TORONTO - NBA labour troubles? New ownership? New coach?

None of that mattered to the Toronto Raptors on Friday as they opened training camp -- they're just worried about defence.

"Today was a lot of drills, a lot of conditioning but all focused on defence," said point guard Jose Calderon. "Just trying to get everybody on the same page, what we want to do and how we're going to do it."

The Raptors were back on the Air Canada Centre's practice court after being locked out for five months during the NBA's labour dispute between players and owners.

Both sides ratified a new collective bargaining agreement on Thursday, but the season had to be cut down to a tight 66-game schedule.

That made Friday's training camp the first time Toronto's coaches could speak to their players in preparation for a brief two-game pre-season against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 18 and 21.

The quick turnaround was especially tough on the Raptors, who hired new head coach Dwane Casey on June 21.

"Basketball is basketball," said Casey. "The No. 1 thing is that we know where our weakness lies -- mostly on the defensive end. That's why I'm very comfortable and very confident that I know what we need to do."

Casey was the architect of the Dallas Mavericks defence last year, helping the team to its first league championship.

Toronto allowed an average of 105.35 points per game in the 2010-11 season, fifth worst in the NBA.

Casey began training camp by discussing with players what the Raptors needed to do to improve this season.

"We had a good team meeting today," said Casey. "Each player talked about what we need to do as a team. What progress needs to be made, some of the problems last year, some of the ways we can fix the problems from last year."

The Raptors remain undaunted by the lack of preparation time or the unfamiliar face running practise.

"It's a short pre-season, we have a new coach, but I think we have a good balance with everything," said Calderon. "We know each other, we know what we got to say to each other to help each other, make everyone accountable."

Casey isn't the only new addition to the Raptors. Centre Jamaal Magloire signed with his hometown team as a free agent on Friday.

Magloire is the first Canadian to ever play for the Raptors and is also the oldest player on the team at 33-years old.

Magloire wanted to send a message to his new teammates on the first day of training camp.

"Dive on the floor for loose balls, be vocal and set the tone on defence," said Magloire. "The culture is going to change this year."

Magloire believes that he and his new coach have similar ideas on defence.

"Coach Casey is a defensive-minded coach, he knows what he's talking about," said Magloire, who faced Casey's Mavs in the NBA Finals as a member of the Miami Heat. "He won against us last year. So I've seen him, I've seen a lot of his work and I'm looking forward to working with him."

A short pre-season and a new coach would be enough distraction for any team.

However, the Raptors also learned Friday morning that Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment -- the parent company of the NBA team as well as the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS' Toronto FC and the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies -- was being acquired by Rogers and Bell, two rival communications companies.

"We just got to concentrate and do our thing here and try to do our best," said Calderon, who was told about the acquisition by Richard Peddie, president and CEO of MLSE. "If that was the best for the company, then for sure, it's all for the better.

"We just got to keep working and trying to do our best for the Raptors."

Magloire agrees.

"I'm very happy, they're a good group -- both Bell and Rogers -- and my understanding is that not much is going to change."