Dwane Casey may have already made his most important coaching contribution of the season.

With the accelerated NBA free agent period already in high gear, don’t expect the Toronto Raptors to be making plays for the handful of big name prizes out there.

And according to those familiar with the team’s mindset at the moment, the Raptors newly hired coach is good with that.

“He supports this,” was how one insider put it.

Now, that may sound redundant. Despite the potential cap space the Raptors could have at hand – as much as $17-million if they took advantage of the new collective bargaining agreement’s amnesty provision to make unwelcome contracts go ‘poof’ – it’s hard to imagine the franchise attracting top talent now.

Casey may have forged a strong bond with free agent centre Tyson Chandler in Dallas over the past season, but strong enough for the 29-year-old defensive whiz to leave a championship team in Dallas for an uncertain present in Toronto?

Unlikely. There was a report Thursday that the Raptors would be active in pursuit of the likes of Chandler as well as Nene, the free agent from the Denver Nuggets, and Marc Gasol, a restricted free agent centre who played with the Memphis Grizzlies. All will command contracts beginning at $50-million and heading straight up from there.

But the sense around the Raptors now is a splashy move is far off the radar at this stage. Even if there were an option to “get in the game” on the sexy free agents, the team’s brain trust is focusing on building, rather than re-building.

Translated: Look for free agent moves or trades that will have minimal impact on the long-term. Instead look for moves to fill out the roster or provide a look at a potential development piece. In general, expect an effort from the team to encourage the fan base to be patient as president Bryan Colangelo uses this year and next to position the club for long-term success.

Newcomers will likely be brought in on one-year deals, although there might be an exception made for a veteran who could help Casey communicate the former Mavericks defensive specialist’s message on that side of the ball.

Chuck Hayes, the undersized centre by way of the Houston Rockets might get a look, as could Jason Collins, who veteran Raptors fans will remember for neutralizing Chris Bosh during the 2006-07 playoffs when Collins was with the Nets.

That Casey is onboard for a longer term approach is significant. It’s his resume that will bear the brunt of the wins and losses this year.

And while you’ll never hear anyone associated with an NBA team throw words like ‘tanking’ around – that’s for the guys like me -there is an acknowledgement that competing in a top-heavy Eastern Conference will require some significant talent infusion best achieved through the draft.

Accepting short-term pain for a long-term payoff is risky – drafts being by their nature uncertain – and also a departure by Colangelo, who has typically embraced the challenge of rebuilding on the fly.

That Casey has bought in will only help.

But coming off a 22-60 season and with their first overall pick, Jonas Valancuinas playing in Europe and looking at a 2011-12 campaign that will be two months shorter than the norm, it’s a perfect time to hit the reset button.

Like most NBA talent evaluators Colangelo and executive vice-president of basketball operations Ed Stefanski were expected to be in Lexington Saturday to watch the University of Kentucky host the University of North Carolina.

Raptors fans should pay close attention to the Wildcats’ Anthony Davis and the Tar Heels’ Harrison Barnes – the Raptors decision makers doubtless will be.

If accepting another losing season is going to be worthwhile the payoff will need to be in the form of a high pick in a deep draft and the addition of a franchise-changing type talent. Barnes and Davis may just qualify.

Does it have to a long slog through the bottom of the NBA to get back to respectability?

Not necessarily. Colangelo, remember, only managed to gain a two-year contract extension so he’ll be motivated to show progress sooner than later. He’s not the type to take the long way ’round anyway.

Passing on long-term contract commitments at this stage could set the Raptors up well a year from now, when – if the amnesty provision were in play – they could have as much as $24-million of space under the salary cap.

As well, Valancuinas would be available to them, along with whoever they manage to land in what again is considered a deep, talented draft.

In place already are the likes of DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis.

It’s not a playoff team, but it’s a base of talent worth building on.

There’s hope in that.

Michael Grange will provide insight and analysis on all the top stories in sports.

Former Toronto Raptors swingman
Sonny Weems has joined a Lithuanian basketball team rather than
wait around for the National Basketball Association’s (NBA)
lockout to end, his agent said on Friday.

Roger Montgomery, agent for Weems, told Reuters in an email
that his client agreed to join Zalgiris Kaunas of Lithuania for
an entire season with a contract that does not include an NBA
opt-out clause.

“He will be in Europe for the entire year, no matter what
the NBA does,” said Montgomery. “He is a restricted free agent
and the Raptors have right of first refusal to match offers
when he returns.”

Weems averaged a career-high 9.2 points per game, 2.6
rebounds and 1.8 assists in 59 games for Toronto last season.

He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of
the 2008 NBA Draft and was traded two days later to the Denver
Nuggets, where he spent one season.

Weems was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2009
offseason and then to the Raptors as part of a multi-player
trade a few weeks later.

The NBA locked out its players last week after negotiations
for a new labor deal collapsed, sending the league into its
first work stoppage in 13 years. [ID:nN1E75T1NA]

The NBA’s last lockout shortened the 1998-99 season by 32
games to 50 and the current work stoppage is widely expected to
have a similar, if not greater, impact on the 2011-12 season.