DeMarre Carroll is arguably one of the main reasons why the Atlanta Hawks flew high last season, but salary issues compelled the prized small forward to sign up with the Toronto Raptors instead.
On the first day of the NBA Free Agency period, Carroll surprisingly agreed to join the Raptors for receive $60 million spread over four years.
The move came as a surprise since the Hawks relied on Carroll for the dirty work, particularly on the defensive end. And now the cat is out of the bag as Carroll sheds light on why he signed up with the Raptors.
It turns out that the things got complicated when the Hawks traded for Tiago Splitter, and as a result, were forced to choose between Carroll and power forward Paul Millsap. The Hawks chose Millsap, who agreed to a three-year pact worth $59 million.
Carroll later found himself a new home in Toronto, where he would be needed and wanted. And with that move, the Hawks just lost one of their tough guys and perhaps one of the best defenders in the NBA today.
The Hawks surprised many by winning 60 games in the regular season, a feat achieved despite the fact that the Hawks were not touted among the favorites last season.
But as the Hawks started their playoff run, the team sputtered, and Carroll did say that it became complacent and took its foot off the gas pedal. The Hawks were eliminated in the Eastern NBA Conference Finals when the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers swept them in four games.
With his departure, questions now arise on whether the Hawks can duplicate their performance last season. The shooting will still be there, but Carroll is a big loss, especially on the defensive end, for coach Mike Budenholzer.
The Memphis Grizzlies drafted Carroll, 27th overall, in the first round of the NBA draft in 2009, and he played mostly of the bench during that time. As a journeyman, he has played for the Dakota Wizards of the NBA D-League, the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz before joining the Hawks.
