Raptors still waiting for Sullinger to suit up
Power forward with an injured foot won’t be ready for season opener
WASHINGTON When the Toronto Raptors open the regular season on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons, it doesn’t look like first-choice power forward Jared Sullinger will take the floor with his teammates.
The team’s marquee free agent signing has not played since having his foot stepped on during a game against Golden State on Oct. 1, and it’s unclear when he might be able to suit up.
“He may be a little while before he comes back,” head coach Dwane Casey said after shootaround on Friday morning, before the Raptors got throttled 119-82 by the Wizards to conclude the pre-season.
“He’ll get it checked out. He’s going to get another opinion, get it looked at, because it’s been sore for a while now.”
Sullinger had recently returned to shooting jump shots at practice, but hasn’t been doing much on court besides that. Weight has long been an issue for the former Boston Celtics starter, but Casey has insisted throughout camp that since signing, Sullinger had been doing a great job of dropping some pounds and doing ample cardio work.
But any time a player has a foot injury, there will be some concern.
Sullinger looked solid in his lone Toronto appearance, grabbing 10 rebounds, with a block and a steal in 23 minutes, and averaged 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Celtics last season.
In his absence, it is unclear who will start.
Casey and Patrick Patterson prefer to utilize Patterson off of the bench, where he excels (and though Patterson doesn’t start, he plays comparable minutes to the first unit players). Lucas Nogueira might be used there in a pinch, but would have a hard time guarding smaller power forwards, so rookie Pascal Siakam might get the call. Siakam has shown some flashes, but also displayed the usual rookie issues, particularly turnovers.
Patterson started two games in the pre-season, Siakam five (including Friday against Washington), including a good effort at Detroit on Wednesday, which should help him against the Pistons next Wednesday.
“There’s a lot of things to learn, but I’m willing to learn, so I’m just ready to get out and do whatever the coach wants me to do and do it hard,” Siakam said.
The team regards the New Mexico State product as a potential long-term answer at the position, while Patterson will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“That would be crazy, I still get those little minutes where you’re on the court and it’s like, ‘I’m here,’ ” Siakam said of potentially starting on opening night.
In the meantime, he continues to try to adapt to the NBA game.
“It’s a different game. It’s a fast game and sometimes I try to play too fast,” he said. “I’m just trying to feel comfortable out there, slow the game, not rush anything. What I’ve learned is they are fast, but they know how to pace themselves. It’s something I have to learn, but I’m up for the task.”
In fact, before talking to reporters, Siakam had just been watching some video of his mistakes with assistant coach Jim Sann.
Going small with DeMarre Carroll shifting over from small forward will also be an option in the short term and Carroll said he would be fine with sliding over.
“I can use my advantages, my quickness, being able to shoot the three to my advantage a little more,” he said.
Carroll said the toughest adjustment wouldn’t be the increased physicality, it would be learning all of the plays at a different position.
On the good news front, Terrence Ross returned to the Raptors lineup after missing several games with a knee injury — but he sat the second half with his knee wrapped.
LOWRY HAPPY DEAL CLOSE
Yahoo! Reported Thursday that the NBA and its players association are close to a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Unlike in 2011, or almost always when these discussions take place, there was no acrimony or vitriol, and with nobody wanting to kill what is currently a golden goose, everything went smoothly.
Kyle Lowry, Toronto’s player rep, is happy with how things have gone.
“I think it went well, overall it was a good process.
“I think the league wanted everything growing, just the overall business of it, so we all think it was a good time to have it done and for it to be in the past,” Lowry said after shootaround.
“Hopefully, things are done, all the reps will have to vote on it at the end of the day, but it’s something
He’ll get it checked out. He’s going to get another opinion, get it looked at, because it’s been sore for a while now.
to put in the back of our brains for right now and not worry about it.”
Lowry said going through a lockout five years ago was “no fun” and said it was best for everyone to “have this deal done and to continue the great league that we have.”
ROUGH ENDING
Washington had looked loose and extremely energetic at shootaround earlier Friday and that continued when the game began later that night.
The Wizards shot 74 per cent in the first — including 7-for-9 from three — and 77 per cent in the third (while the Raptors went a dismal 3-for-17).
The offence was DeMar DeRo- zan (34 points in 30 minutes) and little else.
To make matters worse, Nogueira, one of the few Raptors playing decently, limped off the floor after spraining his ankle early in the second quarter and did not return.
The team, and Nogueira himself, had been pleased by his preseason performances and with the fact that he had managed to stay healthy, since injuries have plagued him during his time in the NBA.
Washington handed out 33 assists, Toronto just eight.
Thankfully, the pre-season is over.