In his introduction with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, Goran Dragic touched on his situation with the Toronto Raptors, saying he didn’t fit with what the team wanted, but has no hard feelings about how things transpired.
“It’s been a unique situation this year for me, unfortunately couldn’t get along in Toronto, they said they wanted to go young, they didn’t see me to be a part of that team,” said Dragic. “We talked and they said we’re going to trade you, we agreed I go home to be with my family until everything got resolved.”
The Raptors play the Nets in a back-to-back on Feb. 28 and March 1, with the latter played in Toronto.
“(I have) no hard feelings towards them, wish them all the best … we play against them twice in next couple of weeks so should be interesting,” he said.
After the Raptors traded Dragic in a deadline deal to acquire Thaddeus Young from the San Antonio Spurs, the Slovenian point guard was bought out — allowing him to sign with a contender. Despite interest from several teams Dragic settled on the Nets.
“I chose Brooklyn because I think there’s a really good chance to win a championship, especially to play alongside Kyrie, KD, Ben Simmons, Aldridge,” he said.
Heading to Brooklyn reunites Dragic and Nets head coach Steve Nash, who played together while with the Phoenix Suns.
Goran Dragic says it’s weird to call Steve Nash his coach:
“We’re friends, but it’s all business. He’s been my mentor, he’s my mentor again, basically” pic.twitter.com/zQqiFlhbDp
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) February 24, 2022
One of the key components of the sign-and-trade between the Raptors and Heat that saw Kyle Lowry end up in Miami, Dragic appeared in only five games with Toronto. He averaged eight points and 2.8 assists in just under 18 minutes of playing time per game. Dragic left the Raptors to deal with a family matter over three months before the trade to the Spurs took place and did not return.
Dragic figures to have the opportunity for a meaningful back-court role with the Nets, given that Kyrie Irving’s unwillingness to get vaccinated renders his availability for games unreliable, depending on where the Nets play.
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