased opinion for this, though, I've idolized the man ever since he carried the Syracuse Orangemen to the national championship game. I just wish he was still wearing Toronto purple, for sentimental value, if nothing else!
Mark Wager, Belleville, Ontario

When T-Mac left as a free agent during the 2000 offseason I felt like I had been stabbed in the back. The Raptors had drafted him and gave him the chance to develop as a player. And what did we get: not much. Toronto fans stood by T-Mac when as an 18 year old he was outwitted by almost the entire NBA. He grew along with the team for his three years here. But then he took off and insulted Vince Carter, the Raptors and the City of Toronto itself. I'm not mad at the Raptors, I'm mad T-Mac for lying and then running off to Florida, all while insulting Raptor fans everywhere.
Bernard Dawson, Toronto

The choice of whether leaving Toronto or signing with Orlando belonged to Tracy. It never belonged to the fans of Toronto. Booing him and saying "T-Mac sucks" do not bring him back to Toronto. Fans have no right to say he should have stayed with the Raptors because he was a free agent and had a right to go to wherever he wanted.
Sung-Doo Nahm, Vancouver, B.C.

Mark Jackson for Chris Childs? Mark, thanks for your short effort in Toronto, now with you leaving this town, I won't be surprise to see Vince, Oak, and AD going else where next year.
Leon, Toronto

Doug Christie for Corliss Williamson. Every time I look at the box scores, I see this beside Williamson's name - "DNP - Coach' Decision". And Christie is having a good time in Sacramento.
Chito Mississauga, Ontario

We just learned to love Kevin Willis. We finally understood what he was about, on and off the court. The offensive fouls, the jump hooks and the frequent visits to Loblaws, he was a fixture in the community. We'll always love "Big Poppa" Willis in Toronto
Ivan Medunic, Toronto

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