Turns out a defensive switch might not be necessary for Paul Millsap to get a chance to guard DeMarre Carroll.
The Hawks host the Raptors tonight and the friends and teammates for the previous two seasons in Atlanta will face one another from opposite sidelines.
Millsap, the Hawks power forward, joked Wednesday morning that he was looking forward to setting a screen on Carroll and, hopefully, guard him on a switch. Carroll, the Raptors’ small forward, said he has been playing bigger at times this season with his new team.
“A good amount, maybe 15 minutes a night,” Carroll said of an expanded role with the Raptors. “I’ll have to guard Paul tonight. I’m really ready for it.”
Carroll left the Hawks after he signed a four-year, $60 million contract as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Raptors coach Duane Casey said Carroll was an offseason priority. He fly from Seattle to Atlanta on the first day of free agency in July to meet face-to-face with Carroll. The deal was done before he left.
“He has brought a defensive toughness, an air of toughness, and a defensive presence that we needed at that position,” Casey said. “DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross now don’t have to guard a bigger, stronger (small forwards). The plus that he has brought is his 3-point shooting. He is always a 3-point threat when he gets his feet set.
“And he’s the ultimate teammate. He is a leader by example. And he’s a great story. That’s the first thing I told him when we signed him. I love his story. The fact of where he’s come from and what he made himself into. He’s a self-made NBA player. I’ve admired him a lot from afar.”
Carroll said he is still trying to treat the game as just another in an 82-game schedule. He acknowledged it was “a great feeling” to be back in Atlanta and still appreciates the chance he got here from management and coaches.
“Basically, they gave me an opportunity, an opportunity to be successful and be successful at a high level,” Carroll said. “I was able to go to Toronto and impact the team and a great organization. I’m very happy and thankful.”
The Raptors are counting that Carroll will bring his experience with the Hawks and turn it into a leadership role. Carroll recalled his first season when the Hawks went 38-44 and had at one point lost 14 of 15 games. The following year, they went 60-22 and had a 19-game winning streak. Valuable lessons. He intends to impart them on his new teammates.
“That is one of the things I always tell the team I’m with right now,” Carroll said. “It’s a process. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. Take your time. Keep getting better. Winning solves everything. Let’s try to win.”
Carroll said he is enjoying his time in Toronto. His family is about to grow as his wife his expected a son in January. The due date is the same as that of his daughter, who was born during Carroll’s first season in Atlanta. He missed the Hawks’ game in London that year for the birth. Coincidentally, he will miss another chance to play in England as the Raptors are scheduled to play there this season at the same time his wife his due.
“I’m happy to be with Toronto,” Carroll said. “They welcomed me with open arms. This is the next phase of my life.”
About the Author
