TORONTO - Jorge Garbajosa and the Toronto Raptors have parted company.
And now, with the lengthy and sometimes contentious negotiations finally behind him, the veteran forward has turned his focus on the Beijing Olympics.
''I will not complete my year left in Toronto,'' Garbajosa said in a statement from the Spanish Basketball Federation. ''Now I will have to see what I do in the future. I have not considered anything because I've just signed my departure from Toronto.''
The Raptors reached an agreement to buy out the contract of Garbajosa, the Spanish forward whose career in Toronto was cut short by a serious leg injury.
Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo flew to Madrid on Tuesday to complete the negotiations with Garbajosa, the Spanish federation and their insurance company.
''After a long, difficult and sometimes emotional process stemming from a traumatic injury to a key player, it was concluded that parting ways was the best thing for both Jorge and the Raptors organization,'' said Colangelo. ''We wish Jorge nothing but the best with his basketball future.''
Garbajosa, who joined the Raptors in 2006-07 as a 29-year-old rookie, had one year and US$4.25 million left on his contract. The buyout needs only to be rubber-stamped by the NBA, which could happen as early as the next day or two.
''This is a joint decision for various reasons,'' Garbajosa said. ''The more important of all is that it was the best for all parties involved.''
While the buyout could mean the end of Garbajosa's career in the NBA, it does allows him to play for Spain in the Beijing Olympics.
''The doctors are happy with how I'm feeling,'' he said. ''Aito (Spanish coach Garcia Reneses) has spoken to me several times and he is interested in my situation.''
Garbajosa's rookie season ended prematurely when he suffered a gruesome broken leg and displaced ankle in a game in Boston on March 26, 2007. He missed the remainder of the season and playoffs.
The six-foot-nine forward played just seven games of this past season before tests showed his injury wasn't fully healed. He underwent season-ending surgery.
Garbajosa was still on the mend from his broken leg when he played for Spain in last summer's European championships, against the Raptors' recommendations and only after the Spanish federation took out a $1-million insurance policy on the forward.
The Spanish federation is happy to have the veteran forward back in the mix for Beijing.
''Jorge is perfectly recovered from his injury and this for us is the best news,'' federation president Joe Luis Saez said in a statement. ''To be able to have Jorge with us is gratifying because he is a player that has given everything to the national team and he wants to continue to give it.''