If Bryan Colangelo was looking for durability behind starting point guard Jose Calderon, there were few better fits than Jarrett Jack.
The Raptors officially introduced Jack yesterday, signing the free-agent guard to a $20-million US, four-year deal as the GM continues to revamp his roster. "This is another piece of the puzzle that is, hopefully, going to bring it all together," Colangelo said.
The Raptors went a disappointing 33-49 last season, and much of their losses came with Calderon on the bench, out for large chunks of the season with a hamstring injury.
The reliable Jack is one of just 11 National Basketball Association players to appear in all 82 games in each of the past two seasons -- last year with Indiana where he supplanted former Raptor T.J. Ford for the starter's job, and the previous season in Portland.
"To describe me in a nutshell is being tough," Jack said. "There are things along the road, going through this NBA journey that you're going to have to play through, and injury and not being 100 per cent every night are part of it."
The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder will be reunited with former Georgia Tech teammate Chris Bosh. The Raptors star and team captain was the first person Jack called after learning of Toronto's interest.
"Chris actually thought I was playing a prank on him, thought I was lying to him. The next day it hit the media and he was excited."
Jack, acquired by the Pacers in a five-player trade a year ago, averaged a career-high 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season. He's a versatile player who can line up at either point guard or shooting guard, and is a decent shooter and a hard-nosed defender. He's also earned a reputation around the league as a great teammate in the locker-room.
