Shawn Marion, left, and Marcus Banks meet the Toronto media on Tuesday afternoon. (Darren Calabrese/Associated Press)

The Toronto Raptors begin life without centre Jermaine O'Neal when they host Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night.

The Raptors made a major move last Friday ahead of the weekend's all-star festivities in Phoenix, trading O'Neal and forward Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks.

Marion and Banks will make their debuts for their new team against the Cavs, as the Raptors push to get back into the playoff race.

Marion seems pleased by what awaits him in Toronto.

"The way coach basically explained it to me, we're going to get up and down the court a little bit more. It's going to be more fun to go out there and just play ball, basically," Marion said.

"The game is supposed to be exciting. I'm tired of playing that boring style, halfcourt, just watching everybody go up and run a play, call this play, run this play.

"That's boring, I'm not going to lie to you. I know fans don't enjoy it, either."

O'Neal, a six-time all-star, was in his first season with the Raptors after being acquired in an off-season deal that sent T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Indiana Pacers.

Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo had hoped the 30-year-old would be able to return to health after several injury-plagued seasons and form a formidable frontcourt duo with star forward Chris Bosh.

Unfortunately, O'Neal has been slowed by sore knees, and he missed 14 of the Raptors' 55 games.

Toronto won its last two games before the all-star break to improve to 21-34, but sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, 5½ out of a playoff spot, so the team has to start making up some ground.

"Twenty-seven games to go, you let it all out there," Colangelo said. "We've got to do everything we can to make this thing come together as quickly as possible.

"It's got to come together fast. We'll do what we can to make it work."

Bosh gives thumbs up

Bosh is looking forward to playing with Marion.

"Just the way he runs the floor and the way he rebounds, I think he can really help us," Bosh said. "And he makes decisions very quickly.

"He's a vet, he's been playing for a long time, he knows how to defend the right way. He works hard on both ends and he's kind of one of those guys you don't think about, but are very effective."

As for Banks, he feels he can offer the Raptors a physical presence on the court

"I think I'm going to be able to provide some toughness," said the guard. "I'm not going to back down to anyone, especially point guards. I feel like I can come out and put some pressure on them, make guards guard me on the other end, too."

With files from Canadian Press