http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/98816.html
As Kings veterans flounder, new team swingman John Salmons is ... Staying above the water
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
John Salmons is a one-cell-phone sort, leaving him just one option after he crafted the first triple double of his basketball life Friday in Denver.
The phone had to go quiet, powered off in the name of all things sane to be dealt with at a more manageable time.
"When I turned it on, I had, like, 10 text messages and 10 voice mails," Salmons said.
There was no voice mail from the Kings, but the message ringing through Kings-land recently, in light of Salmons' high-level play and low-maintenance behavior, is: This deal looks better every day.
The swingman who signed for five years and $25.5 million during the summer is playing his best basketball, just in time to face his old team. Philadelphia comes to Arco Arena tonight sans one major piece Salmons is used to seeing.
To review: Guard Allen Iverson was traded to Denver last week, just in time for Salmons to tally 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against his former teammate in the Kings' 101-96 win. This was no run-of-the-mill former teammate, but the 76ers' former franchise star whose influence and iconic stature left little room for players like Salmons to flourish.
In Salmons' new city, his play has been well-timed with the inconsistent appearances of Ron Artest, who has played in six of the past 11 games while citing back and knee injuries. Salmons, meanwhile, has become a positive force on and off the floor for a team badly needing such an influence.
Salmons is the first to admit he's in no position for a top-tier leadership role. Among the captains, the leader-by-longevity votes go to Mike Bibby and Brad Miller, while Artest has offered plenty as to where the Kings need fixing. But after so many recent losses, Salmons has been the one most willing to dissect the problems in a healthy manner, having endured his share of imperfect locker rooms during his four seasons in Philadelphia. He also has become a mentor of sorts to the large group of little-used young players, from Francisco García to Ronnie Price and Quincy Douby.
"He knows the game of basketball and understands it, is not worried about scoring points, and his attitude has always been great," said forward Corliss Williamson, who was with Salmons for half of the 2004-05 season in Philadelphia. "When you have someone on your team like that, it's hard to be down."
Which, considering the Kings have lost nine of their past 12 games, is a needed commodity lately.
"He's had a great attitude and is no-maintenance," Kings coach Eric Musselman said. "He's a great locker room guy. He's easy to coach. All his coaches like him. All his teammates like him. He just shows up every day, does his job, and you never know he's around."
Salmons has performed well in 11 games as a starter when Artest has been out or Musselman has altered the lineup. And recently, Salmons' production has increased; he has scored 18-plus points in four of the past six games. His defense has gained much notice from the coaching staff, most recently for helping hold Phoenix's two-time MVP, Steve Nash, to 16 points on Dec. 16.
It's that sort of versatility -- a virtual small forward guarding the league's top point guard -- that remains Salmons' greatest asset. It also has translated offensively, where Salmons recently has returned to playing some point guard as Price and Jason Hart again have fallen out of the rotation.
Salmons said his triple-double evening was a pure joy, especially considering he had come close so many times before. He had near misses "like eight times in college (at the University of Miami)," and came within one block of an unorthodox triple double in high school in Pennsylvania. Tonight, he merely wants to show his former organization he was worth making a play for.
While the Kings won the Salmons sweepstakes after he declined an offer from Phoenix and reneged on another from Toronto, Philadelphia did not attempt to keep him. But as he's known to do, Salmons said he would focus on the positive and little else in the reunion game.
"It's going to be a fun game," he said. "I don't hold any grudges, especially toward the players. The coaching staff was good to me. It's just things up top (in management) that weren't great, and that was stuff I couldn't control."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
As Kings veterans flounder, new team swingman John Salmons is ... Staying above the water
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
John Salmons is a one-cell-phone sort, leaving him just one option after he crafted the first triple double of his basketball life Friday in Denver.
The phone had to go quiet, powered off in the name of all things sane to be dealt with at a more manageable time.
"When I turned it on, I had, like, 10 text messages and 10 voice mails," Salmons said.
There was no voice mail from the Kings, but the message ringing through Kings-land recently, in light of Salmons' high-level play and low-maintenance behavior, is: This deal looks better every day.
The swingman who signed for five years and $25.5 million during the summer is playing his best basketball, just in time to face his old team. Philadelphia comes to Arco Arena tonight sans one major piece Salmons is used to seeing.
To review: Guard Allen Iverson was traded to Denver last week, just in time for Salmons to tally 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against his former teammate in the Kings' 101-96 win. This was no run-of-the-mill former teammate, but the 76ers' former franchise star whose influence and iconic stature left little room for players like Salmons to flourish.
In Salmons' new city, his play has been well-timed with the inconsistent appearances of Ron Artest, who has played in six of the past 11 games while citing back and knee injuries. Salmons, meanwhile, has become a positive force on and off the floor for a team badly needing such an influence.
Salmons is the first to admit he's in no position for a top-tier leadership role. Among the captains, the leader-by-longevity votes go to Mike Bibby and Brad Miller, while Artest has offered plenty as to where the Kings need fixing. But after so many recent losses, Salmons has been the one most willing to dissect the problems in a healthy manner, having endured his share of imperfect locker rooms during his four seasons in Philadelphia. He also has become a mentor of sorts to the large group of little-used young players, from Francisco García to Ronnie Price and Quincy Douby.
"He knows the game of basketball and understands it, is not worried about scoring points, and his attitude has always been great," said forward Corliss Williamson, who was with Salmons for half of the 2004-05 season in Philadelphia. "When you have someone on your team like that, it's hard to be down."
Which, considering the Kings have lost nine of their past 12 games, is a needed commodity lately.
"He's had a great attitude and is no-maintenance," Kings coach Eric Musselman said. "He's a great locker room guy. He's easy to coach. All his coaches like him. All his teammates like him. He just shows up every day, does his job, and you never know he's around."
Salmons has performed well in 11 games as a starter when Artest has been out or Musselman has altered the lineup. And recently, Salmons' production has increased; he has scored 18-plus points in four of the past six games. His defense has gained much notice from the coaching staff, most recently for helping hold Phoenix's two-time MVP, Steve Nash, to 16 points on Dec. 16.
It's that sort of versatility -- a virtual small forward guarding the league's top point guard -- that remains Salmons' greatest asset. It also has translated offensively, where Salmons recently has returned to playing some point guard as Price and Jason Hart again have fallen out of the rotation.
Salmons said his triple-double evening was a pure joy, especially considering he had come close so many times before. He had near misses "like eight times in college (at the University of Miami)," and came within one block of an unorthodox triple double in high school in Pennsylvania. Tonight, he merely wants to show his former organization he was worth making a play for.
While the Kings won the Salmons sweepstakes after he declined an offer from Phoenix and reneged on another from Toronto, Philadelphia did not attempt to keep him. But as he's known to do, Salmons said he would focus on the positive and little else in the reunion game.
"It's going to be a fun game," he said. "I don't hold any grudges, especially toward the players. The coaching staff was good to me. It's just things up top (in management) that weren't great, and that was stuff I couldn't control."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
