Crash in camera zone could sideline Vanvleet

Raptors guard wants protective measures taken after injuring his ankle in opener

Fred Vanvleet says he’s not sure he’ll be able to suit up on Friday when the Toronto Raptors play the first road game of the season in Boston.

It likely will be a game-time decision — and don’t bet against him. But the reason his participation is in question is both a recurring problem and, seemingly, one that can be solved.

For what Vanvleet feels is the fourth or fifth time in the past three years, he twisted or rolled an ankle stepping on a camera man/photographer seated at the end of the court.

The camera people and photographers, both national and local including our own Postmedia staff, sit on the actual court but just out of bounds. They’re in front of the first row of seats of fans, and often, during the course of the action, wind up extending legs beyond their respective boxes.

The position provides some exceptional photos and live camera shots, no question. But Vanvleet — and he’s not the first one to suggest this — says advanced technology should potentially allow the same quality of photos to be obtained from a spot that wouldn’t endanger the players.

Understand, Vanvleet isn’t making any demands here. He’s well aware the league already cut way back on the number of spots available to shooters back in 2014. Back then it was 40 positions around the court. Now it’s down to 18. They also opened up more space to allow players to safely run from the court and out of bounds without running into anything, but that space changes, depending on the arena.

Vanvleet was asked if the time had come to do more.

“Yeah, I would think so,” Vanvleet said following the win over New Orleans, when he rolled the ankle. “I hope that’s not a comment (I can be fined for), but I don’t know how many times that has to happen before we think about doing something else. I mean, the game is so good, the NBA is so good at being proactive to help us out, but it has happened to me at least four or five times in the last two years. This is probably the worst.”

Vanvleet came out of the game when he rolled his ankle at the end of the third quarter, but was back in four minutes later and played the remainder of the game. Thursday morning it was still sore and uncomfortable enough that he wasn’t sure it would be wise to play on Friday.

More than anything, Vanvleet just wants to reopen the debate which hasn’t moved much since 2014.

“If they’re going to move the box back, keep the guys out of the box who are trying to sneak their feet out,” Vanvleet said.

“I mean, they’ve got good enough cameras. It’s just unfortunate. It’s not happening to the point where it’s happening every day, but it’s happening too much. I think we could do a better job and try and find another way or something better to help the athletes out.”

Vanvleet said Thursday that he had heard back from the league already about his concerns, but it was just a preliminary discussion. He’s hoping for more.

“That was the point of me saying something,” Vanvleet said about his desire to open the debate. “I’m sure they’ve (the league) thought about it. I’m not saying they’re sitting on their hands. No matter how hard it is, or difficult a decision it may be to cut some things or other things, I think it’s something we should look at.”

REPLENISHING THE TROOPS

If Vanvleet is a no go for the Boston game, at least head coach Nick Nurse will have the duo of Patrick Mccaw and Rondae Hollis-jefferson to eat up some of those minutes. Nurse said both players were probable for the Boston game.

The matchup with the Celtics is the first of two in a row for the Raptors, who come right back on Saturday in Chicago. Nurse is unlikely to go with just an eightman rotation like he used in the opener, so Mccaw and one of Hollis-jefferson, Malcolm Miller, Stanley Johnson, Chris Boucher or Matt Thomas should see the floor at some point over the next two games.

Nurse, though, wasn’t ready to identify who that would be.

ROOKIE FINDING HIS WAY

Terence Davis II got good reviews from both his coach and his mentor Vanvleet on his debut.

“He looked good, man,” Vanvleet said before launching into some rookie ribbing.

“I was just laughing and joking with him a little about the air ball,” Vanvleet said of his one errant shot in the debut.

“We’ve all been there. You just laugh, because I know how that feels. It sucks, man. You get out there, you’re so excited, and you air ball in front of God and everybody.”

Davis II said it was more a case of proving himself right out of the gate.

“I just wanted to just prove I belong in this league and just bring energy and effort to the game,” he said of his Game 1 effort.