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.

TORONTO — New Raptors coach Dwane Casey will bring in some new assistants and keep some members of the current staff for his first season in Toronto.

The team announced Wednesday that Johnny Davis and Tom Sterner have been added to Casey’s staff. They will join assistants Eric Hughes, Micah Nori and Scott Roth, who were retained from former coach Jay Triano’s staff.

“I am excited to announce the hiring of what I believe is a strong, well-balanced and experienced coaching staff,” Casey said in a release. “We have a good mixture of former players, head coaching experience and on-court teachers who have a wealth of technical knowledge.

“Since we have such a young team I thought it was necessary to hire a group of coaches who can effectively mentor, communicate, motivate and teach on and off the floor.”

Assistant coaches P.J. Carlesimo and Alex English were not retained. Carlesimo had one season left on his deal while English was not under contract for next season.

Casey was hired last month, a few weeks after Triano was given a consultant position with the organization after a disappointing 22-60 campaign.

Davis, an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies last season, completed his 35th campaign in the NBA in 2010-11. The two-time head coach has also been a player, assistant coach and front office executive.

Sterner has been an NBA assistant coach for 13 seasons, working for Dallas, Orlando and Golden State. He spent last season as an advance scout with Philadelphia.

Roth completed his first season with the Raptors after being named an assistant coach on Aug. 16. He has been a player, scout and coach overseas and in North America for over 25 years.

Nori concluded his second season as an assistant coach for the Raptors in 2010-11 and his 14th overall with the organization. He also heads the advance scouting operations for the club.

Hughes joined the Raptors in 2007 and was promoted to assistant coach/basketball development in 2009. He will continue in that role under Casey.

Johnny Davis, left, was an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies last season. (Julie Jacobson/Associated Press)

New Raptors coach Dwane Casey will bring in some new assistants and keep some members of the current staff for his first season in Toronto.

The team announced Wednesday that Johnny Davis and Tom Sterner have been added to Casey’s staff. They will join assistants Eric Hughes, Micah Nori and Scott Roth, who were retained from former coach Jay Triano’s staff.

“I am excited to announce the hiring of what I believe is a strong, well-balanced and experienced coaching staff,” Casey said in a release. “We have a good mixture of former players, head coaching experience and on-court teachers who have a wealth of technical knowledge.

“Since we have such a young team I thought it was necessary to hire a group of coaches who can effectively mentor, communicate, motivate and teach on and off the floor.”

Assistant coaches P.J. Carlesimo and Alex English were not retained. Carlesimo had one season left on his deal while English was not under contract for next season.

Casey was hired last month, a few weeks after Triano was given a consultant position with the organization after a disappointing 22-60 campaign.

Davis, an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies last season, completed his 35th campaign in the NBA in 2010-’11. The two-time head coach has also been a player, assistant coach and front office executive.

Sterner has been an NBA assistant coach for 13 seasons, working for Dallas, Orlando and Golden State. He spent last season as an advance scout with Philadelphia.

Roth completed his first season with the Raptors after being named an assistant coach on Aug. 16. He has been a player, scout and coach overseas and in North America for over 25 years.

Nori concluded his second season as an assistant coach for the Raptors in 2010-’11 and his 14th overall with the organization. He also heads the advance scouting operations for the club.

Hughes joined the Raptors in 2007 and was promoted to assistant coach/basketball development in 2009. He will continue in that role under Casey.

Toronto Raptors first round pick Jonas Varound dominated in helping Lithuania to the championship of the FIBA U19 World Championship.

Lithuania crushed Serbia 85-67 in the gold-medal game.

Not a single team had an answer for the 6-foot-11 centre, the fifthpick overall in the recent National Basketball Association draft, as he ended up leading the tournament in scoring (23 ppg), rebounding (13.9 rpg), blocked shots (3.2 bpg), double-doubles (seven) and was a close second in field-goal percentage (59.8 per cent).

With the remarkable world championship Valanciunas just had, concerns of Raptors’ fans should be put to rest as he’s proven he’s not only legitimately skilled but also plays with a mental and physical toughness that North American basketball fans love to see.

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TORONTO . Isaiah Thomas stood in the middle of a gaggle of reporters, many of who were taller than the 5-foot-9 point guard, at the Air Canada Centre practice court on Tuesday afternoon. A few steps away, highly touted point guard prospect Brandon Knight stood peering at the scrum, leaning on the stanchion supporting the basket.

His ears must have been burning.

“A lot of them are [avoiding working out against lower-ranked prospects.] That’s just how it is, I guess,” Thomas said of Knight and players of his ilk. “I wouldn’t do that if that was my situation, but that’s how it is. People don’t wanna, I don’t know, I’m not going to .

“My main thing is that’s why you hire agents,” Knight said, basically agreeing with Thomas’s assessment. “Listen to what the agent tells you, just trust him, see what he says to do. Like you said, I’m not scared to work out against anybody. I’m a competitor. Sometimes with scheduling and stuff like that, you’ve got to listen to your agent and what he tells you to do. Sometimes it’s not about being a competitor. Sometimes it’s about being strategic.”

That is the process the Raptors will have to navigate as they approach the NBA Draft on June 23, in which they hold the fifth pick overall. You want to see a top prospect work out against another top prospect? Good luck. If one of them does not have a problem with that scenario, than the other guy probably will.

Or more to the point, one of the agents probably will. The Raptors held their first workouts Tuesday, with a session in both the morning and the afternoon. They had Kentucky’s Brandon Knight and Connecticut’s Kemba Walker in town, but the pair did not work out against each other. ESPN’s Chad Ford reported Arn Tellem, Knight’s agent, insisted that Knight not work out against Walker.

It is logical: Knight is highly thought of, with many mock drafts slotting him in the third spot, behind the consensus top two of Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams. Walker’s ceiling is probably at No. 5, where the Raptors pick, and he could conceivably slide to the back half of the lottery. Why should Knight risk looking bad about a player considered a lesser prospect?

“I don’t know if it’s frustrating. It’s part of the system,” said Raptors director of scouting Jim Kelly, remaining vague on the reason the two stars were not working out together. “It was a schedulingtype thing. One’s got another commitment afterwards, another one has one coming in. That’s just the way it goes.”

This draft is full of practical dilemmas. A number of players in the Raptors’ range are European, and not making the trip to North America to go through the usual battery of workouts. That list includes Czech forward Jan Vesely, Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas and Congolese forward Bismack Biyombo, who is playing in Spain. The Raptors will have to go to Europe to see them again, after monitoring them this year.

And then there is the odd case of Turkish centre Enes Kanter. He dominated the Nike Hoops Summit last year, but was declared ineligible to play at the University of Kentucky last season because he received benefits while playing in Turkey.

The Raptors worked him out in Chicago on Monday, but there is very little actual game action to judge him on.

“Big, strong, physical player. He shot the ball fairly well [Monday],” Kelly said. “Someone asked, ‘Is he a true [centre]?’ I couldn’t really tell yesterday because he shot the ball so well from the faceup position. Yet he’s strong enough that he could pound people inside.”

Still, do you draft a player based on one workout and some outdated footage? That is a question the Raptors will have to ask themselves over and over again. It will not be the only one.

ekoreen@nationalpost.com

twitter.com/ekoreen

PROSPECT WATCH

The Toronto Raptors had 10 prospects in town yesterday, but only two are considered possibilities for the Raptors’ fifth-overall selection: Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight and Connecticut point guard Kemba Walker

BRANDON KNIGHT

Kentucky

Age 19, Freshman

Ht 6-foot-3 Wt 176 pounds

PPG 17.3 APG 4.2 FG% 42.3%

Mock drafts ESPN, 3rd; Draft Express, 3rd

The skinny Knight is considered to be the best point guard in the draft, despite still learning the position. His size is very good and gives him the tool to be an elite defender at the spot.

The Raptors say “We had seen him last week and the week before as well, plus numerous times this year. He’s a big-time athlete, big-time motor, can really fly up and down the court there.” – Jim Kelly, director of scouting

The player says “I just wanted to come here, just in case I did fall back in a position, just to make sure Toronto is comfortable picking me, to make sure I worked out with them, to make sure I didn’t leave any doubts in their minds. That’s why I came in Toronto. It’s a great place. I wouldn’t mind being here. Lovely place.” – Knight, on working out in Toronto despite high projections.

KEMBA WALKER

Connecticut

Age 21, Junior

Ht 6-foot-2 Wt 184 pounds

PPG 23.5 APG 4.5 FG% 42.8

Mock drafts Draft Express, 5th; ESPN, 7th

The skinny Walker’s role in Connecticut’s magical run to both the Big East and NCAA championships was simple: He did everything. However, memories of his scoring binges have some scouts and fans convinced he is more of a shoot-first player rather than a point guard.

The Raptors say “I think the situation called on him to be more of a scorer for the Connecticut team. They did not have great scoring punch. He was basically the first and second option they had on their team. I think he’s a versatile enough guard that he can do both, especially scoring the ball.” – Kelly

The player says “A lot of people question whether I’m a scoring guard or a passing guard. I had to score out of necessity for my team. This is the first year where I’ve really scored a lot of points. If you put me in a situation where I can get guys involved and there are guys willing to score for me, I can do it.” – Walker

Eric Koreen, National Post

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