December 17, 2004. A date that resonates with a lot of Raptors fans for all the wrong reasons. After months of turmoil Vince Carter was finally traded to the Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first round draft picks.
The trade turned out to be one of the most lopsided deals in history.
Following the 2003-04 season where the Raptors missed out on the playoffs by three games, general manager Glen Grunwald and the coaching staff were fired for their performances.
It was reported that Carter was becoming disillusioned with the franchise and the direction they were heading in, but in a private meeting with then-Raptors president Richard Peddie, he was reassured that the team was solely focused on becoming a contender.