The Toronto Raptors had a very encouraging 2007-2008 season.
They made the playoffs and looked very dangerous through most of the year.
They were one of the best home teams in the league, and the presence of dangerous center Chris Bosh and a point guard tandem consisting of TJ Ford and Jose Calderon, not to mention a great and deep bench, made the Raptors one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
The future looked bright in Toronto going into last season.
While TJ Ford was shipped off to Indiana, Calderon would finally have a chance to shine in a full time role as the team's starting point guard.
Andrea Bargnani, a number one overall draft pick from a few seasons ago, would continue to develop and things looked good for Raptors fans.
Somehow, things didn't work out too well for the Raptors last season.
Despite the presence of Shawn Marion, a strong forward and considered by some to be one of the best in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors struggled through the 08-09 season and failed to find their groove.
The team finished the season with a 33-49 record, second worst in the division and far away from the playoffs.
Going into the 09-10 season, the Raptors have their hopes set higher.
With some new acquisitions that include the likes of Hedo Turkoglu, the small forward star from the Magic, the team is looking in a new direction and hoping to put last year's disappointments behind them.
Can they do it? We'll know soon enough.