John Salmons isn't waived at amnesty deadline

LAS VEGAS – John Salmons and his $7.6 million salary aren't leaving Sacramento in the immediate future.

Tuesday night's deadline for teams to use the amnesty provision to shed salary passed without the Kings waiving the veteran swingman.

For the first five years of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement signed after the 2010-11 season, teams can waive one of their players whose contract was in effect before the 2011-12 season.

That salary would not count against the salary cap or for luxury tax purposes. The team still pays the waived player, but he is free to join another team, with his former club paying the difference in salary.

Teams under the cap can bid on an amnestied player. If he clears waivers with no bids, he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Speculation about whether the Kings would use the provision on Salmons had persisted since last offseason. He struggled during the 2011-12 season, but the Kings weren't in a position financially to waive him and pay players to replace him.

The Kings were looking to improve at Salmons' small forward spot this offseason and traded for Luc Mbah a Moute.


(sacbee.com)