The Toronto Raptors don’t know what the near future holds for DeMarre Carroll.

In fairness, neither does Carroll.

With barely two weeks remaining before the NBA playoffs begin both parties are about to find out.

Indications are Carroll will resume basketball workouts in the coming days with an eye towards ramping up activity in time to return to the Raptors lineup before the close of the regular season, which ends on April 13.

Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said he didn’t have an update on Carroll at Wednesday morning’s shootaround prior to the Raptors’ game against the visiting Atlanta Hawks. The team is expecting that Carroll will speak with the media before the game.

The Raptors’ high-profile free agent signee has been out of the lineup since Jan. 4 and had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in New York on Jan. 6. The initial hope was Carroll would be able to return to the lineup within eight or 10 weeks and as the small forward was regularly seen doing drills with assistant coaches before games and after practices, there was optimism the time frame would be maintained.

But as the 10-week mark passed a week ago and Carroll’s presence around the team diminished, questions were raised, although he was said to be in Atlanta tending to a personal matter.

Before the Raptors left for a three-game road trip beginning in Boston on March 23 Carroll had begun participating in light scrimmages but as has been the case previously when the intensity level of his basketball workouts increased, his knee would show some swelling — raising concerns — although Carroll hasn’t been in pain.

In recent days Carroll has sought second opinions and had further consultation with the doctor who performed the surgery. If he’s assured that his knee is sound he will begin the process of ramping up his training intensity again. How the joint responds will dictate whether Carroll can return to the lineup and in what capacity. If problems persist or reappear, the likelihood of him returning to competition this season would be in doubt.

Simply looking at the Raptors’ remaining schedule and potential practice days, the most likely scenario would see Carroll targeting a return to play in the Raptors’ final three games of the season, beginning Sunday April 10 in New York against the Knicks, although it could be sooner.

Carroll has played just 23 games this season due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot and his knee problem. The good news is his foot problems are completely cleared.

Given that he’s missed so much time, the club isn’t banking on Carroll being able to play nearly 40 minutes a night at both forward spots, which was what they envisioned when they signed him to a four-year, $60-million contract in the summer after his breakout year with the Atlanta Hawks.

But if he can return and get up to speed in time to provide them even half those minutes in the post-season it would be a bonus, as the Raptors could certainly use his length and three-point shooting regardless of who they draw in the first round.

But even that level of expectation hinges on how Carroll’s knee responds in the next week or 10 days. Any further flare-ups and the possibility remains that Carroll won’t return to the lineup this season.

Carroll is averaging 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds a game on 38.8 per cent shooting from the floor.