Is money that important to Toronto? To me, the raptors are just trying to make a point, and I think it will backfire. http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/346433 Raptors launch lawsuit at Spanish federation Team says Spain has yet to pay Toronto its share of Garbajosa insurance Mar 15, 2008 04:30 AM Doug Smith Sports Reporter DENVER–Bryan Colangelo's scouting trip to Europe just got a lot more interesting. The Raptors president and general manager is embarking on a long-scheduled trip to Rome, Barcelona, Istanbul and Athens next week. During that time, he likely will see Spanish basketball federation officials to discuss the lawsuit the Raptors filed yesterday, suing the federation for money Toronto says it is owed on the Jorge Garbajosa insurance claim. The lawsuit, believed to have been filed in Toronto, was launched "for non-payment of insurance proceeds related to Garbajosa's injury," the team said in a statement. Raptors officials were mum on the specifics of the deal. It's not clear how much of the $1 million (U.S.) insurance policy they seek or how much of the $4 million salary they paid Garbajosa this year they might want to recoup. The Spanish federation took out a $1 million insurance policy on Garbajosa to allow him to play in last summer's European championships. The policy was to give the Raptors financial recourse if Garbajosa further injured the left leg and ankle he originally hurt playing for Toronto in a game in March, 2007. That injury kept him out of the final 12 games of the regular season plus the playoffs, and the team wanted him to continue his rehabilitation through the summer rather than risk further injury by playing for Spain. But after reaching an agreement on the insurance issue, the Raptors agreed to let Garbajosa play for his national team. He didn't re-injure the leg during that tournament but started the NBA season at less than 100 per cent. He eventually had another surgery on his ankle and leg in early December. He hasn't returned to the lineup yet, and although he's now walking normally and doing some on-court work, it's questionable whether he'll be able to play at all this season.
