Roster

No. Player Pos Ht Wt Birth Date Exp College
7 Benoit Benjamin C 7-0 250 November 22, 1964 11 Creighton University
21 Marcus Camby C 6-11 220 March 22, 1974 R University of Massachusetts Amherst
13 Doug Christie SG 6-6 200 May 9, 1970 4 Pepperdine University
35 Earl Cureton PF 6-9 210 September 3, 1957 11 University of Detroit Mercy
44 Hubert Davis SG 6-5 183 May 17, 1970 4 University of North Carolina
55 Acie Earl C 6-10 240 June 23, 1970 3 University of Iowa
54 Popeye Jones PF 6-8 250 June 17, 1970 3 Murray State University
32 Martin Lewis SF 6-5 210 April 28, 1975 1 Seward County Community College
33 Brad Lohaus PF 6-11 230 September 29, 1964 9 University of Iowa
25 John Long SG 6-5 195 August 28, 1956 13 University of Detroit Mercy
2 Oliver Miller C 6-9 280 April 6, 1970 4 University of Arkansas
24 Jimmy Oliver SG 6-5 205 July 12, 1969 2 Purdue University
31 Shawn Respert SG 6-1 195 February 6, 1972 1 Michigan State University
34 Carlos Rogers PF 6-11 220 February 6, 1971 2 Tennessee State University
7 Clifford Rozier C 6-11 245 October 31, 1972 2 University of Louisville
24 Reggie Slater PF 6-7 215 August 27, 1970 2 University of Wyoming
20 Damon Stoudamire PG 5-10 171 September 3, 1973 1 University of Arizona
3 Zan Tabak C 7-0 245 June 15, 1970 2 Split, Croatia
12 Donald Whiteside PG 5-10 160 April 25, 1969 R Northern Illinois University
42 Walt Williams SF 6-8 219 April 16, 1970 4 University of Maryland
4 Sharone Wright C 6-11 260 January 30, 1973 2 Clemson University

Transactions

-June 26/96: Raptors draft NCAA player of the year Marcus Camby from Massachusetts. Camby led the Minutemen to 35-2 record and their first-ever berth in NCAA Final Four, averaging 20.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg and .39 bpg in his senior season. He was embroiled in headlines all year for having accepted gifts and money from a would-be agent John Lounsbury, forcing UMassachusetts to forego its Final Four record and $151,000 in tournament revenues. Camby admits that he had accepted $28,000 from Lounsbury but had repaid him. Over a year later, on September 12/1997, Camby apologizes to UMass and repays them the $151,000 they had to return to the NCAA. Roughly two weeks before the draft, Camby was charged with marijuana possession. He is also subsequently embroiled in controversy for accepting gifts of money, jewelry and sexual encounters with a prostitute from lawyer Wesley Spears. Camby accuses Spears of blackmail. Spears is subsequently charged with attempted larceny and attempted extortion. He plea bargains down to 30 days of community service in each of two years, 100 hours at his discretion and a $5,000 charitable donation. Camby subsequently inks a US$7 million, three-year contract with the Raptors.

-July 1/96: Tracy Murray, Alvin Robertson, Dwayne Whitfield, Oliver Miller and Martin Lewis become free agents.

-July 2/96: Waive Vincenzo Esposito. He becomes a free agent.

-July 23/96: Trade Jimmy King and a pair of second-round draft picks (in 1997 and 1998) to the Dallas Mavericks for Popeye Jones and a first-round draft pick in 1997. “We are looking for a player who could bring us consistency under the boards, while adding some front-court scoring,” says vice-president Isiah Thomas. “Popeye is that player.” The 6-8 Jones, a three-year vet from Murray State, averaged 11.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg and 34.1 mpg in 68 games with the Mavericks. The deal also gives Toronto the right to exchange first round picks in 1997 draft with Minnesota unless the pick is the first overall. Release Oliver Miller.

-July 24/96: Trade the 1997 first-round draft pick which they’d acquired days earlier from Dallas to the New York Knicks in exchange for Hubert Davis, who’d finished as the NBA’s third best shooter in 95-96 with a shooting percentage of .476. The North Carolina grad “is one of the game’s best pure shooters and we know that he’ll have an impact on our club,” says vice-president Isiah Thomas. Release Alvin Robertson, Martin Lewis and Dwayne Whitfield.

-August 21/96: Sign Duane Cooper.

-August 29/96: Sign free agent Walt Williams, a four-year NBA vet (selected as the 7th overall pick in 1992 by Sacramento out of Maryland) who averaged 13.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.2 apg and 29.7 mpg for the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings. Williams had been acquired by the Heat in February and inked to a one-year contract, so the Raptors could not offer him more than the league minimum $247,000 for one season. Williams agrees to the bargain-basement deal with Raptors because he hopes to cash in next season when the Raptors salary cap rises from $18-million to $24-million.

-September 9/96: Sign Marcus Camby to a multi-year contract.

-September 12/96: Sign Mark Hughes.

-October 1/96: Sign Michael McDonald.

-October 2/96: Sign Mike Smrek and Corey Gaines. The 34-year-old Smrek of Port Robinson, Ontario, who won two NBA titles as a backup centre with the LA Lakers. A former member of the Canadian national team, Smrek hadn’t played in two years since his last stint with national team.

-October 3/96: Sign Harold Miner and free agent Donald Whiteside.

-0ctober 4/96: Raptors training camp opens. Late additions to the camp were 6-5 shooting guard Harold Miner and 5-11 point guard Don Whiteside, MVP of a Chicago summer league. Also in camp the oft-injured B.J. Tyler, Duane Cooper and five-year NBA vet 6-4 Corey Gaines. Miner was in camp as a free agent. From USC, he was once billed as ‘Baby Jordan’ but in four years with Miami and Cleveland, averaged only 9.0 ppg. Other newcomers included Mark Hughes and centre Benoit Benjamin.

-October 6/96: Waive Duane Cooper, who becomes a free agent.

-October 11/96: Sign Benoit Benjamin as a free agent.

-October 14/96: Waive Michael McDonald and Harold Miner, who become free agents.

-October 19/96: Waive Mike Smrek and Corey Gaines, who become free agents.

-October 31/96: Waive B.J. Tyler, who becomes a free agent.

-November 12/96: Waive Benoit Benjamin, who becomes a free agent.

-November 13/96: Sign Brad Lohaus as a free agent. Waive Mark Hughes.

-November 17/96: Sign Melvin Robinson.

-November 26/96: Waive Melvin Robinson.

-November 29/96: Sign John Long as a free agent.

-December 2/96: Sign Earl Cureton as a free agent. Waive Brad Lohaus, who becomes a free agent.

-January 6/97: Waive Donald Whiteside. Sign Martin Lewis.

-January 12/97: Sign Jimmy Oliver to a 10-day contract.

-January 23/97: Sign Clifford Rozier to a 10-day contract.

-January 25/97: Sign Reggie Slater to a 10-day contract.

-February 1/97: Sign Clifford Rozier to a contract for remainder of season.

-February 3/97: Sign Reggie Slater to a contract for remainder of season.

-February 13/97: Earl Cureton retires and is placed on waivers. Sign Oliver Miller to a contract for remainder of season.

-February 20/97: Trade Acie Earl to the Milwaukee Bucks for Shawn Respert.

Standings

Eastern Conference W L W/L% GB PS/G PA/G
Atlantic Division            
Miami Heat 61 21 .744 94.8 89.3
New York Knicks 57 25 .695 4.0 95.4 92.2
Orlando Magic 45 37 .549 16.0 94.1 94.5
Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 17.0 99.4 97.7
New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 35.0 97.2 101.8
Philadelphia 76ers 22 60 .268 39.0 100.2 106.7
Boston Celtics 15 67 .183 46.0 100.6 107.9
Central Division            
Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 103.1 92.3
Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13.0 94.8 89.4
Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15.0 94.2 88.9
Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15.0 98.9 97.0
Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27.0 87.5 85.6
Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30.0 95.4 94.4
Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36.0 95.3 97.2
Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39.0 95.5 98.6
Western Conference W L W/L% GB PS/G PA/G
Midwest Division            
Utah Jazz 64 18 .780 103.1 94.3
Houston Rockets 57 25 .695 7.0 100.6 96.1
Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 24.0 96.1 97.6
Dallas Mavericks 24 58 .293 40.0 90.6 97.0
Denver Nuggets 21 61 .256 43.0 97.8 104.1
San Antonio Spurs 20 62 .244 44.0 90.5 98.3
Vancouver Grizzlies 14 68 .171 50.0 89.2 99.4
Pacific Division            
Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 100.9 93.2
Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 1.0 100.0 95.7
Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 8.0 99.0 94.8
Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 17.0 102.8 102.2
Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 21.0 97.2 99.5
Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 23.0 96.4 99.8
Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 27.0 99.6 104.4

Raptors 1996-97 Player Stats at basketballreference.com

Salaries

1 Sharone Wright $3,100,000
2 Marcus Camby $2,434,000
3 John Salley $2,225,000
4 Popeye Jones $1,581,000
5 Damon Stoudamire $1,547,000
6 Doug Christie $1,355,000
7 Hubert Davis $1,295,000
8 Acie Earl $1,235,000
9 Carlos Rogers $1,144,000
10 B.J. Tyler $1,040,000
11 Zan Tabak $800,000
12 Walt Williams $247,500
13 Donald Whiteside $220,000
14 Earl Cureton $205,200
15 John Long $205,200

Season wrap

The Raptors finish 30-52, a nine game improvement over their inaugural year. Rookie Marcus Camby shook off early season injuries and earned a berth on the NBA’s All-Rookie Team, though it was widely viewed that he had a mediocre season. Management dominated the headlines, with John Bitove selling his stake to Slaight after the latter had triggered a shotgun clause in their partnership agreement. Average attendance drops by 3,000 to 18,267.