Before Thursday’s trade deadline, DeMarre Carroll held the mantle as the toughest dude in the Raptors locker room. This is the guy who defended LeBron James on one working leg in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals; the guy who has overcome personal tragedy, a rare liver disease and life as an NBA journeyman; the guy whose reputation for tenacity earned him $60 million from the Raptors in the summer of 2015.
If Friday’s 107-97 win over Boston is any indication, Carroll has challengers now. Toronto’s two deadline additions — P.J. Tucker and Serge Ibaka — instantly leveled up the Raptors’ grit quotient in their respective debuts, flashing all kinds of traits that would leave stars from the nineties salivating.