Spanish duo Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa, now Raptors teammates, are already in Toronto, part of a large contingent of Raptors in town to get ready for what should be an interesting NBA season, the Globe And Mail is reporting.

If Garbajosa can perform at anything close to the level he did for Spain this summer -- particularly in the medal round -- the encouragement Calderon provided to his friend to make the jump from Europe might turn out to be the second-year point guard's most important assist yet.

"For me, having him [Calderon] here as a friend and a teammate, everything is going to be easier for me," said Garbajosa, who signed a three-year, $12-million (U.S.) contract this summer.

The Raptors are likely hoping that the presence of Garbajosa, who described Calderon as his basketball soulmate this summer, will help Calderon maximize his game.

While Calderon showed glimpses of superior playmaking ability in the first half of the season and finished eighth in the league in assists over 48 minutes, with 9.3, his perimeter-shooting problems (he made only seven of 43 three-pointers) allowed defences to sag off him and limited his effectiveness. An ankle injury and foot problems also hampered him, and eventually his confidence sagged.

"I didn't play the way I expected to play," Calderon said. "I started the season well, but after the injuries, for some reason I didn't play great. But I worked hard this summer, I played with confidence and I will try to bring that confidence here."