Goran Dragic didn’t intend to sit out most of the season, but he said there was no defined role for him with the Raptors, according to a Sportsnet.ca story. Dragic, who chose the Nets after receiving interest from several teams following his buyout with the Spurs, spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time since signing with Brooklyn.
“It’s been a unique situation this year for me, unfortunately couldn’t get along in Toronto, they said they wanted to go young, they didn’t see me to be a part of that team,” Dragic said. “We talked and they said we’re going to trade you, we agreed I go home to be with my family until everything got resolved.”
The Raptors acquired Dragic in the offseason trade that sent Kyle Lowry to the Heat, but he was never in their long-term plans. He played just five games before taking a leave of absence in November. The Nets will play in Toronto next week, and Dragic is looking forward to returning to the city.
“(I have) no hard feelings towards them, wish them all the best … we play against them twice in next couple of weeks so should be interesting,” he said.
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- Nets players were heavily involved in recruiting Dragic once his buyout became official, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and others sent text messages to Dragic urging him to join them in Brooklyn. Dragic said the Nets were among six contenders that tried to sign him.
- Although Dragic has been training during his absence, coach Steve Nash doesn’t plan to use him in tonight’s game against the Celtics, according to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic (Twitter link). Nash said Dragic needs to practice with the team a few times, but he doesn’t expect his debut to be far off. Nash added that he expects Durant to be ready before Simmons, but there are no definite dates for either to begin playing again.
- Simmons’ first game back in Philadelphia is scheduled for March 10, but Sixers guard Danny Green doesn’t expect to see him on the court, writes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. On his “Inside the Green Room” podcast, Green said Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, who were also traded to Brooklyn, “weren’t on the most cordial terms” with Simmons when they were all together in Philadelphia. Green added that his reaction to Simmons will be determined by his actions if he does play March 10. “I understand you have a mental health issue, I understand you don’t want to play where you want to — whatever it is, you did what you needed to do to make better for you in your life. That’s cool,” Green said. “Do I think you could have handled it better? For sure, because we had nothing against you as teammates, still have nothing against you. But it all depends on how that game goes, how he interacts in that game, how well he plays or how cleanly or non-cleanly he or us plays against each other, is going to determine how we shake hands.”
Bunch of noise from Sixers.
Ben knew Sixers knew, he was never coming back after the playoffs. What else is there. Don’t matter where you want to point blame. Sixer FO and Moreyon drag this out. Cause he always wanted his Harden. So STFU and play. Bunch of whiners. I was Ben I’d abuse all of them…. Nobody on Sixers can deal with him on blocks……. Play ball stop with the Noise.
I don’t like this conditional crap. Danny Green says “we have nothing against you” but there’s a hint of.., it depends on how you act. So it’s conditional. They WILL have something against him if he doesn’t act right.
It’s like people who say they’re so loyal and behind you the whole way.., unless of course you do something they don’t like.., then they’re not so loyal anymore.
These kinds of people have a funny way of defining “loyal.” My loyalty (if I give it) is whether you’re good to me or bad to me. I will be behind you the whole way knowing that you’re strange Acts are temporary. That’s loyalty. It’s rare and it’s valuable.
This pseudo loyalty is crap. I’ll be loyal to you IF you’re loyal to me. If you say you have nothing against me then stand by that, Stand by Your Word. Or else it’s just nonsense.
loyalty gets me banned from bars.
Hope he gets to play, I’d love to see this homecoming.
The Simmons saga is over despite the media trying to milk it’s last juice. Fans would do best to follow suit in quick manner
The East playoffs are going to be incredible from Rd 1
This has the makings of the best 2 month basketball stretch ever when you consider the volume of teams entering with more than a punchers chance this year.
Keep those sick days at work on hand folks
Interesting… so Durant and Simmons can send texts to Dragic to entice him to join them in Brooklyn but Zion can’t send a text to McCollum to welcome him to New Orleans.
Come on Mr Green, we know you can’t bite the hand that feeds you… but, seriously we all know PHI could & should have handled matters in a much better manner, don’t pass the bug!
He says they didn’t have anything against him… great teammate comment . I think that pretty much sums it up. Simmons had almost no support over there; glad he finally got out. Unhealthy situation for anybody to be in.