While former NBA big man Marcin Gortat never suited up for the Toronto Raptors, it seems like turning down the chance to has still stuck with him.

Gortat played 806 games in the NBA from 2008 through 2019, suiting up for the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Clippers, before officially announcing his retirement in 2020.

But in a wide-ranging interview with HoopsHype.com's Cyro Asseo de Choch, Gortat said the greatest regret of his career was not finishing it out with the Raptors in 2018-19.

Gortat had been waived by the Clippers in February, with the Raptors later drawing interest in signing the forward who was nearing the end of his career.

"The [Raptors] called me six times, and I didn't go. I could have been an NBA champion today. Instead, I decided to go to Golden State, and they lied to me," Gortat said.

"They said, 'No, no, no, we don't need a big. We're gonna take this small guy. You gotta take an additional guard.' And two or three weeks later, they signed Andrew Bogut from the Australian league. That hurt."

Gortat never ended up playing in the NBA again.

Interestingly, Gortat's career also intersected with another time in Raptors history, 10 years before Toronto's Finals run while playing with the Orlando Magic. Orlando lost to the 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, before Hedo Turkoglu made his way to Canada that summer via a four-team sign-and-trade with the Raptors.

In hindsight, Gortat wishes his old teammate wasn't lured away to Toronto, where he'd spend just one season before heading to the Phoenix Suns and ultimately ending up back in Orlando.

"Reflecting on it now, looking back at the Finals, we were a great team. If I recall correctly, there was a situation where Hedo Turkoglu signed with Toronto, and we brought in Vince Carter," Gortat said.

"Two or three years later, Hedo came back, and I was traded to Phoenix. We made a decision that, in hindsight, was a bad organizational choice. We should have given [Hedo Turkoglu] the money he deserved, kept the team, and tried for another run."

"Unfortunately, it is what it is. As a backup player, I didn't have much say; I could only contribute with rebounds and screens. The decision-making was in the hands of Otis Smith, and that was his call."

The full interview is available in video format above.