Raptors unlikely to play home games in Toronto this season

The Toronto Raptors announced that they will not be returning to Scotiabank Arena anytime soon, as the team is still restricted from playing home games in Canada. The Raptors will likely continue to play their home games in Tampa Bay for the remainder of the season.

Currently, teams based in Canada have been forced to relocate due to the ongoing pandemic, as the Canadian government does not want players constantly traveling back and forth from the U.S. Canadian travel restrictions would require players to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival, which is simply not feasible for the NBA schedule.

The Raptors have been playing at the Amalie Arena, where the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning play, but had hoped to be able to return to Canada at some point. However, there is no end in sight for the pandemic,so the team will continue to play in Florida. Raptors president Masai Ujiri said that the team was grateful to Tampa for taking them in but admitted they had hoped to get to Toronto.

"Florida has been really welcoming to us and we're so grateful for the hospitality we've found in Tampa and at Amalie – we're living in a city of champions, and we intend to carry on the tradition of winning for our new friends and fans here. But home is where the heart is, and our hearts are in Toronto. We think often of our fans, of our Scotiabank Arena family, and all those we are missing back home, and we can't wait until we can all be together again."