Today’s revelation from the Wizards that John Wall has five non-displaced fractures in his left wrist and hand is tough news for Washington, but it has to sting Toronto, too. There’s no timetable for Wall’s return, but the Raptors will surely wonder what would have happened if the injury had occurred a couple weeks earlier when Toronto was playing the Wizards in the first round. Regardless, Toronto is still picking up the pieces from Washington’s four-game sweep. Here’s more from Canada:
- The Raptors abandoned the idea of rebuilding when their level of play surged following the Rudy Gay trade in 2013/14, but GM Masai Ujiri acknowledged that revisiting those plans isn’t out of the question as he spoke Wednesday on TSN 1050 Radio (audio link), notes John Chick of the Score. “That’s an option,” Ujiri said. “Everything we are going to do is going to be what’s good for this organization and competing for a championship in the future.”
- Ujiri also said during the radio appearance that he didn’t read anything into Kyle Lowry‘s comments about Dwane Casey in the team’s season-ending interviews, remarks which some have interpreted as backhanded praise, as Chick relays in the same piece. Still, Ujiri made it clear in that interview and one with Sportsnet 590 The FAN that he still hasn’t decided whether to bring the coach back for next season, Chick also passes along.
- Casey is set to enter the final guaranteed season of his contract in 2015/16, and while the Raptors are unlikely to sign him to an extension this offseason, Toronto probably won’t fire him just yet, either, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- A one-to-one D-League affiliate for the Raptors has appeared more likely for 2016/17 than for next season, but regardless, Ujiri, in his TSN radio spot, left little doubt that securing the affiliate is a priority, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets. “We’re busting our butt hard to get this done because this would be a huge victory for us,” Ujiri said. “Were in deep, deep talks.”