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Raptors extend qualifying offers to Jerryd Bayless and Sonny Weems

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents guard Jerryd Bayless and guard-forward Sonny Weems.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its rights of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent it must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal in favour of the NBA team for which the player last played.

Bayless averaged career highs of 11.4 points, 3.8 assists and 22.7 minutes in 31 games last season. In 11 starts, he upped his averages to 17.8 points, 5.3 assists and 34.5 minutes. He contributed 21.8 points, 7.6 assists and 37.6 minutes in a stretch of five consecutive starts from March 11-17, shooting .543 (38-70) from the field.

Bayless was acquired from New Orleans on November 20, 2010. In 91 appearances with Toronto, he has averaged 10.4 points, 3.9 assists and 22.6 minutes.

Weems spent the 2011-12 season with Zalgiris in the Lithuanian league. He averaged 10.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16 VTB League outings and 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in five Euroleague contests.

Weems averaged career highs in points (9.2) and minutes (23.9) in 59 games with the Raptors in 2010-11. In a career-best 28 starts, he posted averages of 10.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 29.8 minutes. He scored in double figures 27 times.

Weems has appeared in 140 games with Denver and Toronto in his three NBA campaigns, averaging 7.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 20.3 minutes. He joined the Raptors in a trade from Milwaukee on August 18, 2009.

The team also announced it will not tender a qualifying offer to centre Solomon Alabi.

Raptors add Terrence Ross in 2012 Draft

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they selected guard Terrence Ross from Washington with the eighth overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft. In the Draft’s second round, the Raptors took forward Quincy Acy from Baylor with the 37th pick and Tomislav Zubcic from Croatia with the 56th choice.

Ross, 6-foot-7, 197 pounds, was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection last season as a sophomore. He averaged 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, and ranked among Pac-12 leaders in eight categories including: points (4th), rebounds (6th), three-pointers per game (2.1, 8th) and blocks (0.9, 13th). Ross averaged 25.0 points in four games during Washington’s run to the NIT semifinals. He shot a perfect 15-of-15 from the free throw line and led UW shooters from three point range, making 15-of-37 attempts (.405). He posted a career-high 32 points with eight rebounds versus Northwestern in the NIT.

As a freshman, Ross made his first career starts in the Pac-10 Tournament, averaging 15.3 points and 2.7 rebounds, and shooting 52.8 percent from the field to earn a spot on the five-man All-Pac-10 Tournament team. He tallied a team-high 19 points versus North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

Acy, 6-8, 225 pounds, averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 29.7 minutes in 38 starts last season. He was named Big 12 All-Defensive team (unanimously) and All-Big 12 Second Team by the coaches. He is the second player in Baylor history to be ranked in Top 10 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage.

Zubcic, 6-11, 230 pounds averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 17.0 minutes in 22 outings in the Adriatic League. He recorded season highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds versus Cedevita on March 6.

Chris Bosh went through a lot during playoffs

After all that’s gone on with him in these NBA playoffs, that makes entire sense that Bosh wouldn’t let little things like attention and the moment get to him because it has been a rocky and difficult road for Bosh to get here with the Miami Heat to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in a best-of-seven series.

He missed nine games with a torn stomach muscle.

He had to fly back and forth between Miami and New York to be with his wife when she gave birth to the couple’s first child.

He had to deal with the trauma of the death of a personal masseuse, who collapsed in his home and died hours later.

It has not been an easy journey by stretch of the imagination.

“I’m not just happy to be here,” he said. “Last year, I was just a little happy to be here, everything was great and grand. I’m just here to take care of business this year.

“That comes with experience … I think I’m just better suited this year because as team we have more confidence, I have more confidence and that’s a big part of what you need.

“I’m more confident this year and I know what to expect.”

— Reported by Doug Smith of the Toronto Star

Lottery team may have made Dion Waiters a draft promise

The intrigue here at the NBA pre-draft combine involved Syracuse guard Dion Waiters essentially going underground once he completed the weights-and-measures process.

Waiters, a 6-4 combo guard with a knack for making pressure jump shots, suddenly cancelled workouts and interviews, setting off speculation he’s been made a promise by a team with a lottery pick.

Toronto Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo (8th pick) confirmed as much to the Toronto Star, saying, “His agent has told me there’s a promise to another team.”

Certainly everyone has the right to decide what’s in his best interest, but it’s curious that a player seemingly outside the top five wouldn’t want as much exposure as possible.

— Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer

Toronto Raptors may want guard Kyle Lowry

The Raptors are extremely high on Lowry, so there is little doubt – despite Morey’s desire to keep Lowry in the fold – that he and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo will discuss a Lowry deal. If that falls through the Raptors could instead pursue Dragic, though I do not know if he is a favourite of theirs like Lowry or not.

After Lowry burned the Raptors for a game-high 26 points (including 4-for-4 from three) in a three-point win in Houston, I asked Raptors head coach Dwane Casey what he thought of Lowry and Casey lauded the guard for his toughness and ability.

“He’s a hell of a competitor. He’s their heart and soul and spirit of their team and I love the way he plays,” Casey said.

Long-time Raptor Alvin Williams, now a scout with the team, is extremely close with Lowry and is one of his mentors. Both are from Philadelphia and both played for Villanova. “Alvin is my main man,” Lowry once said.

Complicating a potential deal would be the fact that Houston would have to be sure Dragic will re-sign long-term with the club to be its starter before opting to trade Lowry.

— Reported by Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (Blog)

Jeremy Lin Knicks future wide open

Free agency is 5 1/2 weeks away, but Jeremy Lin’s agent already is setting the groundwork for what could be a complicated negotiation.

Roger Montgomery, in a rare interview, told The Post nothing is assured regarding Lin’s Knicks future, despite interim coach Mike Woodson’s declaration the global phenom — who becomes a restricted free agent on July 1 — would “absolutely’’ return.

When asked if he expects the Knicks negotiation to be cut-and-dried, Montgomery forewarned: “I don’t expect that. We’re not anticipating that’s going to happen. We don’t have assurances of anything. I know history shows most restricted free agents go back to their team, but I’m not going to assume anything. We’re waiting to see what happens.’’

Montgomery’s emphatic remarks — coupled with Lin’s “nothing’s set in stone’’ comment on Trash Bag Day — seem to be strategic messaging.

There is a possibility the Knicks will force Lin, 24, and his reps to find the point guard’s market value by first signing an offer sheet from another team, which must project Lin’s potential from a 26-game window when he played starter’s minutes.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Toronto Raptors may chase Jeremy Lin

Toronto will be in direct competition with the Knicks for Steve Nash. But Nash is expected to look to sign with a bona fide contender, and the Knicks and Raptors don’t fit that description. The Raptors are also a potential landing spot for Jeremy Lin. They like him and what he’d do for their attendance, but Toronto would have to “back-load” an offer to the restricted free agent, paying him gazillions in the final couple of years of a deal, and hope that the Knicks would not match. According to league sources, that’s what the Raptors just might do if their Nash plan falls through. But considering that the Knicks have no other viable options at point guard, and Lin has been nothing short of a marketing dream, they’re seen as a lock to match any offer.

— Reported by Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News

Raptors pick up option on contract of coach Dwane Casey

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have picked up the option on Head Coach Dwane Casey’s contract to extend through the 2013-14 season.

“Dwane did a terrific job this year of adhering to our plan of growth and development for this young team,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “We set out to change the culture and improve defensively and he orchestrated both progressions in an impressive fashion.”

Casey finished his first season as Toronto’s head coach. Under Casey, the Raptors made significant gains on the defensive end of the floor. The team ranked in the Top 10 in the NBA in points allowed (9th), opponent field goal percentage (8th) and three-point field goal percentage (5th). The Raptors ranked in the bottom third in the league in all three categories in the 2010-11 season.

Raptors keep Alan Anderson and Ben Uzoh for rest of season

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed guard-forward Alan Anderson and guard Ben Uzoh for the remainder of the 2011-12 season. Both players concluded consecutive 10-day contracts with the club yesterday. Anderson was signed to his original 10-day March 26 and Uzoh on March 27. Both signed their second 10-day contracts April 6.

Anderson, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, has appeared in 12 games with Toronto, starting seven contests. He has averaged 8.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 22.4 minutes. He has shot .515 (17-33) from three-point range. In his seven starts, he is averaging 11.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 29.1 minutes, while connecting on 15-27 (.555) three-pointers. His start at Philadelphia on April 4 was his first starting assignment since April 17, 2006 as a member of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Anderson came to the Raptors from the NBA D-League’s Canton Charge, where he averaged 21.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in eight appearances.

Uzoh has appeared in 11 games with the Raptors, making three starts. He is averaging 4.1 points, 2.8 assists and 15.8 minutes. In his three starting assignments, he is averaging 9.0 points, shooting .542 (13-24) from the field, 5.7 assists and 31.0 minutes.

Uzoh, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, joined the Raptors from the NBA D-League’s Rio Grande (Texas) Valley Vipers. He averaged 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 30.8 minutes in 20 appearances.

The Raptors did not renew the 10-day contract of guard Justin Dentmon. Dentmon was signed April 6 and appeared in four games, averaging 5.5 points, 2.3 assists and 18.0 minutes.

Andrea Bargnani will miss rest of season

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday centre-forward Andrea Bargnani will miss the remainder of the 2011-12 season. He exited Sunday’s game in Oklahoma City at the 4:03 mark of the second quarter with left calf tightness.

Based on tests taken yesterday on his left calf and the reoccurrence of previous symptoms, Bargnani will be sidelined to eliminate any further risk.

Bargnani has averaged a team-high 19.5 points, with 5.5 rebounds and 33.3 minutes in 31 games. He led the team in scoring 13 times and recorded five games of 30 or more points. He missed 26 games with a left calf strain and one with left calf tightness.