Chris Boucher Shares His Thoughts on Goran Dragic's Departure

Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher discusses Goran Dragic's departure from Toronto on his new podcast

Aaron Rose | Mar 7, 2022

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

As Chris Boucher is well aware, Toronto Raptors fans can be quite intense.

It's why they were so hostile toward Goran Dragic during his return to Toronto earlier this month, Boucher said. Was the booing warranted? No, but it's understandable.

"If before coming here you're like this is not my destination, you're already starting on a bad foot. Toronto Raptors (fans), they love Toronto, they love the Raptors. You can't say you don't want to be there," Boucher said on his new podcast Hustle Play with Chirs Boucher. "Raptors fans, they stick with their team, they support their team, and if you're not with the Raptors, you're not with us."

But Dragic, by all accounts, was a good teammate. To a man, every Raptors player has spoken highly of Dragic's time in Toronto, especially the youngest players.

"I love Goran. I won't lie to you," Boucher said. "I was playing well with him. He was passing me the ball, throwing lobs, he was doing all those extra stuff that, you know, like a vet telling me what position to be in and all that. I really liked him. He really said that I was talented and I was playing hard."

Boucher said Dragic helped develop his game, telling him where to be and how to play alongside a talented guard.

"Like I said, for me, when he came at training camp and all that he was really helpful for us. He helped us. He was a vet and I have nothing wrong to say about Goran personally," Boucher added.

The problem, as Boucher sees it, was how things ended in Toronto. That's where fans may have gone astray, pushing too much of the blame on Dragic.

"He didn't make the decision not to play him, we just didn't play him and we decided to go somewhere else. So it's not really his fault," Boucher said.

Sure, when Dragic told the Brooklyn Nets media that he and the Raptors "couldn't get along in Toronto" it probably wasn't the best word choice, but, as Boucher said, there was nothing wrong with what he said.

Regardless, Boucher said he doesn't worry too much about Dragic who told him he's used to the booing by now.

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