VANCOUVER — Jamal Shead has seen Gradey Dick do some impressive things. There was the time his former Toronto Raptors teammate went off for 30 points in back-to-back games early in the 2024-25 season. There was the "Chucky" costume Dick wore when he co-hosted the team’s Halloween party last year. Or the time when they were kicking a soccer ball around on the hallowed Santiago Bernabéu pitch of Real Madrid in Spain during the team’s summer minicamp a year ago and Dick drilled a shot and followed up with a backflip. Not the most common goal celebration for a 6-foot-7 NBA player. 

“So many memories, on and off the floor,” said Shead about Dick. “But that’s Gradey. He’s so random, he’s unique.”

On Saturday afternoon in Vancouver, Shead and the rest of his Raptors teammates got to see Dick doing something else that might not have been predicted — at least this time a year ago: playing for another team in another uniform. 

The Raptors news cycle has been dominated by all things Kawhi Leonard for months now. 

Even as Leonard sat out the Raptors' second pre-season game — a 114-106 win over the Clippers — as he slowly gets up to game speed, it was hard not to focus on the impact Leonard will have when he eventually suits up for the Raptors, likely on Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena against the New York Knicks.

But Leonard coming to Toronto didn’t happen in a vacuum. Headed to the Clippers in the trade were Brandon Ingram — who didn’t make the trip to Vancouver as he recovers from off-season ankle surgery and a partially torn Achilles tendon — and Dick, who went from exciting draft prospect to expendable piece in three shorts years. 

Dick is now trying to prove his worth to a new organization in his fourth NBA season. He couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. The penalty from the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers' salary cap circumvention during Leonard’s tenure cost the franchise five first-round picks and likely leaves them in a long and uncertain rebuild for the foreseeable future. Injuries to Ingram and Max Strus (foot) leave the Clippers short-handed at forward to start the season.

A great opportunity for a player like Dick then, who is heading into season four hoping to make it to season five after being taken 13th overall by Toronto in the 2023 draft, showing some promise but eventually falling out of the rotation by the end of last season. 

“Bittersweet” was the way Dick described the feelings of seeing his teammates and coaches for the past three seasons, but now while wearing a different uniform.

But he’s hopeful that the lessons he learned in Toronto........

© Sportsnet