By RaptorTalk


Tonight the Toronto Raptors meet the Sacramento Kings in their first post Christmas game and it got me to thinking about John Salmons.

Before we get to that, the Kings are 7-22, having lost 4 in a row. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games. Sactown is 5-8 at home, even though Arco is near the bottom in attendance and no longer the intimidating arena it was back in the days of Peja/Vlade/Webber/Bibby & Christie.

This is a very winnable game and the Raptors need it because tomorrow's back-to-back with Portland won't be easy.

           


John Salmons and the Raptors

I have maintained that while planning is important to building an elite team, history has proven that successful GM's have been the benificiary of plain old good luck! Conversely, team's that struggle often are struck by bad luck.

Lady Luck put Michael Jordan in Chicago, she made it possible for Tim Duncan to land in San Antonio and like magic - she moved Shaquille O'Neal from Orlando to the Lakers. Unfortunately, Lady Luck was not in Bryan Colangelo's corner when he appeared to be certain to pluck John Salmons out of Philadelphia.

Of course, the story goes that John Salmons had a handshake agreement to a sign & trade deal which would have landed him in Toronto for a conditional 2nd round pick and a five year deal for $23 million. Then God supposedly spoke and told John to back out of the Toronto deal and sign in Sacramento.

The Raptors have still not filled the gap in the swingman position and Salmons would have been a solid contributor.

There is no doubt the Raptors would be much more successful at this point under Bryan if John Salmons had followed through and signed with the Raptors. Looking back, that simple twist of fate had a bigger impact on the Raptors than anyone of us could have known at the time.

Salmons is averaging 20.0 ppg, .505 FG%, .427 3 pt % and .806 FT %. Imagine if Salmons had been playing wing for Toronto for the past 3 seasons?

There would be no Fred Jones, no Juan Dixon, no Primo Brezic and likely no Jason Kapono. Most importantly, the Raptors would have secured the SG/SF they so desperately need.

And Bryan Colangelo's managerial record would be a lot better if not for plain old bad luck (and God).