After meeting with Antonio Davis and coach Sam Mitchell yesterday in the wake of the trade that sent Jalen Rose and a first-round pick to the New York Knicks for the veteran centre, Raptors interim general manager Wayne Embry said he is cautiously optimistic the ex-Raptor will report early next week.
Davis, who happened to be in Toronto yesterday because the Knicks lost 104-90 at the Air Canada Centre Friday night, underwent a physical with the Raptors, returned to New York to pick up his clothes and then made his way back to Chicago to talk to his infamous wife, Kendra.
"We made a trade for him, yeah (he's going to show up)," Mitchell said. "That's my feeling right now.
"We didn't ask for his word. We never asked him to cross his heart, hope to die, stick a needle in his eye. He's a professional, he's going to honour his contract. Antonio's a professional, the president of the players' association and he's going to do the right thing."
The Raptors are extending the 48-hour window players usually have to report to their new team and Embry said he hasn't contemplated the organization's next move if Davis doesn't check in. While Davis is very disappointed the Knicks shipped him out, he would be giving up more than $6 million US by not playing with the Raptors. The team would be under no pressure to buy out his contract because it expires at season's end. However, Embry said if Davis really doesn't want to be here, he'll do his best to move him.
"Out of respect to him, if there is a place he'd rather be, we'll try to accommodate him," Embry said. "I've always felt if a guy didn't want to be with you, you're spinning your wheels."