"I wanted to stay": Yuta Watanabe was devastated to leave the Raptors

If Yuta Watanabe had it his way, he would still be part of the Toronto Raptors organization.

The 29-year-old small forward was signed by the Raptors early into the 2020-21 season and wound up spending two seasons in the organization. In a recent conversation with Sportsnet’s William Lou, he admitted that he wished his time spent in Toronto could have been even longer.

“They didn’t say specifics, but I could guess that they were trying to move on,” Watanabe said regarding his departure. “I wanted to stay there after that, though. I love Toronto. I had had two good seasons with the Raptors, but I wasn’t sure if the team was going to offer me [a new contract]. So, my goal was to re-sign with the Raptors. If not, I told my agent, ‘If it’s not going to work, I want to go to the 905. I want to stay in Toronto.’ That’s what I told my agent.”

“i wanted to stay with the raptors… i told my agent if the nba wasn’t going to work, then i want to go to the 905…” @wacchi1013 reflects on his departure from the raptors with @william_lou

watch: https://t.co/1j88EEJyg8
listen: https://t.co/xbrVJgv4mM pic.twitter.com/w7Dvmwf5H7

— The Raptors Show (@TheRaptorsShow) December 8, 2023

Before joining the Raptors, Watanabe had struggled to make an impact with the Memphis Grizzlies and didn’t appear to have much of an NBA future. That quickly changed in Toronto, as he made a positive impact at both ends of the floor, all while becoming a fan favourite.

Despite the improved play, the Raptors chose to move on, resulting in Watanabe signing with the Brooklyn Nets. While his 16 minutes per game, along with 5.6 points from last season, may not stand out, he has established himself as one of the better three-point shooters in the game, connecting on over 44% of his shots from behind the arc.

You might also like:
• Raptors sign free agent forward to two-way contract