Fan Duel Toronto Raptors

James Johnson returns to practice, DeMarre Carroll still weeks away

They're bringing Silky back.

The Toronto Raptors could be getting their best mixed martial artist back as the second half of the season opens Friday.

James Johnson returned to practice Wednesday, the team’s first session out of the All-Star break, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Johnson has been sidelined since suffering a high ankle sprain in the second quarter of the team’s Feb. 1 game against the Denver Nuggets, opening up an opportunity for rookie second-round pick Norman Powell to draw his first four NBA starts.

Prior to the injury, Johnson was filling in as the team’s starting small forward due to the absence of DeMarre Carroll. Carroll has been out since Jan. 4 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and while Carroll’s progressing according to plan, he’s still “weeks away,” according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.

In those 13 starts, Johnson averaged 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 18.7 minutes, surprisingly knocking down 44.4 percent of his threes. For the season, he’s averaging five points in 15.4 minutes with a 57.1 true-shooting percentage, a strong mark that would stand behind only last season among his most efficient scoring seasons. Still, he’s struggled to find consistent run in head coach Dwane Casey’s rotation, and the Raptors are 4.3 points per-100 possessions worse with him on the floor, owing in part to the starting five struggling as a group.

That’s not necessarily a Johnson issue, nor is it a Powell issue, or even a Carroll issue before that. None of the Raptors’ starting lineups have been great, and it’s high time the Raptors swap Luis Scola out for Patrick Patterson to improve the floor balance and defensive versatility of the group.

In any case, the likely return of Johnson on Friday against the Chicago Bulls couldĀ mean a moderate scale-back in minutes for Patterson, T.J. Ross, Cory Joseph, and, of course, Powell.minutes

Powell’s probably acquitted himself well enough to earn some trust from Casey, but he’s not going to figure in more than as the 10th man in the rotation once Johnson returns, and the 11th once Carroll gets back in early March. It’s still encouraging for the team’s wing depth, as he’s established himself best he could as a capable multi-position defender.

And hey, Johnson’s back, which means everyone can complain about his usage again. Or that any team potentially acquiring him in the next 19 hours won’t have to worry about his health. Or that the Raptors have a capable wing defender and secondary ball-handler back, which isn’t nothing.