Roster
| No. | Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | Birth Date | Exp | College |
| 3 | LaMark Baker | PG | 6-1 | 175 | November 11, 1969 | R | Ohio State University |
| 7 | Dee Brown | PG | 6-1 | 160 | November 29, 1968 | 8 | Jacksonville University |
| 15 | Vince Carter | SF | 6-6 | 215 | January 26, 1977 | R | University of North Carolina |
| 13 | Doug Christie | SG | 6-6 | 200 | May 9, 1970 | 6 | Pepperdine University |
| 54 | William Cunningham | C | 6-11 | 250 | March 25, 1974 | 1 | Temple University |
| 11 | Negele Knight | PG | 6-1 | 175 | March 6, 1967 | 5 | University of Dayton |
| 22 | Sean Marks | PF | 6-10 | 250 | August 23, 1975 | R | University of California |
| 1 | Tracy McGrady | SF | 6-8 | 210 | May 24, 1979 | 1 | none |
| 34 | Charles Oakley | PF | 6-8 | 225 | December 18, 1963 | 13 | Virginia Union University |
| 35 | Reggie Slater | PF | 6-7 | 215 | August 27, 1970 | 4 | University of Wyoming |
| 4 | Michael Stewart | C | 6-10 | 230 | April 25, 1975 | 1 | University of California |
| 12 | John Thomas | C | 6-9 | 265 | September 8, 1975 | 1 | University of Minnesota |
| 44 | John Wallace | SF | 6-8 | 225 | February 9, 1974 | 2 | Syracuse University |
| 20 | Alvin Williams | PG | 6-5 | 185 | August 6, 1974 | 1 | Villanova University |
| 14 | Michael Williams | PG | 6-2 | 175 | July 23, 1966 | 9 | Baylor University |
| 42 | Kevin Willis | C | 7-0 | 220 | September 6, 1962 | 13 | Michigan State University |
Transactions
-June 24/98: NBA Draft held at General Motors Place in Vancouver. With fourth overall pick of the draft, the Raptors select Antawn Jamison, forward from North Carolina and NCAA player of year. They promptly dealt Jamison to Golden State for guard Vince Carter (5th pick of the draft, also from North Carolina who averaged 18.2 ppg, 5.8 ppg and shot .591 from the floor) and cash. How much? “Enough to throw a party,” says general manager Glen Grunwald. “We got the guy we wanted.” With 47th pick of the draft, (obtained from the Portland Trail Blazers) the Raptors selected guard Tyson Wheeler from Rhode Island. Trade Marcus Camby to the New York Knicks for 34-year-old Charles Oakley, 6-9, 245-pound forward, 6-10 forward Sean Marks from California (the 44th pick of the draft) and an undisclosed amount of cash. Oakley had just completed his 13th season in the NBA, in which he became the 25th player in NBA history to record 10,000 career rebounds and 10,000 points. Oakley is scheduled to make more than $10-million (U.S.) in the final year of his contract. Essentially gobbles up any room the Raptors have under the NBA salary cap.
-June 30/98: Exercise team option to extend the contract of Reggie Slater.
-July 1/98: Chris Garner, Oliver Miller, Gary Trent and Alvin Williams become free agents.
-January 21/99: In a three-team trade, the Raptors send Chauncey Billups and Tyson Wheeler to Denver for a 1999 first-round pick, as well as (from Minnesota), the rights to Yugoslavian centre Zeljko Rebraca, Michael Williams and a 2000 first round draft pick. Sign Negele Knight and Michael Stewart ($1 million/one year) as free agents. Sign free agent Alvin Williams to a $6-million/three year deal. Sign La Mark Baker, Will Cunningham and Jermaine Walker.
-January 22/99: Sign Vince Carter to a multi-year contract.
-January 25/99: Sharone Wright retires and is waived. Sign Sean Marks to a multi-year contract.
-January 27/99: Waive Jermaine Walker.
-February 17/99: Waive William Cunningham.
-February 18/99: Sign Paul Rogers to a multi-year contract.
-February 19/99: Waive LaMark Baker.
Standings
| Eastern Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G |
| Atlantic Division | ||||||
| Miami Heat | 33 | 17 | .660 | — | 89.0 | 84.0 |
| Orlando Magic | 33 | 17 | .660 | — | 89.5 | 86.9 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 28 | 22 | .560 | 5.0 | 89.7 | 87.6 |
| New York Knicks | 27 | 23 | .540 | 6.0 | 86.4 | 85.4 |
| Boston Celtics | 19 | 31 | .380 | 14.0 | 93.0 | 94.9 |
| Washington Wizards | 18 | 32 | .360 | 15.0 | 91.2 | 93.4 |
| New Jersey Nets | 16 | 34 | .320 | 17.0 | 91.4 | 95.2 |
| Central Division | ||||||
| Indiana Pacers | 33 | 17 | .660 | — | 94.7 | 90.9 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 19 | .620 | 2.0 | 86.3 | 83.4 |
| Detroit Pistons | 29 | 21 | .580 | 4.0 | 90.4 | 86.9 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 28 | 22 | .560 | 5.0 | 91.7 | 90.0 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 26 | 24 | .520 | 7.0 | 92.9 | 93.0 |
| Toronto Raptors | 23 | 27 | .460 | 10.0 | 91.1 | 92.8 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 22 | 28 | .440 | 11.0 | 86.4 | 88.2 |
| Chicago Bulls | 13 | 37 | .260 | 20.0 | 81.9 | 91.4 |
| Western Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G |
| Midwest Division | ||||||
| San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 13 | .740 | — | 92.8 | 84.7 |
| Utah Jazz | 37 | 13 | .740 | — | 93.3 | 86.8 |
| Houston Rockets | 31 | 19 | .620 | 6.0 | 94.2 | 91.9 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 25 | 25 | .500 | 12.0 | 92.9 | 92.6 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 19 | 31 | .380 | 18.0 | 91.6 | 94.0 |
| Denver Nuggets | 14 | 36 | .280 | 23.0 | 93.5 | 100.1 |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 8 | 42 | .160 | 29.0 | 88.9 | 97.5 |
| Pacific Division | ||||||
| Portland Trail Blazers | 35 | 15 | .700 | — | 94.8 | 88.5 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 31 | 19 | .620 | 4.0 | 99.0 | 96.0 |
| Phoenix Suns | 27 | 23 | .540 | 8.0 | 95.6 | 93.3 |
| Sacramento Kings | 27 | 23 | .540 | 8.0 | 100.2 | 100.6 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 25 | 25 | .500 | 10.0 | 94.9 | 95.9 |
| Golden State Warriors | 21 | 29 | .420 | 14.0 | 88.3 | 90.8 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 9 | 41 | .180 | 26.0 | 90.4 | 99.2 |
Raptors 1998-99 Player Stats at basketballreference.com
Salaries
| 1 | Charles Oakley | $10,186,000 |
| 2 | Sharone Wright | $4,000,000 |
| 3 | Dee Brown | $3,750,000 |
| 4 | Micheal Williams | $2,975,000 |
| 5 | Doug Christie | $2,353,000 |
| 6 | Kevin Willis | $2,100,000 |
| 7 | Vince Carter | $1,760,000 |
| 8 | Tracy McGrady | $1,563,000 |
| 9 | B.J. Tyler | $1,411,000 |
| 10 | John Wallace | $1,021,000 |
| 11 | Michael Stewart | $1,000,000 |
| 12 | John Thomas | $737,000 |
| 13 | Negele Knight | $537,500 |
| 14 | Reggie Slater | $400,000 |
| 15 | Paul Rogers | $287,500 |
| 16 | Sean Marks | $287,500 |
Season wrap
The Raptors seek credibility by trading Marcus Camby to the Knicks for veteran Charles Oakley. The squad can’t seem to settle on a point guard, rotating Doug Christie, Dee Brown and Alvin Williams through the position. Rookie coach Butch Carter gets good reviews. The Raptors finish 23-27 in the lockout-shortened season. A defensively competitive but offensively challenged team. Vince Carter is selected NBA Rookie of the year, receiving 113 of 118 votes cast, and named to the NBA rookie all-star first team.