TORONTO

The Raptors will have a new-look coaching staff and a new-look offence in 2013-14.

The team announced further changes to Dwane Casey’s staff on Thursday.

Bill Bayno has officially left the Minnesota Timberwolves and will focus on Toronto’s defence, which slipped significantly last season, a year after the team surprisingly emerged as a defensive force during Casey’s initial campaign.

Bayno spent the past two seasons with the Wolves, previously was an assistant in Portland and was a long-time NCAA coach.

Casey said there will be a major focus on player development this season.

“Bill Bayno is one of the best in the league as far as player development (is concerned),” Casey said in a conference call.

“I’ve known Bill for a long time. He did an excellent job of working with guys, developing players.

“Jesse (Mermuys, hired away from Houston) did a good job (during his four years in) Denver, and working with James Harden in Houston, he has a good relationship with players.”

Mermuys was an assistant coach/director of player development with the Rockets.

Toronto also moved Jama Mahlalela to the bench after two seasons spent in the front office as director of player development.

A Raptors employee since 2006, Mahlalela began in community development, leading various hoops clinics throughout Canada. He also was named director of basketball operations for NBA Asia in 2009 and worked in Hong Kong.

“Jama is one of the best player relations, player development guys that we have and I saw that. He also was on the court with us and I’ve seen the talent he has as far as teaching on the court, working with guys,” Casey said.

“That was the strength we were looking for in each assistant coach.”

Mahlalela was born in Swaziland and raised there and in Toronto and later played for the University of British Columbia. He also spent four years as an assistant at the University of Toronto.

Former D-League coach of the year Nick Nurse was previously added to the coaching staff and incumbents Tom Sterner and shooting guru John Townsend are expected to return as well.

Unlike a year ago, Casey and his crew will have a star player on hand in Rudy Gay and a healthy Jonas Valanciunas.

Casey liked what he saw from Valanciunas, the Vegas summer league MVP, and intends to make the big Lithuanian far more of a factor where the offence is concerned.

“That’s part of the offence that will change quite a bit because he has developed into the type of player that we can go to on a consistent basis far more than we did last year,” Casey said of Valanciunas.

“He’s done a good job this summer not only scoring out of the low post, but of reading defences, understanding when to pass, when to score, when to attack.

“He’s going to get his big portion of the offence run through him, around him, not only just to score out of the low post, but to quarterback.”

Casey also said that having spent a couple of weeks with DeMar DeRozan, he has noticed an uptick in his shooting that could impact how the offence performs.

The Raptors struggled significantly from outside in 2012-13.

“He’s really improved (his three-point shooting). Now the challenge for DeMar is doing it when the popcorn’s popping, at 7 o’clock at night, whether it’s in New York or Milwaukee and make sure he makes those shots,” Casey said.

“It’s a big help for us to have that three-point threat when you do have a low-post guy like Jonas.

And then also adding a guy like Steve Novak, one of the best three-point shooters in the world, is going to help our offensive output.”

Still, Casey made it clear that he’d return to his roots this fall.

“This year isn’t going to be about offence, we’re going to start out the year going into training camp with a huge emphasis on defence. That’s going to be a big part of what we do, probably 60% of training camp,” he said.

RAPTORS RETURNING TO HALIFAX

The Raptors will make an abbreviated return to Halifax this fall.

After holding training camp there from Oct. 1-6 last year, the team announced Thursday that the 2013 return would only take place on Oct. 4 and 5, including an intra-squad game on the 5th at the Halifax Metro Centre.

“It works out perfect,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said of returning to Halifax and using facilities he called top-notch.

“Our pre-season schedule starts out on the road. Halifax was a great, great venue for our team last year and we wanted to make sure we got back there this year.”

Last year’s scrimmage attracted more than 8,700 fans and raised $56,000 for local charities.

“The Raptors have a huge fan base in our community and when an opportunity like this comes along to engage fans and support local charitable organizations at the same time, it is a win for everyone,” said Scott Ferguson, president and CEO of Trade Centre Limited, the provincial Crown corporation that manages the Halifax Metro Centre.

A voluntary donation of $10 per ticket is suggested for admission to this year’s event, benefitting Feed Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame Education Program, Kidsport Nova Scotia and YWCA Supportive Housing for Young Mothers.

The Raptors will also hold two youth basketball clinics and host a mentoring session for 40 local coaches.