Raptors’ 38-Year-Old Leader Shares What’s Next and Why Coaches Want Him Back

Garrett Temple has no plans on quitting now.

Let it be known, he told me: “Yeah, I want to be back playing. Period. Point blank.”

That works for the Toronto Raptors too.

Temple, who turns 39 next month, has taken on a unique role within the organization. He has become a quasi player-coach, serving as a bridge between the coaching staff and the roster, and a mentor to the Raptors’ youngest players.

Can he still play?

Yeah — sort of. What he lacks in burst and athleticism 15 years into his NBA career, he makes up for with basketball IQ and know-how.

His bigger impact, though, is off the court.

“He is the definition of professional,” said Raptors coach Darko Rajaković who acknowledged he’d welcome Temple back next season. “He’s been in this league for a long time, and he’s the glue of our team.”

Watch Temple on the court for any stretch of time and it’s clear how much his teammates love him. The bench erupts every time he hits a shot. When he knocked down a pull-up three in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, Immanuel Quickley started dancing on the sideline as Temple pointed over, soaking in the celebration from a fired-up Toronto bench.

“For the young guys to see the guy that’s sitting on the bench, and he steps on the floor, and he shows that kind of the attitude and playing hard and coachability, it goes a long way,” Rajaković said.

Temple takes that responsibility seriously. For him, being a role model is not just part of the job. It is something he sees as a duty.

“It’s just how I was raised, certain values to make sure you pass on knowledge to everybody else that you can,” said Temple, who went undrafted in 2009 and had to fight for NBA minutes when he first broke into the league. “I know exactly where their head is at, and I know how difficult it is in situations like this.”

That perspective is exactly what makes Temple so valuable for the Raptors. In a locker room full of players still trying to establish themselves, he brings clarity and an understanding of what they are going through. His voice resonates not just because of how long he has been around, but because of how he uses that experience to elevate those around him.

“He really helps the team. He really helps me,” Rajaković said.

Without Temple, Toronto’s roster is expected to skew even younger next season. The average age of the 11 players currently under contract is just 24.5, with Jakob Poeltl, 30, set to be the oldest. That is before the Raptors add their first- and second-round picks, which will bring the roster to 13 and make it even younger.

Temple should continue to help as the team moves into the next phase of its rebuild, chasing a return to the playoffs. He will be a low-cost veteran minimum option, and given what he brings to a young locker room that lacks other veterans, he should be back if he wants to be.

Further Reading