FREE AGENT FOCUS: The Raptors have a handful of free agents to deal with in the summer and what they decide to do will have a huge impact on the kind of team that returns to training camp in the fall.
Shawn Marion is the most interesting case. The veteran small forward's contract, which pays him an astronomical $17 million this season, will most likely have to take a serious pay cut wherever he goes next year. And the Raptors may try to retain him at some sort of bargain-basement price since there aren't a lot of teams with major dollars to throw around. Anthony Parker, coming off his statistically worst season as a Raptor, is an unrestricted free agent but it's highly doubtful he'll be given a starting role on the team next season. However, both he and general manager Bryan Colangelo are optimistic some new deal can be worked out.
Of the other free agents -- Joey Graham, Jake Voskuhl, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Carlos Delfino (whose restricted free agency rights the Raptors still hold since he played last season in Russia) -- it's likely that only one will be back with the team in October.
PLAYER NEWS:
--F Reggie Evans was traded to the Raptors, with the 76ers receiving G Jason Kapono in return. "Reggie Evans will certainly add an element of toughness to our team," read a statement by Raptors president Bryan Colangelo. "He has very good rebounding and defensive instincts, addressing two areas where we have underperformed."
--G Jose Calderon, who missed a dozen games with a groin injury in the middle of last season and was never fully healthy, has decided to take the summer off for the first time in more than a decade. He's announced he will not play for Spain in the European championships in September, the first time he's avoided national team duty since 1997.
--F Anthony Parker, one of Toronto's free agents, is expected to get a handful of offers from European teams. He played five seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv and was voted one of the top 50 Euroleague players of all time last year.
--C Andrea Bargnani, who enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2008-09, could have a very busy summer. The 7-footer has joined the Italian national team for the first time in three seasons and will take part in a July qualification tournament that could earn Italy a berth in September's European championships. If they are successful, he'll also play in September.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--F Kris Humphries (broken fibula) has been cleared to begin working out fully.
--G Marcus Banks (toe) is back working out after having surgery.
