Erick Dampier met with Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo and is expected to make a decision on a contract offer shortly. He sat and watched the second practice of the day with team officials but was not available to the media.

According to NBA sources, the Raptors and Houston Rockets have the best chance to land Dampier.

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have exercised the third year team option on the Rookie Scale Contract of guard-forward DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is now guaranteed through the 2011-12 season. In accordance with the league?s collective bargaining agreement, the Raptors had until October 31 to exercise their option on DeRozan. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

DeRozan, 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, was the ninth overall pick by Toronto in the 2009 NBA Draft out of the University of Southern California.

P.J. Carlesimo has a wealth of coaching experience, but he is shying away from having an authoritarian role as one of Jay Triano's assistants.

"No, I'm just here to do whatever Jay needs me to do," Carlesimo said. "We have a nice staff and I'm happy to be working with all of these guys. That (the role of heavy) hasn't been communicated to me. People have perceptions of people. I think all coaches hold people accountable; it's just different ways of doing it. When I was younger I was probably not as tactful as I could have been."

Reggie Evans believed he was being traded to Charlotte over the summer in a trade that included Jose Calderon, but he is comfortable remaining with the Raptors as the 10-11 season begins.

?Hey I'm not bitter about it, I?m not bitter at all, it is what it is,? Evans told the Toronto Sun on Tuesday.

?It ain?t like I?m mad, I?m not mad at BC (general manager Bryan Colangelo), it?s a business, I respect the business aspect of it.

?That doesn?t stop me from doing what I?ve got to do on the court or from being professional to my teammates. I?m still going to be like ?what?s up BC?? I don?t really think about it.?

In an interview on Sunday, Erick Dampier revealed that there are more teams pursuing him than just the Bucks and Rockets.

"I've talked to Milwaukee, Toronto, Portland, and one other team," he said after confirming talks with the Rockets as well. "There's no one in the No. 1 spot. I'm not in a rush. I just want to find the perfect fit and give myself an opportunity to compete for a championship."

Jay Triano spoke about Chris Bosh being a more reserved player during his tenure with the Raptors.

?When you talk about Chris being the leader in the locker room,? Triano told a Toronto radio station, ?I think it?s the one thing that he wasn?t for us.

?He did a great job of getting 24 points and 10, 11 rebounds on a regular basis, but Chris did not really take the leadership role into the locker room. He?s not a vocal person; he?s not a guy who really did that.?

The Raptors are searching the free agent and trade market for a frontcourt player due to injuries and a general lack of depth.

"With the injury to Ed Davis, there has been more talk about adding a big," Colangelo said Thursday. "There's a universe of bigs still out there."

Earl Barron, David Harrison, Primoz Brezec, Fabricio Oberto and Peter John Ramos would be on a list of possible additions.

"We probably lack a true five (center)," Colangelo said. "If there was a true five available, it would fill a potential need."

The Raptors did make a call to free-agent centre Erick Dampier, but he will reportedly sign with the Heat or Rockets.

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday that rookie forward Ed Davis underwent arthroscopic surgery this morning to repair a meniscus tear to his right knee.

He is expected to be participating in basketball-related activities within six weeks. Davis sustained the injury last Wednesday playing basketball.

The procedure was performed by team medical director/orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Paul Marks at Sunnybrook Hospital.

Ed Davis sustained a ?meniscal? injury to his right knee during a pickup game Wednesday night and the treatment options are still being determined.

Toronto's top draft choice from the 2010 NBA Draft was playing informally in Mississauga on Wednesday when the injury was sustained.

The team did not disclose details of any treatment for Davis, which could run from rest to arthroscopic surgery. Toronto begins training camp at the Air Canada Centre on Sept. 28.

The Raptors have signed veteran Ronald Dupree, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

Dupree has played in 154 NBA games over his five-year career.