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With the Toronto Raptors celebrating their 20th anniversary season in 2014-15, Josh Lewenberg and TSN.ca take a look back at the franchises first two decades with weekly Top Five lists, counting down the standout and signature players and moments in team history. Today, we look back at the best trades and the general managers who made them. 1. Acquired the draft rights to Vince Carter and cash from Golden State for the draft rights to Antawn Jamison - June 24, 1998 (Glen Grunwald) The most important trade in Raptors history was merely a formality. Yes, Toronto selected Jamison, who would switch hats with his college teammate on draft night, but it was Carter the Raptors had targeted all along. Of the two, Jamison actually had the better body of work at UNC and was known to be the Warriors preference, selecting fifth overall. So Grunwald, drafting for the first time as general manager, nabbed the forward with the fourth pick, immediately swapping him for some cash. Sold after watching his pre-draft workouts, Grunwald saw something in Carter and his instincts didnt deceive him. While Jamison would go on to have a very good 16-year career, Carter was the franchise-altering star the Raptors desperately needed coming off a horrendous season. 2. Acquired Kyle Lowry from Houston for Gary Forbes and a first-round pick - July 11, 2012 (Bryan Colangelo) Although Lowry had been on Colangelos radar for some time - with this trade, or a variation of it on the table weeks before the trigger was ultimately pulled - the Rockets point guard was his consolation prize. To think what might have been if the Raptors courtship of the deteriorating Steve Nash had come to fruition? What condition would the organization be in now and where might Lowrys career have taken him? The trade that never was - a vetoed deal to send him to the Knicks 17 months later - also deserves mention here. In the end, Lowrys move to Toronto worked out better than anyone could have imagined and with the Rockets retooling at the time, the price was minimal. Houston would end up repackaging Torontos pick to Oklahoma City in the James Harden deal and the Thunder selected centre Steven Adams 12th overall in a weak 2013 draft. 3. Acquired Antonio Davis from Indiana for the draft rights to Jonathan Bender - Aug. 1, 1999 (Grunwald) Giving up a first-round pick, let alone a lottery selection, is always a calculated risk but Toronto was playing with found money in 1999. In a three-team trade youll find further down on this list, the Raptors gave up a young Chauncey Billups and acquired a future first-round pick from Denver, a pick that turned out to be the fifth overall selection. Coming off their best season to date, Carters rookie year, the Raptors needed immediate help and Pacers veteran Antonio Davis fit the bill. Davis would become an all-star in Toronto and help lead the team to three straight playoff appearances, while the oft-injured Bender - a high schooler chosen by Indiana with the traded pick - never came close to reaching his potential before his career was cut short. 4. Acquired Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems from Milwaukee for Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic - Aug. 18, 2009 (Colangelo) Contending for championships with a veteran roster, particularly in the frontcourt, the Pistons gave up on a young Amir Johnson, the NBAs last player to be drafted straight out of high school. In the summer of 2009, they dumped him on the Bucks, another team with playoff aspirations, who repackaged him a couple months later hoping to get some immediate help in veteran Carlos Delfino. The Raptors had retained Delfinos rights when he left the league to play in Russia but he was not likely to suit up for them again. For basically nothing, Colangelo was happy to scoop up a 22-year-old Johnson, with very little milage on his tires despite four years in the association. Weems became a serviceable rotation player but the prize was Johnson, who has been a fixture in Torontos lineup for six seasons and counting. 5. Acquired Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, Chuck Hayes and John Salmons from Sacramento for Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray - Dec. 9, 2013 (Masai Ujiri) There was no wizardry at work here. As Ujiri likes to say, he and his staff had no idea how this leap of faith would pan out. They certainly had no idea it would produce the type of results it has. Some believe it was a first step in the tank-job that never was. Regardless, Rudy Gay had to go if the Raptors were going to break out of no mans land and head in either direction. With Gay gone, the team - up until recently - came together in a way that cant be quantified, Lowry and DeMar DeRozan blossomed into stars and the loot they got back in return proved valuable, primarily Vasquez and Patterson, who inked new deals this summer. The Raptors have a regular season record of 69-36 since the trade. Best of the rest: 6. Acquired Charles Oakley and Sean Marks from New York for Marcus Camby - June 25, 1998 (Grunwald) Just barely missed the top five. Oak arrived at the perfect time, bringing the veteran leadership and toughness Grunwald was looking to add to his young core. Camby become a defensive staple for New York and helped lead them to a Finals appearance. Mutually beneficial deal. 7. Acquired Michael Williams, Zeljko Rebraca and two first-round picks in a three-team trade with Denver and Minnesota for Chauncey Billups and the rights to Tyson Wheeler - Jan. 21, 1999 (Grunwald) Why is this so high? Well, Billups - coming off a rough rookie season - wasnt exactly Mr. Big Shot yet and those first-rounders the Raptors got in return turned out to be pretty useful. The Nuggets pick - fifth overall in 1999 - was swapped for Antonio Davis, while Minnesotas produced Morris Peterson 21st overall in 2000. 8. Acquired Doug Christie and Herb Williams from New York for Willie Anderson and Victor Alexandar - Feb. 18, 1996 (Isiah Thomas) Christie, a Raptor for almost five seasons, helped bridge the gap between the Stoudamire (Thomas) and Carter (Grunwald) eras. An under-the-radar acquisition that produced one of the franchises most reliable, all-around performers. 9. Acquired Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall and Lonny Baxter from Chicago for Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams and Chris Jefferies - Dec. 1, 2003 (Grunwald) Grunwald had hoped the addition of Rose and Marshall could rejuvenate his sinking team and keep Carter happy in Toronto. Although things turned out differently, the two vets had productive, albeit brief Raptor tenures while Davis and JYD were expendable nearing the end of their careers. 10. Acquired Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, a first and two second-round picks from New York for Andrea Bargnani - July 10, 2013 (Ujiri) The inevitable divorce. Still hard to believe Ujiri was able to snag three picks for the disgruntled Bargnani. Will be years before we know the value of them and can truly evaluate this deal. But, for now, getting basically anything for the former first-overall pick is cause for celebration. 11. Acquired Lou Williams and Lucas Nogueira from Atlanta for John Salmons and a second-round pick - June 20, 2014 (Ujiri) Still early but so far so good. Williams is in pre-injury form once again and should contend for a Sixth Man of the Year award before hitting free agency while the Hawks cut Salmons immediately to save some cash. 12. Acquired T.J. Ford from Milwaukee for Charlie Villanueva - June 30, 2006 (Colangelo) Colangelo got the point guard he coveted in Ford, an important piece in Torontos first division title, while selling high on Charlie-Vs rookie season. 13. Acquired Kevin Willis from Houston for Roy Rogers and two first-round picks - June 9, 1998 (Grunwald) Like Oakley, Willis helped change the culture of a team on the rise, mentoring Carter and McGrady in their early years. Nothing came of the picks they gave up on the deal - Rockets selected Bryce Drew and Mirsad Turkcan. 14. Acquired Keon Clark, Tracy Murray and Mamadou Ndiaye from Denver for Kevin Willis, Garth Joseph, Alexandar Radojevic and a second-round pick - Jan. 12, 2001 (Grunwald) With the 38-year-old Willis serving his purpose, Grunwald exchanged him for a dynamic centre 13 years younger in Clark and two-time Raptor Tracy Murray. 15. Acquired Antonio Davis from New York for Jalen Rose and a first-round pick - Feb. 3, 2006 (Wayne Embry) Taking over for the recently dismissed Rob Babcock, Wayne Embry pulled the trigger on a move that would free up significant cap space for soon-to-be new GM Bryan Colangelo. Rose still had a full year on his deal while Davis contract - originally given to him by the Raptors - was set to expire. 16. Acquired Rasho Nesterovic from San Antonio for Eric Williams, Matt Bonner and a second-round pick - June 21, 2006 (Colangelo) Colangelos second trade turned out to be a big step in his express rebuild. Nesterovic started 73 games for the division-winning Raptors club that year. Doubt anyone was sorry to see Eric Williams go. 17. Acquired Alvin Williams, Kenny Anderson, Gary Trent, two firsts and one second-round pick from Portland for Damon Stoudamire, Walt Williams and Carlos Rogers - Feb. 13, 1998 (Grunwald) Inheriting the GM gig from Thomas, Grunwald made the best of a tricky situation after Stoudamire forced his hand in demanding a trade. Although Anderson refused to wear a Raptors jersey, he was immediately exchanged for an asset in Billups, while Alvin Williams blossomed into one of the franchises most important players. 18. Acquired Mike James from Houston for Rafer Alston - Oct. 4, 2005 (Rob Babcock) Babcocks only appearance on this list. Although it was mostly for naught - aside from earning him a big contract with Minnesota - James lone campaign in Toronto was one of the best single season performances in team history. 19. Acquired Leandro Barbosa and Dwayne Jones from Phoenix for Hedo Turkoglu - July 14, 2010 (Colangelo) Ball. 20. Acquired Kris Humphries and Robert Whaley from Utah for Rafael Araujo - June 8, 2006 (Colangelo) Colangelos first trade. He could have dumped Hoffa for Kim Kardashian and it would have made this list. Jack Armstrongs picks: 1. Vince Carter for Antawn Jamison 2. Kyle Lowry for Gary Forbes and a first-rounder 3. Antonio Davis for Jonathan Bender 4. Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, Chuck Hayes and John Salmons for Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray 5. Charles Oakley and Sean Marks for Marcus Camby Greg Maddux Jersey . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. Hank Aaron Jersey . A veteran of 16 NHL seasons, Prospals career was highlighted by him ranking fourth in points scored, third in assists and sixth in games played among all Czech Republic born players in NHL history. http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/customized/ . On the eve of the 2013-14 NBA season, he can finally take a step back and allow his team to do the talking. Chipper Jones Jersey .com) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to win two straight games for the first time since mid-January on Monday night as they play host to the struggling New York Islanders. Babe Ruth Jersey . Thats exactly what happened. And they enjoyed every moment. Durant remained sizzling with 33 points, Serge Ibaka added 22 and the Thunder roared back from an abysmal start -- they trailed 22-4 early -- to embarrass the Miami Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night, erasing that big deficit out of the gate by outscoring the two-time defending champions by 43 points over a 33-minute span.PHILADELPHIA – Teammates in Los Angeles, Jonathan Bernier had a sense of what Wayne Simmonds might attempt when the two squared off in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Hauled down by Paul Ranger with fewer than four ticks left in the second period of a tie game, Simmonds was promptly shut down by the closed pads of Bernier in what proved to be a game-changing penalty shot. “Hes got a great backhand too,” Bernier smiled after his Leafs debut, a 31-save gem that sealed a 3-1 win, the second in as many nights for Toronto. “I remember that. I was hoping he was going to shoot it.” Passed over for the opening night start in Montreal just a day earlier, Bernier was a sponge in the Leafs crease, absorbing a barrage of shots from a feisty Flyers group, his team eventually finding their way in the third frame en route to victory and a perfect 2-0-0 start to the season. “The puck just seems to stick to him,” Joffrey Lupul said afterward of Bernier. “Especially on point shots through traffic or tipped, it just seems to always be right around him.” “He just battled,” added Randy Carlyle, the Leafs surviving six of seven Flyer power-plays, including three in a turbulent opening frame. “Any of the loose pucks that were around he seemed to have the ability to scoop up, be it with his trapper or his blocker. He grabbed pucks. When there were loose pucks around, they didnt get many second opportunities.” And when they did manage those opportunities, Bernier held strong. With the Flyers on the hunt of their fourth man advantage early in the second frame it was the Quebec netminder turning aside multiple whacks from Vincent Lecavalier and Matt Read, the score remaining a misleading 1-0 for the home side. Holding strong early and often, his efforts were eventually rewarded late in the second frame when Phil Kessel buried his first of the season to knot the score at one. It was less than three minutes later though that Simmonds was awarded the penalty shot – 3.1 seconds left on the clock – a simmering Philadelphia crowd about to bubble over with their team on the attack and the period about to close. The game lingered on the line, a goal from Simmonds sure to turn the tides in the Flyers favour heading into the third and final frame. “Those are momentum swings that can carry a team into the room and I think with him stopping the penalty shot [it] gave our room an extra boost between the second and third,” Carlyle said. “He made it look pretty easy,” Lupul added of the stop on Simmonds. Dave Bolland would score the go-ahead goal minutes into the third, his first as a Leaf and first of two on the evening, all that Bernier would need to preserve victory. On the hunt for the No. 1 gig in Toronto after years as a backup with the Kings, it was a fine first showing for the 25-year-old. How it skews the early race for starting duties will certainly prove curious in the days ahead, the home opener with Ottawa looming at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday. Five Points 1. More pucks for Bernier Bernier better get used to seeing more rubber in Toronto than he did in Los Angeles. The Kings gave up the third fewest shots per game last season, a direct contrast to the Leafs, who finished fourth-worst overall, yielding more than 32 per night. Over the past two seasons – a stretch that includes 25 starts – Bernier faced more 30 shots on only four occasions, winning three of the four starts. 2. Carllyles choice Berniers impressive performance may not be enough to earn him the start on Saturday if past history is the judge for Carlyle.ddddddddddddJames Reimer has simply sizzled in his career against the Senators, highlighted by a 8-1-1 career mark with a 1.69 goals against average and .949 save percentage. 3. Bolland rises With Claude Giroux occupying the first line centre spot for the Flyers and Lecavalier manning the second hole, Carlyle made the decision at the outset of the second frame to flip Bolland onto a second unit with Lupul and Nik Kulemin, replacing the youthful Nazem Kadri. “We felt that having the flexibility to put Bolland up there gives us another competitive veteran guy to play up against those guys,” Carlyle explained of bumping Bolland up in the lineup. Finding a quick favourite in the head coach, Bolland sparked the unit, beating Steve Mason in tight on a feed from Lupul early in the third before icing the proceedings late with his second of the evening. Shortly after the trade with Chicago went down this past summer, GM Dave Nonis hinted at growth potential for Bolland offensively – hes scored 15 or more three times – an early sampling perhaps of such sentiments on Wednesday night. “Hes a solid player,” Lupul noted of Bolland, who played 16 minutes. “I knew that playing against him, watching him in the playoffs a lot. Hes going to do things right in his own end … [And] he showed he can go to the net and finish as well.” 4. Bernier impressions Lupul observed before the game that Bernier oozed “calm” in the crease, both in handling incoming shots and limiting rebounds. Also noticeable to the 30-year-old was Berniers proficiency with the puck. “Hes really confident handling the puck which I think can help our defence out a lot going back to retrieve pucks,” the winger said, prior to Wednesdays match with the Flyers. “Hes pretty good at getting out there behind [the net] and hitting the open man.” Added Cody Franson of that ability, “I think anytime a goalie has confidence handling a puck, its going to help us. It doesnt make us go back quite as much for pucks and it can help us spread their offence out a little bit. Thats definitely a plus.” 5. Fraser injury, Rielly opening? Mere seconds after he laid a high-stick on Zac Rinaldo did Mark Fraser take an awkward hit from former Leaf Jay Rosehill. Fraser twisted his left knee on the play and did not return. He left the Wells Fargo Center on crutches and will have a further assessment done on Thursday. An injury to the Ottawa native could spell an opening for Morgan Rielly, who sat in the press-box for a second straight night. “Right now they want him to practice and keep picking up some things at practice,” Lupul said of the 19-year-old Rielly. “Hes going to be in there eventually. Obviously they didnt keep him here from junior to sit in the press-box all year so hes going to get his opportunity and its his job to be ready and I think he will be.” Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-2 PK: 6-7 Quote of the Night “The one call on Colton Orr, I dont know. Im not going to get myself fined but holy crow. Giroux spun to turn around and fell and we got a penalty for it.” -Randy Carlyle on the penalties his club faced against the Flyers, including an early tripping call to Colton Orr. Up Next The Leafs host the Senators in their home opener on Saturday. ' ' '