Raptors find some divine intervention in John Salmons

TORONTO — The most serendipitous aspect of this surprise season for the Toronto Raptors is that it could have been anybody who came from Sacramento in the Rudy Gay trade. Gay makes about US$19-million annually, which meant the Raptors had to take back approximately the same amount in return.

Those “anybodies” have identities, though. The Raptors received Greivis Vasquez, who solved the team’s backup point guard problem. They got Patrick Patterson, who became one of the league’s best reserve forwards the minute he cleared customs, or so it seemed. And in addition to the sparingly used Chuck Hayes, they got swingman John Salmons.

That part of the acquisition was particularly rich. Salmons spurned the Raptors when he was a free agent in 2006, citing divine intervention. He signed with the Kings, angering many Raptors fans. Yet here was Salmons, well into the back half of his career, forced to come to Toronto to spend at least three-quarters of a season wasting away on what was supposed to be a bad Raptors team.

“Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. That’s true. I had no idea what to expect,” Salmons said on Wednesday. “I didn’t know what my situation was going to be with the team. I didn’t know if I was going to play or if I wasn’t going to play or how good the team could be.”

The Raptors play the Kings for the second time this season on Friday, and Salmons is delighted, albeit in his own stoic manner. His playing time has taken a hit — he played 30 minutes per game for the Kings, and is at 24 for the Raptors — but his time likely would have dipped in Sacramento as the season progressed. Most importantly, the Raptors are winning, and his new coaching staff adores him.

Since Salmons played his first game for Toronto, the Raptors have scored 6.5 more points per 100 possessions than they have allowed when he has been on the floor. Most of that is due to his defensive contributions, as the second unit has been particularly excellent on that end of the floor. The Raptors have allowed just 96.8 points per 100 possessions while Salmons has played, a figure that would be good enough for second overall in the league, behind only Indiana. Yet, his influence extends beyond that.

I didn’t know if I was going to play or if I wasn’t going to play or how good the team could be

“I think it was the Atlanta game here at home,” coach Dwane Casey said of the Feb. 12 game against the Hawks. “We were struggling offensively. He made a point, saying, ‘Don’t let our offence dictate our defence.’ He was exactly on the money. He just said that out of the blue in the locker room to the players, at halftime. That was a huge statement coming from a player. Usually coaches have to say [that].”

Or as Casey put it before last week’s triple-overtime loss to Washington, making reference to the famous advertising campaign for the brokerage firm: “He’s like E.F. Hutton: When John Salmons speaks, people listen. He rarely speaks, but when he does, it’s profound.”

Salmons says that because of his experience in the league, he has trouble letting small mistakes go. At 34, he is in his 12th season. The 76ers, the team Salmons broke in with in 2002, made the second round of the playoffs in his rookie season. He has not returned to the post-season, losing in the first round in Philadelphia, Chicago and Milwaukee. In two stints with the Kings, the team never made the playoffs.

“It goes quick. It goes quick,” Salmons said of his career. “My first year, going to the second round, you think that’s going to happen every year. As we all know, it doesn’t … We have a chance to go far in the playoffs.”

Casey is thrilled to have Salmons around, in part because his habits might positively influence second-year starter Terrence Ross. Salmons is glad to pass on the lessons taught to him by 76ers veterans Aaron McKie, Eric Snow and Monty Williams, who is now New Orleans’ coach. He is happier for his own sake, though.

“It has turned out great,” Salmons said. “God is good.”

Anybody could have come here from Sacramento. That it was Salmons makes this season feel even more charmed.


(nationalpost.com)