BURNABY, B.C.—Day two of the Toronto Raptors‘ training camp got under way on Wednesday, and after the team’s morning practice, head coach Dwane Casey called it “better” than day one—though he admitted there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Here’s what the day brought.
It’s a grind
On day one, Raptors rookie Norman Powell admitted the team’s initial practice had been “tough”—training camp is a grind, with guys out to prove themselves or find a spot to fill. But it’s not just gruelling for the rookies. On day two, NBA veteran James Johnson told Sportsnet he was feeling good, but noted how tiring the week can be. “Mental fatigue is kicking in a little bit,” he admitted. “It’s expected.” Johnson said the team’s schedule is manageable, and that the fatigue would be “easy to fight through.” The biggest challenge, he said, is trying to pack in so many things, like nailing down the team’s new defensive schemes. “They told us what we had to do, the things we were going to go through,” he said, “so it’s pretty easy—but hard at the same time.”
Continuing to settle in
According to Dwane Casey, Anthony Bennett had a good practice on Wednesday. “Defensively, he’s further along than I thought,” said the coach, who continued to stress the importance of Bennett learning to have fun while playing on the court, referring to the 22-year-old’s history as a No. 1 overall pick as the kid’s “albatross.”
Here’s Bennett and his teammates having a little stretch post-practice:
So far, so good
“It’s been what I expected,” said rookie point guard Delon Wright after Wednesday morning’s practice—the third of this week’s training camp. “Really intense,” he added. When asked what steps he’ll need to take as he readies himself for his first NBA season, Wright said that agility—both the mental and physical kind—will be key. “Making quicker decisions,” Wright noted as he went through a little laundry list of areas for self-improvement. “Guys are more athletic. Cover more ground.”
As coach Casey noted, Wright should benefit immensely from the NBA experience of his older brother, Dorell. “This is not overwhelming for him,” said Casey of Wright’s comfort around his new NBA environment. The elder Wright brother penned a letter of support and advice to Delon, published in Wednesday’s Players’ Tribune. Delon admitted he’d yet to finish reading the article—he was busy getting ready for practice in the morning and only got about halfway through—but seemed to appreciate his brother’s gesture. “It surprised me,” said Wright, who also pointed out that his brother has been giving him a lot of advice over the years.
NBA-ready
Coach Casey, meanwhile, is confident that both Wright and fellow rookie Norman Powell can be counted on to contribute in meaningful ways. Casey praised both players’ poise, saying they’ve got a leg up since they’re on the older side (Wright is 23, Powell is 22) and each has a killer work ethic. “They’re good, solid players,” said Casey, remarking that Wright sometimes “does some uncanny things.” Wright and Powell, said Casey, have excellent hands defensively; both “worked their behinds off this summer”; and both have exhibited great effort and focus so far at training camp. “Both guys are NBA-ready players,” he said.
Caroll enjoying himself
The Raptors have another team leader in free-agent acquisition DeMarre Caroll, a six-year NBA vet who spoke on Wednesday about how he plans to draw from his experience with his new team. “First you lead by example,” said the 29-year-old. “I don’t go out there and say, ‘You do this, you do this.'” Carroll is expected to help lead the team on defence—a subject that’s top of mind for everyone at camp. “It’s just about getting back to the basics and understanding that defence is an important part of the game,” said Carroll, who seems to be enjoying his time with his new team. He’s had an easy time fitting in with the group, and joked that the roster is so packed with youth that “it’s kind of like a college team.”
