NEW YORK - In the summer of 2006 John Salmons nixed a sign-and-trade deal that would have made him a Raptor heading into the prime of his career. Jaxson Hayes Jersey . He was 26 years old at the time and coming off his best season in Philadelphia. But his faith had led him in a different direction, it led him to Sacramento. Over seven years later, his career has come around full circle. He starred for playoff teams in Chicago and Milwaukee, ended up back with the Kings and now, fate - in the form of a seven-player swap - has finally steered him to Toronto. The 34-year-old swingman was supposed to be a spare part in the salary dump of Rudy Gay, a contract that could be bought out at an affordable price in the offseason or moved at the deadline. He still may end up being those things but two weeks into his ironic tenure in Toronto, he has brought something no one expected him to, something the Raptors have been without for years. As head coach Dwane Casey has put it, Salmons brings "old-school toughness." "He has a settling effect when hes in the game and it helps us," Casey said of Salmons, who is averaging 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds, playing just under 26 minutes per game in six contests with the Raptors. "He doesnt get rattled." A versatile defender, Salmons has been used to frustrate the opponents best wing player, most notably Monta Ellis and Kevin Durant in a pair of surprising road victories last week. Hes been one of the first players off Caseys bench, a facilitator in the offence down the stretch but most importantly, hes been a calming presence in the face of adversity and thats rubbing off on his new teammates. After engineering a 19-point comeback in Dallas and withstanding a run from the leagues best team in Oklahoma City, the team pointed to Salmons and his understated brand of leadership. "Im not a rah-rah guy at all," the even-keeled Salmons admitted after Sundays win over the Thunder. "But Ive been around for a long time, Ive experienced a lot so I just try to give my advice when I can." "Being in the league as long as Ive been Ive seen a lot of things and I just try to show poise on the court and lead like that." If you didnt know any better you could easily mistake Salmons unflappable persona for indifference but that, as his new coach has learned, is not the case. "Hes very quiet, [a] quiet leader," Casey said. "He does more [with] his actions than his words but hes a solid man. You engage him in conversation and he has a lot to say. People take that quietness for, whatever but he has a lot to say once you sit down and talk with him. "I like his demeanour. I like his approach. Hes an old-school pro." Its been some time since the Raptors have rostered a vet able and willing to make that type of impact on the teams younger players. You may have to go all the way back to the days of Charles Oakley, Kevin Willis, Doug Christie and the veteran-laden teams that helped turn Vince Carter into an overnight superstar. "I remember walking in [on] day two," Carter reminisced before facing the Raptors in Dallas last week. "And Oak grabbed me by the shoulder and said, hey, Im going to take care of you and show you how to be a professional and be a pro in this league. "And I think of those days and I think of coming to practice when they used to kick the ball in the stands and what do you say? Nothing, youve just got to go get it. You learn a lot from that." Salmons is not Oakley - few are - but his experience and know-how could go a long way in the continued development of sophomores Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas. Then theres DeMar DeRozan, another willing student who, in his fifth NBA season has been forced to learn on the fly without the benefit of a mentor. Veteran players have come and gone - DeRozan credited Reggie Evans and Jarrett Jack - but the roster has mostly been in flux since the 24-year-old was drafted. No one has been around long enough to truly take DeRozan under their wing. Salmons may not be a long-term fixture either, but for now DeRozan is taking in what he can. "Hes played in the playoffs, hes been a leader a long time, played with a lot of great guys," DeRozan said of his new teammates. "He knows how to play the game. "Were definitely paying attention to it, Im even paying more attention to it. I always look at it like, I could always learn more and thats what were doing." Salmons is due to make $7 million next season but the Raptors will only owe him $1 million should they waive him prior to June 30. For that reason, he could become a valuable trade chip and thanks to Masai Ujiris timely acquisition of the four Kings players, he can be repackaged before the February deadline. His time in Toronto may end up being short-lived but even as a temporary player, he could have a long-lasting impact on the future of the Raptors franchise. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . The Mavericks avoided a season sweep by the Nuggets, who ran away with a win in Denver two weeks ago to hand Dallas its longest losing streak at three games. Dallas (42-28) got a boost in the playoff race when Miami rallied from seven down in the last 3 1/2 minutes to beat Memphis 91-86 Friday night. Josh Hart Pelicans Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Nikola-Mirotic-City-Edition-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks won the matchup of unbeaten teams.New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Major League Baseball is returning to Panama for the first time since 1947 when the New York Yankees meet the Miami Marlins in exhibition play. The "Legend Series" will be played on March 15th-16th at Panama Citys Rod Carew Stadium and will honor the legacy of newly retired Yankees great and Panama native Mariano Rivera, the games all-time saves leader. Rivera will serve as one of the promoters of the affair and the series will also include charitable events off the field, including a gala featuring representation of both teams on March 14 that will benefit the Mariano Rivera Foundation. "As long as I can remember, it has been my dream to bring my team, the Yankees, to play baseball in Panama," Riveera said. Nikola Mirotic Jersey. "I grew up in Puerto Caimito, where I developed my passion for baseball and began a journey that brought me to New York. It is my hope that this legacy series will inspire other young players to pursue their dreams. I am grateful to Major League Baseball, the Players Association, the Yankees and the Marlins in making this dream become a reality." The games will be a rematch of the 2003 World Series and Panama will become the seventh country to host games between major league clubs (Mexico, Japan, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and China). In the spring of 1947, the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers played exhibition games in Panama during a trip that also featured stops in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. ' ' '