The Raptors signed Slovenian forward Uros Slokar to a one-year contract on Thursday, making him the latest European to join the team.

Toronto selected Slokar with the 58th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft.
 
The 6-foot-11 Slokar played for Italy's Benetton Treviso the past three seasons and participated in the Raptors' entries in two summer leagues in 2005.

The Toronto Raptors have released Alvin Williams after the two sides came to an agreement on a buy out.

?I have the greatest respect for Alvin Williams, both as a basketball player and as a human being,? said Bryan Colangelo, president and general manager of the Raptors. ?Parting ways is simply something that needed to be done for this franchise and Alvin to both move forward.?

Williams has been sidelined by an injured right knee that has limited him to one game since March 19, 2004. He had microscopic surgery on the knee November 22, 2004 and arthroscopic surgery in December.

John Salmons chose an interesting way to explain why he decided to ultimately walk away from a verbal agreement with the Toronto Raptors.

"Originally, I felt like I had to make a decision," Salmons said. "But I didn't really feel [Toronto] was where God was leading me..."It was hard to tell [Bell], but I had to," he said. "It took all the courage in the world. I had faith something good would happen, but I'm human like anyone else; I was still nervous. I tried not to worry. Joel was pulling out his hair. Then a couple days later, he told me Sacramento had called... I slept on it. It felt right."

P.J. Tucker has agreed to a multi-year contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Tucker, 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, was an early entry candidate for the draft after three seasons at the University of Texas. He was taken by the Raptors with the 35th overall pick in June's NBA Draft.

Alvin Williams still has two years and $13.5-million remaining on his contract, but with Jorge Garbajosa and Fred Jones coming into Toronto, it is looking like the veteran could be waived.

Sources with the NBA club said the guard's contract is structured in such a manner that the Raptors would have to pay only about half the money if he is waived.

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed free agent forward Jorge Garbajosa to a multi-year contract.

?Jorge Garbajosa has contributed toward winning at every stop in his professional career,? said Bryan Colangelo, president and general manager of the Raptors. ?We anticipate he will bring experience, leadership and toughness to this basketball team.?

According to Fred Jones' agent Bill Duffy, his client will sign with the Toronto Raptors in the next few days.

The Pacers made a qualifying offer to Jones earlier this summer but rescinded the offer last week, making Jones an unrestricted free agent.

"We were behind the eight-ball," Duffy said. "Other situations were not available that would have been available because time had elapsed."

The Indiana Pacers are on the verge of finalizing a deal with the Mavericks for veteran point guard Darrell Armstrong in a sign-and-trade deal, according to people with knowledge of the situation. According to the Indianapolis Star, the Pacers will give up guard Anthony Johnson in the deal, while also receiving Mavericks forward Josh Powell.  

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Rawle Marshall will also be included from the Mavericks.

The deal is pending league approval, which could happen as early as Monday.

Johnson, who spent three seasons with the Pacers, was a steady contributor despite roles that ranged from third-string point guard to starter. He averaged 20.0 points, 5.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds while outplaying New Jersey's Jason Kidd in the Pacers' six-game, first-round playoff loss last season.

Trading Johnson, who said the team's "culture has to change" at the end of last season, avoids a point guard controversy with Jamaal Tinsley. Pacers president Larry Bird said Tinsley is "as good as you're going to get" if he is healthy in his season-ending news conference. Tinsley has battled injuries each of the past three seasons.

Sarunas Jasikevicius is also a candidate to be traded in the Pacers' crowded backcourt. Rookie James White and newly acquired Marquis Daniels can also play point guard.
The acquisition of Armstrong, a 13-year veteran, would give the Pacers a veteran voice in the locker room. He has averaged 10.1 points and 4.4 assists in his career. Powell, a rookie last season who went undrafted in 2003, averaged 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 37 games last season.

This is the second offseason trade for the Pacers, who sent Croshere to Dallas for Daniels.

Shooting guard Fred Jones could be the next Pacer traded. The Toronto Star reported today that Jones is headed to the Raptors. The deal could be finalized in the next couple of days.

With John Salmons backing out of a deal that would send him to Toronto, the club could make another pitch to 2005 second-round pick Roko Ukic, a 6-foot-5 point guard from Croatia.

"Until the window of opportunity is closed, I can't say it's not open," said Marc Cornstein, Ukic's agent, who held talks with Colangelo last month. "I'd still say it's more unlikely to happen than likely at this point, but stranger things have happened."

John Salmons has decided against joining the Toronto Raptors.

According to the Toronto Star, Salmons has backed out of a 5-year, $23 million sign and trade deal that would sent Salmons to the Raptors for a second round draft pick in 2007.

"Upon reviewing the basketball situation in Toronto, John decided it's not the best fit for him," said a statement released Friday from Salmons' agent, Joel Bell.

"In a very stressful and tough decision, he decided he could not accept the opportunity to play for the Raptors, even though he was excited about the prospect of being in Toronto."

Salmons previously had to make a decision as to whether he wanted to join the Raptors or the Phoenix Suns, but the Suns offer is now off the table after the team signed guard Marcus Banks to a deal similar to that rejected by Salmons.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out, I wish him the best," Toronto president and general manager Bryan Colangelo said last night.

Philadelphia have also rescinded their qualifying offer to Salmons, making the guard an unrestricted free agent.