Oh, the good old days, when the Raptors had a passel of long, lanky forwards, all about six-foot-nine with close to seven-foot wingspans.
They were going to be interchangeable frontcourt pieces that fit perfectly into a versatile athletic, interchangeable group that would anchor a young team.
Gone. At least for the time being.
This has become something of a pre-season in reverse for coach Nick Nurse, who will be getting a longer look at deep roster possibilities who might not figure into long-term plans. They’re playing out of necessity.
“You wouldn't have gone in to the pre-season schedule thinking these guys were going to be playing these early games,” Nurse said before the Raptors dropped a 125-113 decision to the 76ers in Philadelphia on Thursday.