Now with the Miami Heat, center Alonzo Mourning says he is sorry if Toronto fans feel ?duped? over him not playing for the Raptors after being sent there as part the Vince Carter trade with the New Jersey Nets.

?I knew I wasn't going to win in Toronto,? Mourning said.

"I apologize," Mourning said in his first public discussion of the Dec. 17 trade which made him a Raptor ? at least theoretically?and sent Vince Carter to New Jersey. "That was my main purpose of not stepping foot in Toronto at all, not to raise anyone's hopes or anything like that.

Mourning is adamant that the Toronto staff was made aware by the New Jersey execs that there was a good chance Mourning would not report to the club.

"I'm 35 years old and I've been a part of rebuilding teams and considering my health situation, I didn't want to be in a situation where I was going to waste my time out on the court," Mourning said.

"I want a reward for my efforts and I'm not saying Toronto didn't have the talent to get into the playoffs, especially if I had come there to contribute but it's not about getting into the playoffs for me any more. I'm at a stage in my career where I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to do this so if I do it, I want to do it on a level where I can see a reward at the end of it."