Toronto Raptors Head Coach Darko Rajakovic speaks to the media in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
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 REALLY STOPPED – Head coach Darko Rajakovic held mini-camps for his players throughout the summer. Backup centre Kelly Olynyk of Kamloops, B.C., said he was eager to attend the camp in Spain after he was done with Team Canada at the Paris Olympics. He said that it was helpful to continue to get to know his teammates after being traded from the Utah Jazz to Toronto on Feb. 8.
“Looking back last year, obviously I got traded at the trade deadline, there was a bunch of moves that were made, brought in a bunch of new guys,” said Olynyk on Monday. “We played probably six quarters together, and then everybody got hurt or out or a lot of different stuff happened where we never got to really be together, play together, build any chemistry or continuity.
“That was my reasoning. I needed to get with these guys and start to build some chemistry, some continuity, some connectivity, and really start to jell.”
YOUTH MOVEMENT – Toronto added some promising prospects to its roster at the NBA Draft on June 26 and 27. The Raptors took Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter (19th overall) in the first round. Then added San Francisco forward Jonathan Mogbo (31st), Houston guard Jamal Shead (45th) and NBA Academy Africa centre Ulrich Chomche (57th) in the second.
“There’s going to be times when those guys will be on the roster, there’s going to be times when those guys will be in rotation, maybe starting,” said Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. “There will also be times when those guys will need to go to (G-League affiliate) Raptors 905 and play games and practice with that team so they can get more reps or develop on certain things that we will lay in front of them.”
INJURED GUARDS – Although Walter will likely be a big part of Toronto’s future, he will not participate in on-court activities at training camp after sustaining a shoulder injury. The Raptors said Walter sprained his right acromioclavicular joint – where the collar bone joins the scapula – during informal workouts this week. Veteran forward Bruce Brown will also miss camp after he had 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 LONGER A ROOKIE – 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 of the razzing and menial tasks associated with being a first-year player last season. The 20-year-old said on Monday he was eager to be relieved of that burden.
“I guess I’m technically a rookie to the first game, so I’m not clear yet,” laughed Dick. “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’ll then have a home-and-home series with the Boston Celtics on Oct. 13 and Oct. 15 before wrapping up the pre-season by travelling to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Oct. 18.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2024.
