"While everyone else he shared the court with during that special time has come and gone, Boucher stood out as a lasting relic of a past chapter in Raptors history. Unfortunately, his time with the team also reached a bittersweet end - after Toronto made it clear they weren't interested in extending his contract, he walked in free agency to join divisional rival, the Boston Celtics."
"The Celtics have been a powerhouse in recent years, not just in the Eastern Conference but also establishing themselves once again at the top of the NBA, winning the 2024 NBA Championship after beating the Dallas Mavericks. But just as Boston rose to the spotlight so quickly, their luck took a turn for the worse. They're now dealing with a tough situation after losing Jayson Tatum to a serious Achilles injury."
"As he moves into this next chapter of his NBA career, his identity on the court will also shift - he'll be sporting a new jersey number, No. 99, no longer known as numéro vingt-cinq like he was in Toronto. As NBA numerologist Etienne Catalan on X pointed out in a post showing Boucher's new jersey, he's the first player since Justin Champagnie (another ex-Raptors player) to wear the number 99 in 2023."
Chris Boucher was the final remnant of the 2019 Raptors championship-era roster and left Toronto after the team declined to extend his contract. He signed with divisional rival the Boston Celtics and will wear jersey No. 99. The Celtics won the 2024 NBA Championship but are confronting new challenges after Jayson Tatum suffered a serious Achilles injury, leaving other leaders to step up. Boston also completed roster moves to shed salary, parting ways with Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to exit the luxury tax. Patrick McCaw's status with Raptors 905 could alter roster narration and historical comparisons.
Read at Raptors Rapture
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