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.