The NBA is about relationships, histories and friendships that have endured as much as anything.
So as Will Barton weighed a handful of offers to finish out this regular season, the 11-year veteran looked back and the most logical place to land was in Toronto.
He’s known Raptors assistant coach Earl Watson for more than a decade — Watson was a veteran point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers charged with teaching the rookie Barton the lay of the land.
Barton had played two university seasons at Memphis — current Raptors forward Thad Young grew up in Memphis and the two would forge a bond over summer scrimmages that exists to this day and extends to AAU programs sponsored by the two NBA vets.