Say hello to the newest NBA team: Tampa Bay Raptors.
The 2019 NBA champions Toronto Raptors officially announced on Friday that the team will temporarily relocate to Tampa Bay for the start of the 2020/21 NBA season. The decision comes after the team couldn’t get the Canadian government to loosen their coronavirus pandemic-related travel restrictions for “non-essential” travelers.
Raptors, however, remain hopeful that they still might get to play at home at some point this season if the health situation improves.
“They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m not sure that’s possible for us — we love Toronto and Canada, and we know we have the best fans in the NBA,” said Raptors’ president Masai Ujiri in a statement issued on Friday. “For now, I’ll ask you to cheer for us from afar, and we’ll look forward to the day we are all together again.”
Raptors expected that they might have to find a new home for some time now, which is why the organization spent the past couple of weeks looking for alternatives. There were reportedly several locations in play, including Florida, but the team ended up settling on Tampa.
Raptors will be the first NBA club in the city and are scheduled to play in Amalie Arena. They will share their new hope with reigning Stanley Cup champs Tampa Bay Lightning.
The new NBA season is scheduled to kick off on December 22nd, while the teams are expected to enter the training camp on December 1st.
