In this Sept 10, 2020 photo, Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at Advent Health Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (MICHAEL REAVES / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

WASHINGTON - Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri confirmed on Friday that the team will start the 2020-21 NBA season playing home games in Tampa, Florida due to COVID-19 travel restrictions between Canada and the United States.

The Raptors would have been free to travel in the US, but the team would have been subjected to a 14-day quarantine whenever they returned to Canada

"The Raptors worked diligently with public health officials at the local, provincial and federal level to secure a plan that would permit us to play our 2020-21 season on home soil and on our home court at Scotiabank Arena," Masai Ujiri, the team's president of basketball operations, said in a statement.

"Ultimately, the current public health situation facing Canadians, combined with the urgent need to determine where we will play means that we will begin our 2020-21 season in Tampa, Florida.

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"We want to thank all levels of government and their public health officials for their dedication to this process, and for looking after the health of Canadians. We commit to continuing our work together, planning for a safe return to play in Toronto," he added.

The Raptors would have been free to travel in the US, but the team would have been subjected to a 14-day quarantine whenever they returned to Canada.

Other US teams visiting Toronto for games would also have been subject to the same protocol.

The Raptors will play home games at Amalie Arena, home of the National Hockey League (NHL) champions Tampa Bay Lightning. No other details were disclosed, including how long the Raptors plan to stay in Florida.