With the NBA back in session, and this season’s 66 game schedule announced, players & team officials alike are getting back to work in anticipation of being able to officially practice and have team meetings to get ready for a condensed 2011-2012 season that will prove to be quite the physical & mental grind.
Akil Augustine & Sherman Hamilton of NBA TV Canada spoke with several Toronto Raptors players who were at the Air Canada Centre practice facility today getting workouts in and meeting with strength & conditioning coaches in preparation of what will be a whirlwind training camp & pre-season.
DeMar DeRozan, Ed Davis, Jose Calderon, Jerryd Bayless, and James Johnson were on hand and spoke with Akil & Sherman about their offseason and what they expect for this upcoming NBA season that will officially soon be underway.
All of the player interviews can be seen here via Raptors.com.
Raptors GM & President, Bryan Colaneglo, stated today that a 3rd point guard, a small forward (with Linas Kleiza still 1-2 months away from being able to return), and a back up center will be 3 of the positions that the Raptors will be targeting in free agency. The Raptors want to maintain as much financial flexibility as possible going into the summer of 2012 – therefore re-signing players like Reggie Evans and Julian Wright are not an immediate priority for Raptors management, according to Colangelo. It is expected that the Raptors will have anywhere from $10M to $20M in available salary cap space to try and recruit and sign players once 2012 free agency begins this coming summer.
**It was announced this evening via TSN.ca that the Raptors have signed veteran center and Canadian, Jamaal Magloire to a one year contract.
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