Ahead of the start of training camp, yours truly received an important reminder that we don’t all consume the same media the same way. More specifically, just because I’m aware of something doesn’t mean every reader may be, so most news is worthy of a post, however small the updates my be. And so I bring you two minor updates that were assumed to be true but I didn’t give their own post initially.
Pascal Siakam is 100 percent following the left MCL sprain he suffered in Summer League. That injury limited him to just one half of (very exciting) basketball in Las Vegas, and there was never much concern he’d be at risk of missing the start of training camp. Siakam appeared on Sportsnet 590 yesterday to confirm as much:
I had an MCL sprain. (Is it OK now?) Yeah. (100 percent?) Yeah.
As for his potential role with the team out of the gate, Siakam’s eager to show Toronto that the organization is justified in their optimism about him:
I want to go in, show off how I work, and show the things I can do…I’m going knowing my abilities and giving everything I can to get playing time. I can play. I think I’m ready to play in the NBA.
It’s a really endearing interview, further proof it’s going to be tough not to love the rookie. As a reminder, I wrote a lengthy feature about Siakam from Vegas for Sportsnet, if you want to get to know the first-round pick a little better.
.@Raptors First Rounder @pskills43 joins #PrimeTimeSports in studio to chat with @FadooBobcat & @DamoSpin pic.twitter.com/DCqHKppw8y
— Matt Marchese (@PTSProducer) September 13, 2016
Siakam and several of the team’s other young players are already in town working out together getting acclimated to their new surroundings.
Delon Wright has been back in the gym for a week now shooting and working out. I’m told he’s progressed to resistance work with the training staff but hasn’t done any work on the court yet.
https://twitter.com/delonwright/status/773538772600365056
The second-year point guard underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair and stabilize a labral tear in his right shoulder on Aug. 1, a procedure that was expected to keep him out “at least” four months. That would put his timeline for a potential return at the beginning of December in a best-case scenario, leaving the Raptors without a third point guard for the first month of the season unless Fred VanVleet cracks the roster. There’s also the possibility that the Raptors experiment with using their D-League affiliate in a way similar to baseball, sending Wright on a rehab assignment with the 905 to get his conditioning up once he’s ready for game action.
Regardless of his eventual return date, Wright being back in the gym three weeks ahead of camp is an encouraging sign. His biggest offseason point of emphasis was adding size and strength, and the early returns he was able to show in Vegas were impressive. The injury is still an unfortunate hit, of course, but that’s the hand he was dealt, and progress is progress.
