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veteran leader Goran Dragic, which was traded from Heat to the Raptors in the Kyle Lowry the signing and swap deal last week, apologized on Monday for comments he made in his home country, Slovenia, about the swap, writes Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange .
A clip that surfaced on Twitter Dragic’s Monday speaking to Slovenian journalists was accompanied by the caption in English, “Toronto is not my favorite destination. I have higher ambitions. Although there has been some uncertainty as to whether something may have been lost in the translation, Dragic did not claim he was misquoted. He told Grange, however, that the context for the quote was lacking.
“I was in the center of town and the reporters were there and I was asked about Toronto and it was basically taken out of context,” Dragic said. “I told them I spent seven years in Miami and that would be the preferred destination for me because my family is there and everything, not Toronto.”
Dragic, who has an expiring $ 19.5 million contract, was still expected to be part of the Raptors’ return for Lowry after the Heat picked his squad option, but there was speculation for much of the week. last that it could be returned to a third team. the Mavericks were frequently mentioned as a potential destination, as Dallas was looking for a free agency point guard and joining the Mavs would give Dragic the opportunity to team up with a fellow Slovenian. Luka Doncic.
It’s always possible that Dragic could transfer to the Mavs or another team at some point, but no deal seems imminent, and he has told Grange he’s ready to spend the 2021/22 season in Toronto.
“My message to all Toronto fans is that I would like to apologize” Dragic said. “It didn’t turn out the right way. I know they love their team, and they should be proud, this is one of the best organizations in the NBA. They have already won a championship and I haven’t, so what I said was really not appropriate.
“… I have always been a professional. You can ask a bunch of people. Wherever I have played, wherever I go to play, I will be professional and do my job ”, He continued. “I love basketball, I love to play and I will give 100% wherever I play. Right now I’m (with) Toronto and that’s my main thing to think about.
Asked during an appearance on 590 The Fan in Toronto about Dragic, Raptors general manager Bobby webster warned that the 35-year-old’s comments were being translated into English and that he would “get it straight” from the point guard to understand what he meant, Grange wrote. Webster also pointed out that the Raptors are not a rebuilding team looking to get rid of veterans.
“We think we’re going to be competitive, we have a core – as we’ve talked about – that has been around for a while and that has also won at the highest level,” he said. said Webster. “So think we’re just going to give him a little time here to see how (Dragic) fits in and whether he likes him here or not. I think he’s a pro and he’s evolved a lot and that he obviously has a right to want to make the most of his years as his career unfolds here… so I don’t think it’s a light one or anything like that.
Lowry’s signing and trade was officially completed on Friday, so he can no longer be extended to include a third team, but Dragic could be immediately transferred to a third team until his salary is aggregated with that of. another player in the agreement.
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