Some inside Raptors wished Kyle Lowry’s jersey retired earlier than Vince Carter

On Monday, stories got here out that the Toronto Raptors will likely be retiring the quantity 15 jersey of Vince Carter, among the best gamers within the historical past of the franchise. Carter’s jersey retirement will happen in a sport in opposition to the Sacramento Kings on November 2 — a notable matchup because the workforce’s all-time main scorer, DeMar DeRozan, will likely be visiting Scotiabank Area as a member of the opposing workforce.

Carter spent the primary six and a half seasons of his profession with the Raptors, and he instantly turned probably the most iconic gamers within the historical past of the affiliation. Incomes the moniker “half-man, half-amazing”, Carter was must-see tv, and he was instrumental in establishing the Raptors enlargement franchise as a respectable NBA workforce.

Nevertheless, Vince Carter’s legacy with the Raptors may be very difficult. He didn’t precisely embrace town of Toronto with open arms, after which he tanked his commerce worth throughout his closing half season with the workforce to drive a commerce — not precisely what a participant who will obtain a jersey retirement needs to be identified for. Thus, it is no shock that, in response to the rumor mill, some aren’t happy that Carter’s jersey will likely be hanging on the Raptors house’s rafters earlier than that of the best participant in franchise historical past — Kyle Lowry‘s.

“There have been lots of people within the [Raptors] group who felt strongly and nonetheless really feel strongly that Kyle Lowry’s jersey must be the primary that will get retired. In fact, Lowry is just not retiring anytime quickly. He is going into yr quantity 19, we all know Kyle sufficient to know he will need to hit 20 after which who is aware of after that. After which for those who had been going to do the Carter retirement factor, and it actually appeared like that was inevitable,” TSN’s Josh Lewenberg stated in an look on Sport Play.

Certainly, the complicating issue is that Kyle Lowry remains to be an energetic participant, as he’s at the moment anticipated to function the Philadelphia 76ers’ backup level guard. Can the Raptors wait to retire Carter’s jersey as soon as Lowry decides to name it quits? Maybe. However certainly, Lowry contributed extra to the success of the franchise, which has been very apparent since they broke by means of and received the NBA championship in 2019.

Did the Raptors get all of it mistaken?

Vince Carter didn’t deal with his exit from the Raptors franchise with any grace in any way. His stats to start the 2004-05 season inform the story of how he pressured his manner out of the workforce and bought them a meager return within the course of. In 20 video games to start that marketing campaign, he averaged simply 15.9 factors — a steep drop-off from the extent he performed in over the seasons prior.

Nevertheless, upon his arrival on the New Jersey Nets, Carter instantly turned up, averaging 27.5 factors, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 57 video games with the workforce. Simply to rub much more salt on open Raptors wounds, he starred in a playoff sequence upset in opposition to his former workforce in 2007.

However because the previous adage goes, time heals all wounds, and it is closing in on 20 years since Carter tanked his commerce worth and engineered an exit from the Raptors franchise. There isn’t a level in holding onto a grudge for that lengthy. Carter actually deserves a jersey retirement, and it is comprehensible if the highest brass of the workforce didn’t need to wait till Kyle Lowry is completed enjoying.