TORONTO (AP) -Raptors rookie forward Nathan Jawai, sidelined since training camp because of an unidentified heart abnormality, has been cleared to begin workouts.
“It’s going to be a little bit of time before he’s in any kind of shape to play but at least we can start working with him and hopefully get him ready to help out some time in the New Year,” coach Jay Triano said Wednesday.
Jawai was cleared to begin workouts after a medical visit on Tuesday, is expected to need a month of workouts before he’s ready to play.
“As far as the technical aspect of it and tactical aspects of the game, he’s right there with everything that we’re doing so I don’t expect it will take him long,” Triano said. “It’s just going to be the actual movements and the physical conditioning, how sore he gets after not doing anything for as long as he has.”
Drafted 41st overall by Indiana last June, Jawai was part of the July 9 deal that saw Toronto trade guard T.J. Ford to the Pacers for forward Jermaine O’Neal.
Jawai is the first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team.
Knicks guard Cuttino Mobley retired from the NBA because of a heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, that he said has gotten worse.
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