The majority of people have gotten past Carter’s difficult departure from Toronto 20 years ago, and the nation’s basketball fans, as well as some inside the organization, hold him in high regard for the foundation he helped establish.

Not very long ago, after nearly 15 years of jeering Carter every time he crossed the border, Raptors fans honored him with a tribute video that moved him to tears in the then-Air Canada Center.

Whatever moniker you choose to give him—Carter, Vinsanity, Air Canada, etc.—his impact on Canadian basketball makes him one of the nation’s pioneers in the sport. His success in Toronto, in part, kept the franchise in the city at a time when the NBA’s foothold in Canada was fragile. He also helped elevate a team in its adolescent years and introduce bottle service (yep) to an entire country.

Even the most vehement supporter cannot dispute his influence, yet when discussing jersey retirements—particularly in Toronto with the Raptors—one very obvious question always arises:Who ought to go first?

Carter is one of the finalists who will probably be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame this summer, and it seems fitting that he would be the first given his significant influence and impact on basketball in the nation. The Raptors are one of the only NBA teams that do not yet have a retired number.Not so quickly, though.

I spoke with an executive at Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment around a year ago, and they informed me that opinions inside the company are divided on the matter. Some people think Carter ought to go first. Others think Kyle Lowry—the team—should be credited with steering the Raptors into their greatest period of success and their first NBA title.

Lowry’s jersey will someday be retired, and Raptors governor Larry Tanenbaum and Masai Ujiri have both stated as much on record. Tanenbaum even asserted that it would happen first.

Even though circumstances might have altered since then, both sides have good points to make. In the end, they might not have much of an option.It will all depend on when you do it.

Carter’s career is ultimately over. He’ll probably be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, and the Raptors are set to commemorate their 30th anniversary next season, which will mean new jerseys and branding for the team. It makes sense that they would use this opportunity to honor one of the most influential and legendary players in franchise history.

Lowry isn’t necessarily finished, either. He’s stated multiple times that he will sign a one-day deal to retire in Toronto after his career is over, but it doesn’t seem likely. He recently committed to playing for the Sixers in his hometown of Philadelphia through the end of the year. Presumably, if all goes well, he may return for the following campaign. The 37-year-old believes he can still contribute to the game.

Does anything change, though, if Lowry decides this summer that he’s going to retire and ride off into the sunset? At the very least, it will force the Raptors to make the difficult decision of retiring Lowry’s #7 or Carter’s #15 first.

Either way, the company will eventually retire both numbers. Perhaps a ring of honor will be established to honor the accomplishments of former Raptors greats like DeMar DeRozan, Chris Bosh, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, and Jose Calderon.

Toronto can handle the problem in a number of ways, but being diplomatic will be important.

The fact that Lowry and Carter are close friends who frequently play golf together is one thing going in their favor. It’s not like recognizing one Raptors legend would cause a wedge with the other because there is no competition or enmity between them.

For those Raptors supporters who are still undecided about Carter, remember that life is too short to harbor resentment. Carter has been transparent about his regrets about how things didn’t work out for him during his time in Toronto. In addition, as I already stated, there is no longer any hostility. Carter and most of his admirers have moved on, as has the organization.

Nothing is predetermined. There’s no doubt that they will honor Carter in some way, as his Hall of Fame induction is quickly approaching. The same executive I spoke with last year suggested the idea of honoring Carter in another way, perhaps as a jersey patch or even with the Raptor performing one of his famous dunks on a new-look special-edition jersey.