In a segment on the ‘Podcast P’ show, 76ers star Paul George called on the Toronto Raptors to retire the jerseys of their three modern-day legends: Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and DeMar DeRozan. According to George, they’ve each done enough to earn the honor.
“DeMar and Kyle gotta go up there together,” said George. “The city of Toronto, they should put Kawhi up there, just because, he won a championship for them. What DeMar has done for Toronto, he 100% deserves to go up there, and Kyle’s longevity, he deserves it.”
The Raptors have only been around since 1995 and currently only have two numbers retired. The first (No. 15) belongs to former Raptors legend Vince Carter, who averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 44.6% shooting for the team.
No. 6 is retired league-wide as a tribute to the great Bill Russell, who retired as an 11x champion, 5x MVP, and 12x NBA All-Star. So far, those are the only retired jerseys for the Raptors but the case can be made for more.
We know that Kyle Lowry is almost sure to join the list after his retirement. While he was never a top-tier superstar, Lowry’s consistent contributions helped them through the best and worst moments in the franchise’s history. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Raptors and was a major piece to their lone championship run in 2019. To this day, Lowry is considered one of the greatest Raptors ever for his consistency and loyalty over nearly a decade.
According to George, DeMar DeRozan’s No. 10 Raptors jersey also deserves to be immortalized in the rafters. DeRozan was famously traded in the summer before the Raptors’ championship run but he was their best player for years and led them to an impressive position in the East with averages of 20.9 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game on 47.8% shooting.
DeRozan and Lowry were teammates on the Rapors and, together, they led the franchise to prominence in the Eastern Conference. Sadly, due to the power of LeBron James, they were unable to capitalize on a talented roster and it wasn’t until Masai Ujiri took the ultimate risk that they had a breakthrough in the postseason.
That breakthrough was led by Kawhi Leonard, who was sent to the Raptors in exchange for DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a protected 2019 first-round pick. Kawhi was only on the team for a single season but his tenure there brought them their only championship in the franchise’s history so far.
In 60 games for the Raptors, Kawhi averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game on 49.6% shooting. And while his time there was brief, he was able to accomplish what nobody else did. For that alone, his jersey deserves the full retirement ceremony.
For Kawhi, things haven’t been the same since leaving the Raptors and many have called his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers a complete failure. He hardly plays today and his legacy has taken a massive hit for it.
Similarly, the Raptors are in a rough spot right now. After losing DeRozan, Kawhi, and then Lowry in a relatively short span, they are in a full rebuild mode with a cast of young players that they hope will develop into stars. It will be a long process for the team but might be worth it if they can enjoy the level of success they achieved under the previous regime.
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