Report: Raptors' Carroll targeting late March return

The Toronto Raptors have yet to see much of a return on their investment after signing former Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll to a four-year, $60-million contract this past offseason.

The defensive wing has only played in 23 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Jan. 6, with head coach Dwane Casey using the likes of Terrence Ross, James Johnson, and Norman Powell in his stead.

Carroll, 29, is targeting the end of March for a potential return to the lineup, and could be back on the floor within the next two weeks, according to TSN's Josh Lewenberg.

The issue, though, is that the team isn't as optimistic as Carroll as it pertains to when he'll be able to compete, reports Lewenberg. The playoffs are roughly a month away, so rather than risk reinjuring his knee, Toronto may elect to play it safe with a player they hope takes on a major role in getting the team out of the first round.

His on-court activity during practices and shootarounds has been taken up a notch over the past few weeks, with Carroll participating in one-on-one drills with some of the coaches, as well as light shooting and conditioning.

The Raptors haven't faltered in Carroll's absence, as they currently hold the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 44-20 record, and are well on their way to reaching the 50-win mark for the first time in franchise history.

When he has suited up, Carroll is averaging 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 32 minutes per game.