“To be honest with you, this is what I wanted more than anything,” Carter said of his formal reconnection with his first NBA team. “I had six crazy years here, period. And for those who know me … you know my love. It’s just hard to articulate it.” Carter is not the ideal Raptor to get this honour first. He’s not the quintessential Raptor — that was Kyle Lowry. He’s not someone who never wavered in his passion for the city — that was DeMar DeRozan. He didn’t lead the Raptors to their first NBA championship — that was Kawhi Leonard. And their days will come, in one form or another.