Raptors’ Wright ready for his moment

VICTORIA The trading of Canadian point guard Cory Joseph to the Indiana Pacers this past summer could go down as the pivotal moment in Delon Wright’s career.

The 25-year-old, who’d spent the better part of the past two seasons buried deep down the rotation, admitted he was a “little shocked” when Joseph was shipped to Indy. But a proverbial door had swung wide open, and determination quickly replaced shock.

“I just had to look at myself in the mirror and say: They have faith in you now, and it’s time to get ready,” Wright said.

Shoulder surgery sidelined Wright for the first four months of last season, but his performance down the stretch — including a 21-game stint as Joseph’s backup when starter Kyle Lowry was recovering from hand surgery — earned applause from coach Dwane Casey.

Two days into Raptors’ training camp at the University of Victoria, Wright is playing a key role.

“(The departure of Joseph) puts the laser right on Delon’s chest,” Casey said. “It puts the lens right on him. It’s his time. He’s a versatile young man. He’s got length, he’s got size. He’s worked on his three-point shot. He’s one of our better passers, and that is an NBA skill that’s overlooked.

“But we’re looking for big things out of Delon. . . the opportunity is there for him.”

After injuring his shoulder in the summer of 2016, Wright relished his first full off-season to train since joining the NBA. The University of Utah product worked out in his hometown of Los Angeles with teammate Norm Powell.