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TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors begin their pre-season training camp on Tuesday in Montreal. Here are five things to know about what the Raptors’ pre-season will look like.
NEVER STOPPED – Head coach Darko Rajakovic held mini camps for his players throughout the summer. Backup center Kelly Olynyk of Kamloops, BC, said he was eager to attend the camp in Spain after he made it with Team Canada at the Paris Olympics. He said it was helpful to continue getting to know his teammates after being traded from the Utah Jazz to Toronto on Feb. 8.
“Looking back at last year, obviously I got traded at the trade deadline, there were a bunch of moves made, bringing in a bunch of new guys,” Olynyk said Monday. “We played probably six quarters together, and then everybody got hurt or out or a lot of different things happened where we didn’t have to be together, play together, build any chemistry or progression.
“That was my reasoning. I needed to get with these guys and start building some chemistry, some continuity, some connectivity, and really start gelling.”
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YOUTH MOVEMENT – Toronto added some promising prospects to its roster in the NBA Draft on June 26 and 27. The Raptors took Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter (19th overall) in the first round. He then added San Francisco forward Jonathan Mogbo (31st), Houston guard Jamal Shead (45th) and NBA Africa Academy center Ulrich Chomche (57th) in the second.
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“There’s going to be times when those guys are on the roster, there’s going to be times when those guys are in the rotation, maybe starting,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “There will also be times when those guys need to go to Raptors 905 (G-League affiliate) and play games and practice with that team so they can get more reps or develop on some things that we will placed before them. “
INJURED GUARDS – Although Walter will likely be a big part of Toronto’s future, he will not participate in on-court activities in training camp after suffering a shoulder injury. The Raptors said Walter sprained his right acromioclavicular joint – where the collarbone joins the scapula – during informal sessions this week. Veteran forward Bruce Brown will also miss camp after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Brown averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 26.0 minutes in 34 games (11 starts) for Toronto last season.
NO MORE ROOKIES – Gradey Dick was selected 13th overall by Toronto in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Raptors’ one-and-only rookie last season was saddled with all the surprising and vicious tasks associated with being a first year player last season. The 20-year-old said on Monday that he was eager to be freed from that burden.
“I guess I’m technically a rookie for the first game, so I’m not clear yet,” Dick laughed. “My rookie duty was always the playing cards on the plane, but I already saw in the group chat, someone else is going to get them now so that feels amazing.”
PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE – Toronto will play five pre-season games, including one at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors will host the Washington Wizards on Oct. 6 at Montreal’s Bell Centre, before facing the Wizards in Washington on Oct. 11. They will then have a home-and-home series with the Boston Celtics on Oct. 13 and Oct. 15 before finishing the pre-season by traveling to Brooklyn to face the Nets on October 18.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on September 30, 2024.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://globalnews.ca/news/10786823/five-things-to-know-ahead-of-raptors-training-camp/
