Goran Dragic leaves the Raptors indefinitely for personal reasons

Veteran guard Goran Dragic walking out Toronto Raptors indefinitely to attend a personal matter, the team announced on Sunday. Dragic, 35, struggled in his first season as the Raptor. He’s only played in five games and has averaged just eight points when shooting around 38 percent. Previously he spent the past six and a half seasons with Miami Heat before being sent to Toronto in Kyle Lowry deal.

“Goran is taking a break from the team, with our full support, to deal with a personal issue,” the team said. wrote in a statement. “He’s been a complete pro during his time with the Raptors – Goran has been a great mentor to our young players and a valuable teammate to our veterans. He will continue to train and stay fit during the game. There is no set timeline for this process and we will advise updating as appropriate. Goran has Masai’s backing. , Nick and the entire organization, and we wish him nothing but the best.”

Dragic initially expressed public displeasure at being sent to the Raptors due to their status as a rebuilding team. In the end, he smelt the idea enough to play for the Raptors, but will now be leaving the team. Based on SportsNet’s Michael Grange, Dragic will probably stay in Slovenia until the market warms up.

Dragic’s $19.4 million makes trading difficult. Few rival teams might want Dragic to have enough spendable wages to send back in a deal. That means Dragic will likely need a buy-back to play for another team this season. Without him, the Raptors have relied on Svi Mykhailiuk to play more minutes off the bench and they need their forwards to absorb more of the ball handling responsibility. The Raptors clearly want Dragic in the ring, but for now, they’ll have to move forward without him.