The Sacramento Kings have been a true home for John Salmons in his NBA career and the 11-year veteran was probably as happy as anyone that steps have been made to keep the Sacramento franchise in the NBA.

Salmons has had some excellent years in Sacramento, especially his first stint with the Kings. He’s a veteran face with the franchise and a crowd pleaser. The fans in Sacramento will especially be happy they’ll see Salmons in action next year. Salmons did not want to go to Seattle and have a home team where the fans know little about him and didn’t really appreciate him, like they do in Sacramento.

But one needs to wonder how the Sacramento Kings will use him for next season.

Salmons might not admit this, but he appears to be at the twilight of his career. For the Milwaukee Bucks, during the 2011-12 season, he was at 35 minutes, 14.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game.

But his last two seasons with the Kings have been a struggle. He played in 46 games during the NBA lockout shortened season in 2011-12 and only averaged 7.5 points per game. This season, he got slightly better with 30.0 minutes per game, 8.8 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and 2.0 assists per game. His best season came in Sacramento for 2008-09 when he averaged 37.4 minutes, 47.2 percent field goal shooting and 18.3 points per game. His best basketball is probably behind him, but Salmons should plan on a hard summer of work and the result could be more solid production for the Kings next year.


(rantsports.com)

WHITEMARSH — John Salmons returned to his alma mater, Plymouth Whitemarsh, on Friday afternoon to be added to the wall of distinguished graduates for his successful career in the NBA. However, what few people know is that John Salmons never really left.

“Right around this time of year you’ll get a text and you’ll hear John is coming up tomorrow,” said PW head coach Jim Donofrio. “He’s right back in the gym … right up at Colonial Elementary school all summer long and we’re all proud of that and we let him go, we let him do his thing.

“Everyone, the custodians, Superintendant, they see him, give a wave and just let him go.”

In the off-season, Salmons is a regular at Colonial Elementary School where he goes about his regimen in preparation for the next season. Soon to be in his twelfth year of service, Salmons started 72 of 82 games for the Sacramento Kings last season.

“Since as long as I remember, all I wanted to do was make it to the NBA,” Salmons said. “I spent a lot of hours in the gym working on my game.”

In his eleven years in the NBA, Salmons has played for four different franchises — the Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. Including his college career at the U — University of Miami — Salmons has lived in cities in all corners of the nation.

“When I got drafted by the Sixers, right away I wanted to come back to Plymouth Meeting to live just because of all the support I got here in my four years of high school,” Salmons said.

After his rookie season, Donofrio recalls a request from Salmons to open up the doors to the Colonial Elementary gym to work out. Donofrio let him in and left to run some errands. Three hours later, Donofrio said, he returned to the gym to find Salmons sitting on the sideline breathing heavily. Salmons had been running a series of sprints with interludes of stationary dribbling drills.

“Players only do those if they get on our nerves and they need to be disciplined,” Donofrio said. “To voluntarily do them means either you’re a glutton for punishment, or you have a serious desire to excel.”

As Gordon Glantz wrote in early 1998 in recap of the previous season’s championship run, the coaching had come full circle. He didn’t know at the time how right he was.

The 1996-97 Colonials were coached by Al Angelos, who was mentored by Hank Stofka whose ‘Kardiac Kids’ won the 1963 title. However, in 2010, PW captured its third state title under coach Jim Donofrio, who was an assistant coach to Angelos during the championship run a decade earlier.

Donofrio said after their championship season, he had ten or more players that were in college, seven of which were playing ball on scholarship money. Salmons, remains the shining success of his players in the game of basketball.

“We put so much emphasis in sports on the winning and the losing,” Donofrio said. “If you do things right, you’ll have a relationship with these guys for a long time.”

Salmons was neither the biggest nor the tallest nor the strongest nor the best player when he came to Donofrio to play on the JV team.

“I said, ‘let me see your left-handed layup,’ and it wasn’t that strong,” Donofrio said. “I said it jokingly, but I said, ‘you have a week before tryouts, if you get a left-handed layup in a week, I’ll let you tryout for JV.’ He came back with a perfect left-handed layup two days later.”

Salmons was a player that was mostly overlooked in the league and even on his own team. Friend and teammate, Chuck Moore, who played point guard for the Colonials and went on to play at Seton Hall, was the standout player on the team.

“He and Chuck Moore would look at the ranks, and a lot of people would say not to do that, but they’d look and say ‘you got to be kidding me, how am I not better than that guy?’” Donofrio said. “They had these high standards and they used it as a competition.”

A moment that will stand out in the memory of PW fans and players forever is the ‘Miracle at Conestoga Valley.’ Down one point with 3.9 seconds remaining in the state quarterfinals against Chambersburg on March 13, 1997, the Colonials did the unthinkable. With Chuck Moore fouled out and sitting on the bench, Coach Angelos sent out football player Kevin Gall to inbounds the ball. On the full-court inbounds, Gall sent the ball flying down court, and on one bounce Billy Guess jumped over the boundary line and with one hand slung it to an open Salmons who took two dribbles in the lane and hit a jumper to win the game 60-59. PW went on to win the state championship eight days later.

“His personality makes him a pro, because if he wanted to be a superstar he knows he’s not that guy, but every team needs the guy that makes the pass that needs to be made,” Donofrio said. “You don’t need to be Dwyane Wade, you just need to be able to be a piece that when you do get the ball to Dwyane Wade he makes an easy play.

“He’s found his niche with that.”

Donofrio attributes Salmons’ success mostly to his personality and work ethic. Despite the fact that Salmons can cover Dirk Nowitzki, then plays the point the next play, and that he can play the power forward or the wing, or defend — a “Swiss Army knife in your pocket” Donofrio said — it’s his approach to the game that has given him a brilliant career.

“Hard work is just a part of life, whatever you do you have to work hard at it,” Salmons said. “Playing basketball is something that I’ve always loved, so going hard came easy to me.”

“This is one of those moments that’s a payback when you hope you made that right approach,” Donofrio said. “To see John, that’s the pinnacle.”


(timesherald.com)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Though there was nothing special about this late-season meeting between two losing teams, any game against New Orleans is meaningful to Marcus Thornton.

The Sacramento Kings guard grew up in Louisiana and played parts of two seasons with the Hornets. Thornton wasn’t about to overlook the Hornets and neither did the Kings.

John Salmons had 22 points, and Thornton and Jason Thompson each added 20 to help Sacramento snap a four-game losing streak with a 121-110 victory on Wednesday night.

The streak-shooting Thornton came off the bench late in the first quarter and hit a 3-pointer. He added three more 3s in the second quarter and had 15 first-half points, helping the Kings build a 17-point lead.

“Every time we play the Hornets I want to win really bad,” said Thornton, who came to the Kings midway through the 2010-11 season.

Thornton shot 8 of 13 and had five rebounds against the Hornets, who defeated the Kings twice this season in New Orleans.

“It was very tough losing two games to them there this season,” Thornton said. “It was especially tough with all my family and friends there.”

The Kings had a double-digit lead for much of the game and surpassed the 100-point mark early in the fourth quarter, when they stretched the lead to 30 points.
Sacramento shot 55 percent, made 10 of 20 3-pointers, and had 26 assists.


(washingtonpost.com)

These days, John Salmons would prefer to talk about his Miami Hurricanes than his role with the Kings. [Salmons] closed the 2009-10 season by averaging 19.9 points in 30 games after being acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks. That got him a five-year, $39 million contract from the Bucks. Salmons is in the third year of that deal and second with the Kings. But he's hardly scoring the way he once did. Salmons is averaging just 9.1 points entering Sacramento's game Wednesday at Orlando. The forward was asked if he's cool with the role he now plays for Sacramento. "No, it's not cool," Salmons said [Tuesday]. "But I'm just trying to help the team win. I'm not going to be a distraction or complain about it."


(cnnsi.com)

John Salmons drained a career-high six 3-pointers on his way to 18 points in Sunday's loss in New Orleans.

He added three rebounds, three assists and a block in 37 minutes of action, his highest playing time in over a month. The Kings have now lost five straight games, during which they're allowing an unholy 113.4 points per game, and Keith Smart said after Friday's game that Sacramento would have won "if we even gave half of a defensive effort." DeMarcus Cousins also chimed in, turning conventional basketball wisdom on its head by saying, "I do believe our offense carries our defense." No matter how you parse it, the Kings have the fifth-worst record in the league.


(rotoworld.com)

ATLANTA - The Kings have pointed to their youth for some of the mistakes they repeatedly make in games.

But that excuse is old.

The Kings latest loss, 122-108, to the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena, was filled with many of the usual mishaps that have led to a 19-37 record.

The Kings know selfish play on offense and bad defense will lead to losses. But the Kings continue to repeat these mistakes.

At least one veteran says it's time to start using youth to excuse bad basketball.

"The whole league is young at this point," said forward John Salmons. "We had the youngest MVP ever (Derrick Rose) a couple years ago. We've got Kevin Durant, (Russell) Westbrook, James Harden in the championship (last season). So the young stuff, the young thing is not really an excuse anymore. It's time to grow up and be a team.

Exactly how young are the Kings? There are no rookies on the roster after Thomas Robinson was traded. Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette are in their second seasons.

Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton are both in their fourth seasons. DeMarcus Cousins is in his third season.

But the Kings have not matured in their approach to the game.

Offense is what makes them happy. And only when the offense is going well do the Kings seem to take an interest in playing defense.

"With this team we're too focused on offense, too much on one-on-one play," Salmons said. "We don't move the ball on a consistent basis and then on the defensive end we let teams get run outs, transition points. It's hard for us to get stops in halfcourt sets because we focus on the offense so much."


(sacbee.com)

John Salmons, SG/SF, Sacramento Kings (19.1 percent owned): It would have been difficult for Salmons not to improve upon the disaster that was his 2011-12 season, when he posted a career-low 3-point percentage and the worst per-minute numbers he has had since he broke out for the Kings in 2006-2007. But he has stepped in and performed admirably in Tyreke Evans' absence, scoring in double figures in four of the past six games. He is averaging 13.9 points on 51.4 percent shooting from the floor and 82.4 percent from the stripe with 4.7 assists, 1.6 3-pointers and 1.0 steals per game over the past 15 days. He has decreased his attempts on long 2-pointers and increased his attempts at the rim, which are positive signs in the field goal percentage department. Evans is expected to return sometime during the Kings' next homestand, but there's enough ambiguity there and overall instability surrounding this team that it's worth it to ride Salmons while he's hot.


(espn.com)

John Salmons hit 6-of-13 shots and a 3-pointer for 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal in another start for the Kings on Wednesday. He's been starting at small forward for a month now, but had scored six or fewer points in five of his previous seven games.




(fantasysp.com)

John Salmons scored 19 points and dished out 11 assists, one shy of his career-high, as the Kings defeated the Blazers in Portland on Saturday.

Salmons also had seven assists on Wednesday, a welcome boost for the team with the lowest assist ratio in the NBA (14.7 percent of their possessions result in assists), but keep in mind that he hasn't scored double-digit points in consecutive games this season. A healthy Tyreke Evans will also take the ball out of his hands, and we wouldn't cut anyone with reliable value to pick him up.


(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons had 12 points, a season-high seven assists and two 3-pointers on 4-of-7 shooting in Wednesday's win. This comes on the heels of five straight single-digit games and we'll need to see more from Salmons going forward before buying into this one




(fantasysp.com)

When the Kings reacquired John Salmons before last season, management hoped he would be a veteran leader on a roster with many young players.

Salmons had never filled such a role. But now he says he's more comfortable speaking his mind this season.

"Last year was the first team I was like the oldest person on the team," Salmons said after practice Tuesday. "It was a new experience for me. I really didn't want it. I really didn't embrace it."

That's changed this season.

Salmons called a players-only meeting last month after a bad loss to Atlanta. After Saturday's 35-point defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers, Salmons said the players were to blame, not the coaching staff.

"This year, I felt like it was something I had to do, particularly with how the season is going," Salmons said. "Hopefully I can continue to get better at it and we can continue to get better as a team."

Salmons is in his 11th season, the most NBA experience of any King. The only other player with at least 10 seasons is seldom-used forward Travis Outlaw.
Though being more of a leader is still new to him, Salmons is adjusting.

"It's something that I embrace," he said. "By embracing it, I'm starting to enjoy that role."

Kings coach Keith Smart said he noticed a change in Salmons beginning in training camp. When Salmons returned from time off for the birth of his third child, he became more vocal.

"When he came back this year, one thing I noticed was, wow, John is talking a lot more because he didn't talk a lot unless you engaged him," Smart said. "You can see that he's talking more. He's comfortable with where he's at."

Smart doesn't mind Salmons speaking his mind. He welcomes another voice repeating his message.

"It's been good to see he's communicating and talking to the guys and not being afraid to say what he really feels," Smart said. "And that's what we need on this team."

Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Chuck Hayes are the veterans most likely to point out what's going wrong.

"We have veterans, but we want them to be a little more vocal, because coaches can only do so much," Smart said. "You get more out of the words that I'm going to say when one of your teammates say the same thing."

Salmons has stressed accountability to help the Kings turn the season around.

"We're the ones out there on the court," Salmons said. "I feel like this string of losses we've just had, particularly that last one, it's starting to dawn on us that it's on us."


(sacbee.com)

The Kings traded for John Salmons before the 2011 NBA draft to provide stability to a young starting lineup.

And in the midst of the team's worst start since the 1990-91 season, Kings coach Keith Smart is turning to the swingman again.

Salmons started Sunday's 99-90 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, two days after he called a players-only meeting following Friday's discouraging loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

"I've been a starter and I've come off the bench before," Salmons said. "I'm just trying to help the team win. Whatever I've got to do. That's all that really matters. It doesn't matter if you're starting or not."

Salmons averaged 7.5 points last season, his lowest total since the 2005-06 season with Philadelphia. Brought in as a starter to improve the Kings' perimeter shooting, Salmons shot 29.5 percent from three-point range, the lowest figure of his career.

That led Smart to sit Salmons and move Tyreke Evans to small forward from point guard.

Before this season, Salmons missed most of training camp to be with his wife during complications with the birth of their third child. His absence was not a factor, since Salmons didn't appear to be a solution this early in the season.

Smart was happy with the size and defense that forward James Johnson added to the 2012-13 lineup. But after struggling on offense in nine games, Johnson is on the bench.

Johnson is shooting 33.3 percent and has not made a three-pointer. Salmons has played in five games, averaging 5.6 points.

Even though the Kings (2-8) lost their fifth consecutive game Sunday, Salmons said there was progress.

"We definitely played better than we had been playing over the last few," Salmons said. "Hopefully we can keep going in the right direction. That's all we can do."

Bench marks – Even as the Kings shuffle the starting lineup, the bench will be an important part of their production.

Sacramento's reserves average 37.4 points, while opposing reserves average 31.8 points. The Kings' bench has outscored its counterparts in seven of 10 games.

That wasn't the case in Sunday's loss when Brooklyn benefited from 52 bench points while the Kings managed 26.

Marcus Thornton scored 12 of the points on 4-of-13 shooting.

One of the key contributors from the second unit, Aaron Brooks, is now starting.

Jimmer Fredette, who has been productive with extended minutes, scored just three points in a little more than 10 minutes.


(sacbee.com)

Players and coaches won't discuss publicly what was said in Friday night's players-only meeting or during Saturday's film session that was said to be another session of honesty among teammates.

But we do know who got the "clear the air" movement going: John Salmons.

Salmons is not the most vocal King. He admittedly leads by example. But with the Kings losing four consecutive games and with a 2-7 record, he felt the need to speak up and have the players talk amongst themselves.

"It's just a feel thing of being a veteran," Salmons said. "It was something I felt like we should do at the time."

The mood of the Kings was tense last night. A lot of players are unhappy. The angst ranges from players not getting enough playing time and some players shooting too much.

The issues aren't much different from what have plagued the Kings in recent seasons. Selfish play and a lack of accountability have surfaced numerous times whenever there is some kind of losing streak.

Salmons doesn't want to see this season lost before Thanksgiving.

"It's still early," Salmons said. "We haven't been winning games like we want to so I just wanted to, before it got too out of control, bring the team together and try to work some things out."

Added Chuck Hayes:

"We put stuff out there on the table, you know what it is. If you know what it is, it helps the relationships, you it helps the team."

"The guys responded well. We're not holding no grudges, we're not holding no animosity."


(sacbee.com)

Sacramento Kings Head Coach Keith Smart has a rule when it comes to distributing minutes.  If you don’t play in the first half, you’re not likely to see action after halftime.

However, the second-year coach makes exceptions to that rule on certain occasions, which was the case last night when he played John Salmons for the first time this season.

With 10 minutes remaining in the final frame, the veteran small forward checked in for Tyreke Evans and proceeded to play five minutes off the Kings’ bench.  He scored just one point, but recorded a steal and a block and provided some defensive stability as the Kings fought to stay in the game.

“When you’re activated you always have to be ready,” the 32-year-old swingman told Cowbell Kingdom following yesterday’s 11-point defeat to the San Antonio Spurs.  “So I just had the mentality of however many minutes I get, I’m just going to go out there and play hard and try to help the team win.”

With rookie Thomas Robinson suspended for two contests and second-year wing Tyler Honeycutt recently assigned to the D-League, the Kings are currently playing slightly shorthanded.  And with limited practice time before tomorrow’s match-up against the Los Angeles Lakers, Smart saw last night as an opportunity to work Salmons back into the mix.

“Had he not missed the time that he did, he would have been right in the middle of what we’re trying to get done ” Smart said in his postgame press conference. “But I just wanted to get him a chance to get on the floor, get his wind up a little bit and I thought he did a good job after being out for so long.”

Salmons left the Kings midway through training camp last month for personal reasons.  It was later found that the veteran forward went home to Philadelphia to be with his wife as she gave birth to the couple’s third child.

He rejoined the team following the season opener in Chicago.  And before yesterday’s loss to the Spurs, Salmons hadn’t seen live-game action since the Kings’ first preseason contest against the Phoenix Suns.  But now that he’s finally gotten his feet wet in regular season play, Salmons says he’s ready to contribute.

“However many minutes I get, that’s what I’m gonna play.”  Salmons said.  “(Whether it’s) 35 or it’s five, I’ll play the minutes I get.  I’ll work my way back, try to get comfortable, shaking off the rust and just play basketball.  That’s all you can really do.”


(fantasysp.com)

John Salmons is almost ready to play in a game. "I want to get him at least two or three (more) decent practices," Keith Smart said. Even if Salmons does wind up playing, it should be in a minimal role and he's not on the fantasy radar.



(fantasysp.com)

MINNEAPOLIS – Kings swingman John Salmons returned to the Kings on Thursday, more than two weeks after leaving the team because his wife, Taniesha, gave birth to the couple's third child.

What Salmons thought would be a brief return to Philadelphia ended up being much longer because, as Salmons put it, Caleb Josiah Salmons was "stubborn."
"I thought I would only be there for a couple days," Salmons said after practice at Target Center. "I went home early to induce, and (the baby) ended up being five days overdue.

"So, there's going to be some rust, getting back in game shape. I only played in one preseason game."

Salmons said mother and son are doing fine, which is why he is back with the team.

"There was a lot of back-and-forth to the hospital, a lot of waiting around," Salmons said. "When he actually came out, I had left to go work out, and my wife called me, and I almost missed it."

Kings coach Keith Smart said Salmons will not play tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Salmons last played in a game in the Oct. 10 preseason opener.

Smart said Salmons would spend a lot of time with strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro before playing in a game.

"He's been gone for too long," Smart said. "We're going to make sure he gets the right, proper practice under his belt, doing some extra work. I don't see him getting on the floor in the next couple of games."

Meeting at the point – Smart said he met with his three point guards – Isaiah Thomas, Aaron Brooks and Jimmer Fredette – about how to better run the offense.
Smart wants the guards to be more "demonstrative."

"A lot of the problems we had (Wednesday resulted from) how they were on the floor and not getting guys in the right spots," Smart said.

Smart said the Kings' spacing was "atrocious" against the Chicago Bulls. Even though the Kings cut a 14-point deficit to three in the fourth quarter, Brooks said the offense was a concern.

"We're still a little stagnant," Brooks said. "I think out of timeouts we did a good job of executing, but there was still a lot of standing around during the fourth quarter."


(sacbee.com)

John Salmons (personal) will return to the Kings on Thursday.

His wife had a baby and he should be available for Sacramento's game on Friday. He'll have to earn his minutes and he's not on the fantasy radar right now.


(rotoworld.com)

PHOENIX – The Kings are uncertain when John Salmons will return to the team. When he does, he'll have to play his way back into the rotation.

Salmons has missed the last five preseason games, including Monday night's 103-88 loss to the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center.

Salmons was excused from the team for personal reasons.

"No timetable," Kings coach Keith Smart said of Salmons' return. "Just in communication with him, and I told him just take your time and come back when you're ready."

In Salmons' absence, James Johnson, Francisco Garcia and Travis Outlaw appear to have cornered the minutes at small forward with Tyreke Evans still playing there when the Kings go with a smaller lineup.

Salmons began last season as the starting small forward but was benched while mired in a season-long slump.

When Salmons does return, Smart expects he will need time to catch up with teammates and to get into NBA shape.

"You can go run on a treadmill at the Y, (but) it's just not the same," Smart said. "We've got to get his conditioning back to where it was when he left and then see what he does once he starts playing."

Smart figures Salmons is working out and that he won't return totally out of shape. The coach just doesn't want to throw him back into a game before Salmons is ready.

"I'm sure as a veteran he's doing (what it takes) to keep himself going," Smart said.

Cisco rises – One of the things the Kings are most pleased about this preseason is Garcia's shooting.

The Kings are looking for players who can be consistent threats from the perimeter to create more space on offense.

Garcia has shot well in practice and in preseason games.

Through Monday's game, Garcia has taken 19 shots in the preseason.

Fifteen of those shots were three-point attempts, and Garcia has made six (40 percent). He missed both of his three-point attempts against the Suns.

After shooting a career high 39.8 percent from three-point range in the 2008-09 season, Garcia has watched his three-point percentage decline.

He shot 29 percent from behind the arc last season, his worst rate since his rookie season of 2005-06 (28.5 percent).

Regular-season preparation – Smart had said he'd use the final two preseason games to begin easing the minutes played by his main players. That was the case Monday as training camp invitees Tony Mitchell, Hamady N'Diaye and Willie Reed all played in the first half.

The Kings end the preseason Thursday against the Lakers in San Diego.


(sacbee.com)

John Salmons admitted on Monday that he's still dealing with his hip injury from last season.

As soon as the belated NBA season finally starts on Christmas Day, it will also be the official start of John Salmons’ 10th season. Salmons has been well traveled, spending time in Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee and now back in Sacramento where he played from 2006 to 2009.

But no matter where Salmons lands, the committed family man has a few key things in mind–stay on the right track, set a good example for his children and do both of those things by following the Holy Spirit’s lead. Here’s what he had to say about those personal goals plus more about his upbringing in Philadelphia and his spiritual journey:

Chad Bonham: Tell me about growing up in Philadelphia.
John Salmons: Philly’s a tough town. You can be really tested growing up in Philly. It helped me deal with adversity and some of the other things you deal with in the NBA. It makes you a tougher person.

Bonham: How did you become a Christian?
Salmons: For whatever reason, I always felt a connection in my spiritual life. In high school, I went to church. I read my Bible. I didn’t always understand what I was reading. But when I got to college, our team chaplain helped me with my growth the most. Those four years, I became not necessarily a mature Christian but I got to a point where I knew who I was. Being in Miami, there were a lot of temptations, so it was a great testimony.

Bonham: How important was it as a young player in Philadelphia for you to have spiritual support from teammates like Kyle Korver, Kevin Ollie and Monty Williams?
Salmons: Having those guys around was big. I went through a lot of adversity early in my career. Those guys helped me keep my faith. It would have been easy to turn my back on God. But they were right there with me. They helped me stay focused and they helped me mature as Christian.

Bonham: How do you stay spiritually grounded?
Salmons: I try to be led by the Holy Spirit and remember who I am in Christ. I know that I’m here because of God. It’s about keeping that first, keeping God first. With our schedule, it’s hard for us to get to church on Sundays. As many games as we have, 15 minutes isn’t a lot, but chapel helps us stay focused on what’s really important.

Bonham: How does having two children inspire you to maintain your Christian witness?
Salmons: It’s the same thing on and off the court when it comes to my kids. I feel like the most important thing is growing them up in Christ. That’s the most important thing I can do as a parent. I need to be an example on and off the court. I just try to live the right way the best I can. I make plenty of mistakes but I just try to do the best I can and be a great example for my kids.

Bonham: Is it difficult to balance family with the rigors of NBA travel?
Salmons: It’s not easy at all, but that’s just life. I try to leave it in Christ’s hands and trust that He knows the situation. He knows the position I’m in. He wouldn’t have put me in this position if I couldn’t handle it. That’s what keeps me going, knowing that He’s right there. I can call on Him whenever.

Bonham: Is all the talk about the vast temptations that accompany the NBA lifestyle overhyped or is it fairly accurate?
Salmons: It’s not overhyped. The hype is true. It’s just something you’ve got to deal with. For me, I just don’t put myself in those situations and try to stay away from it.

Bonham: Does playing under a sizeable contract put more pressure on you to perform at a high level?
Salmons: I don’t think its pressure. For me, it’s always Christ first and playing the right way for Christ. If I do that, everything else will take care of itself. When I stay focused on that, there’s no pressure to worry about.

Bonham: What spiritual truth do you rely on daily?
Salmons: Keeping God first. If you do that, if you just focus on God and keeping Him first, then everything else will just take care of itself. Do everything for Him.


(blog.beleifnet.com)

John Salmons is not a candidate for the amnesty clause, according to Kings beat writer Jason Jones.

Salmons is owed more than $15 million over the next two seasons, but he'll reportedly stick around unless there is a "change in philosophy" within the organization. The veteran really struggled last season, barely shooting 40 percent from the field (40.9) while never finding his groove in the offense.


(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons (hip) will not play on Monday and will reportedly "be out a while" according to beat writer Jason Jones.

This isn't exactly surprising and owners will want to watch Terrence Williams during the Kings' five-game week. He probably needs one more injury in front of him to hit the fantasy scene in standard leagues, but as we've all discussed numerous times, the upside is there if his head is screwed on straight.


(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons hit 7-of-12 FGs in 33 minutes off the bench on Saturday, finishing a tough loss to the Warriors with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Salmons scored double-digit points once in the past six games and the Kings' rotation was off-kilter due to Jason Thompson's ankle injury, so this doesn't have much long-term meaning.


(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons received his third-straight start Tuesday for the Sacramento Kings despite Tyreke Evans (ankle) making his return to the court. Salmons finished with seven points, six boards, two assists, and a trey in 31 minutes.




(fantasysp.com)

John Salmons acknowledges that his transition from starting small forward to Kings reserve hasn't been easy.

After starting the first 28 games in which he played this season and struggling offensively, Salmons was sent to the bench Feb. 17 in Detroit, making way for Isaiah Thomas to become the starting point guard.

"You never want to get benched, or demoted, or whatever the case may be," Salmons said Thursday. "But you've got to get over your pride and try to continue to try to help the team win.

"I didn't really have an argument for starting because I wasn't playing well. You've just got to roll with it."

The move has created a new role for Salmons.

Shortly after removing Salmons from the lineup, coach Keith Smart said he began having Salmons practice initiating the offense.

Earlier this season, Salmons often headed to a corner and waited for the ball to come to him. In recent games, Salmons has been more of a facilitator when the second unit is on the floor.

For Salmons, it's not new ground. He was drafted as a point guard, he said, and still prefers the position, though he has not played it regularly for several years.

"This way, I put the ball in his hands, which allows him to be a play-maker," Smart said. "He can take a shot when he needs to, and he can also move the basketball."

On the second unit, Salmons adds another option for the Kings to run the offense through, along with guard Jimmer Fredette and forward-center Chuck Hayes.

Smart said having Salmons run the offense at times allows Fredette to get to spots and drive or shoot off of a pass.

"John initiates a lot of things by just taking pressure off of some of our guards and allowing them to kind of roam off of screens, and that's been good so far," Smart said.

With Salmons mired in one of the worst shooting slumps of his 10-year career before the All-Star break, Smart said he watched film of Salmons' past seasons and saw that he had success playing in the middle of the floor as opposed to a wing.

Salmons, averaging 7.3 points a game after averaging 12.5 points over his eight previous seasons, agreed that being more active on the offensive end has helped to improve shooting.

Salmons is shooting 39 percent this season, but in the six games since the All-Star break he has made 58.8 percent (20 for 34) and scored in double figures in three of the past four games.

He also has 12 assists in the past six games, while committing nine turnovers.

"I think I'm getting more comfortable with it every game," Salmons said. "I'm just riding it out."


(sacbee.com)

John Salmons returned from a hip injury but had just four points, five rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes on Tuesday.

With Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton and Tyreke Evans getting most of the guard and small forward minutes, Salmons is going to struggle to play well consistently. He has no fantasy value.


(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons would normally have come off the bench last night ahead of Garcia, but Salmons was inactive because of a sore hip. Salmons’ injury led to one of Cisco's better lines of the season. Once Salmons is back, Garcia should return to obscurity. He didn't even play in his previous three games.




(rotoworld.com)

Coach Keith Smart said he wants John Salmons to give some "pop" off the bench.

With Isaiah Thomas looking strong as a starter, Salmons' shift to the bench may not be temporary. The veteran has no one to blame but himself for the demotion, as he's shooting 36.1 percent and scoring 7.0 points per game on the season.


(rotoworld.com)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – John Salmons was asked to assess how his first game as a reserve this season went.

"It wasn't the best, it wasn't great," Salmons said. "It wasn't great."

Salmons was benched as the Kings started rookie guard Isaiah Thomas along with Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton on the perimeter.

Salmons was in the game late for defense as the Kings lost 114-108 to the Detroit Pistons Friday night at The Place of Auburn Hills.

Salmons was acquired from Milwaukee in a three-team trade last June that sent guard Beno Udrih to the Kings. Salmons was touted as an upgrade defensively and a player that would be solve the Kings' lack of consistent scoring at small forward.

Kings coach Keith Smart said he wanted another ballhandler and someone who could run the offense which is why Thomas is now starting.
Smart has praised Salmons' defense. Salmons, however, has been in a season-long slump on offense.

"I don't think it was an issue on the defensive end," Salmons said. "It was more of an offensive thing. It's just something I've got to adjust to and keep it moving."

Salmons is averaging 7.1 points, his lowest since averaging 4.1 points in his third season with Philadelphia.

Salmons field goal percentage (35.9 percent) and three-point shooting (28.2 percent) are all on pace to be career lows for the 10-year veteran.

"(Smart is) just trying, I guess, to get me going in a different way,"

Salmons said. "He's just trying to use me in a different way. He told me before the game that he was just going to try to use me in a different way off the bench, try to get some pop off the bench."

Good shooting, still losing – The Kings shot 50 percent, just the second time the Kings have made at least half their shots in a game.

The Kings have lost both of those games.

The Kings shot 52.1 percent in a loss to Orlando Jan. 8 at Power Balance Pavilion.

Get back to work – The Kings will practice today in Cleveland for the first time during their season-long six-game trip.

The Kings played back-to-back games to start the trip and had Thursday off.


(sacbee.com)

John Salmons (food poisoning) returned to action and started at shooting guard for injured Marcus Thornton (quad), scoring no points with four missed shot attempts, one rebound, one steal, and one block in 18 minutes.

Salmons didn't look right on the floor tonight and sadly we don't know if it was the illness or just his normal struggles.


(rotoworld.com)

Comments

John Salmons, who missed Saturday's game due to a stomach virus, has been released from the hospital and is questionable for Monday night's game against the Trail Blazers.



(fantasysp.com)

John Salmons scored 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting (including three treys) with three rebounds and no other statistics in Monday's win.

This style of stat line should become a familiar sight for owners, and if that works for you then go ahead and keep trotting him out there. He should become a bit more efficient as the Kings improve as a team.



(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons (quad) practiced at half-speed on Thursday and according to head coach Paul Westphal, the Kings forward participated in offensive and defensive drills.

Head coach Paul Westphal said "It was good to have him back and he’s cleared for full action." Salmons thinks he should be ready for Monday's home opener vs. the Lakers, although make sure he's at full-speed over the weekend before locking him into your Week 1 lineups.


(rotoworld.com)

John Salmons went to the drawing board -- literally.

The Sacramento Kings guard made good use of his time off during the NBA lockout, and folks will get a good look at his efforts after his first preseason game Tuesday. Salmons co-created a collection with his longtime tailor, Sherman Brown. The two are gearing up for a fall 2012 release, but Salmons says his postgame getup will tease what's to come.

We talked with Salmons, who also serves as the line's creative director, about his new line, his style icon and which players rock the best off-court style.

Did this line grow out of being stuck in the NBA lockout?
"Actually I started this over a year ago. I met my partner, Sherman Brown, when I was playing for Chicago a couple years ago and we became good friends and he talked about fashion a lot. He's a tailor by trade. He made me some clothes, and we both had a passion and we decided to move forward with it. It just so happens over the lockout that it gave me more time to be able to deal with the brand to try to make some key decisions, being around and being able to put my fingerprints on the brand."

You're 6-foot-6. How difficult is it for a guy like yourself to be and feel fashionable?
"It's a challenge. A lot of people, they can order online and they can just find their size. For me, I have to try everything on. If I go shopping in the store, I have to try every pant on, every shirt on, every jacket on, because I don't know if it's going to fit or not. Everything is pretty much hit or miss."

Who's your style icon?
"Growing up, Ralph Lauren. That's who I looked up to. Growing up, we always wanted Polo stuff. That was our goal to try and scrape up enough money to be able to buy some Polo stuff."

Does having your own brand up the ante now for postgame dressing?”
"That's what I do on a regular basis, anyway! I love to get dressed. Part of our mission statement is to teach men how to dress. We want to be able to inspire people to dress, to dress like us. That's our whole role: to build the culture, build the brand, have a following."

"What is this season's compressed schedule going to mean for you?"
"It's pretty intense. It's definitely going to be an adjustment period, but everybody has to deal with the same thing. It just comes down to what team can come together fastest and learn to play well. Hopefully we, the Sacramento Kings, can come together and jell quickly and try to get a jump on everybody else."

Who's winning off the court? Aside from you, the best-dressed guy in the league is …
"I know a lot of guys have stylists, and I don't have anything against hiring stylists or anything against stylists. People need stylists, but I feel like if you rely on a stylist, I don't really consider you a great dresser. Your stylist is the real dresser behind you. So, guys who I've played with who I know they go to the stores, they pick out their clothes, is a guy like Jannero Pargo, who is a pretty good dresser. Bobby Jackson, I played with him in Sacramento -- he's actually an assistant coach with Sacramento now -- he's a pretty good dresser. Same with Keyon Dooling."



(espn.com)

John Salmons left Thursday night's open scrimmage with a right quad contusion and will not play the rest of the evening.

More details will be provided when they become available.

The Kings are now without four starters tonight (DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans, Chuck Hayes and Salmons).

Cousins has a sprained right ankle. Evans has a sprained left foot. Chuck Hayes is undergoing tests after a recent stress tests showed abnormalities.



(sacbee.com)

When the Kings traded John Salmons to Chicago with Brad Miller on Feb. 18, 2009, they viewed the deal as one that would help the team rebuild for the future.

Salmons was averaging a then-career-high 18.3 points, but the Kings were looking to shed salaries and begin developing young players.

The Kings were 11-44 on the day of the trade and well on their way to the worst record in the NBA with 17 wins.

Salmons went on to be a key player in playoff runs for the Bulls that spring and the next season in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the Kings continued to wallow near the bottom of the standings.

The Kings, still seeking their way out of the basement of the Pacific Division, reacquired Salmons by sending Beno Udrih to Milwaukee in a three-team trade that included Charlotte on the night of the NBA draft.

Salmons, entering his 10th season, returns wiser and is expected to be a leader on a team short on experience among some of its key players.
Thus far, Kings coach Paul Westphal has been pleased with the veteran's presence.

"I try to take pride in being a professional, anyway," Salmons said. "Even if I wasn't in this role, that's what I try to be. I try to come out and play hard, try to bring it every day in practice, try to bring it in every game. Just try to play the right way and lead by example."

In Westphal's first two seasons as Sacramento's coach, he has started several players at small forward.

He has wanted one that could be relied on defensively while also being a threat on offense.

The primary small forwards have been Francisco Garcia, Donte' Greene and Omri Casspi, who was traded to Cleveland.

Greene hasn't been consistent on both offense and defense, and Garcia, who has been a starter and reserve, has battled injuries the past two seasons.

Westphal's desire to add Salmons centered on his versatility on offense and ability to defend. Salmons can score multiple ways, can handle the ball and defend all perimeter positions.

It also didn't hurt seeing Salmons excel for Chicago and Milwaukee in the playoffs. Salmons averaged 18.1 points in seven playoff games for the Bulls in 2009 and 17 points for the Bucks in 2010.

The Kings looked at small forwards prior to the draft, but with improvement both wanted and needed soon, a rookie would not immediately help the situation.

"There's no substitute for experience, especially in the NBA these days when players are coming out after one year," Westphal said. "And usually your top players come out after very little college (experience)."

Salmons said he matured as a player while in Chicago and Milwaukee. The lessons he has learned are ones Westphal would like to see instilled in young players, too.

"You can definitely pick things up just from watching (Salmons)," rookie forward Tyler Honeycutt said. "And if you're curious and you ask him, he's willing to help you. If I've got any questions, I'm going to ask him."

Playing on playoff teams also showed Salmons the kind of drive it takes to contend for championships.

"You can't take plays off. No games off. It's nonstop, going hard," Salmons said. "When you're not in that situation (on a winning team), you don't realize how hard it is. It definitely helped me prepare better and get ready for those situations."

So far, Salmons has been everything Westphal had hoped he would be. He showed up for camp on time, focused and in shape.

The coach has praised Salmons' play during camp, and the veteran can be seen sticking around after practice for extra work.

"When you can have a player who has a lot of basketball left but still has experience, it helps your team a lot," Westphal said.



(sacbee.com)

Salmons will begin the preseason as the Kings' starting small forward, the Sacramento Bess reports.






(fantasysp.com)

Debuting spring 2012, Salmons & Brown offers clean, tailored styles with a little edge. Partner John Salmons, a current member of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, has a longstanding interest in fashion, translated now into a collection that balances military and nautical influences. With Sherman Brown, a young tailor, Salmons hired designer Joe Sundlie, a graduate of Parsons School of Design and 20 year veteran of the fashion industry.

Highlights include a washed linen trench and suede biker jacket. Check these and more from Salmons & Brown’s debut collection after the jump.

Styled by Madbury Club for Selectism. Special thanks to John Salmons for joining us in the photo shoot.


(selectism.com)

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. -- John Salmons led Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School to a PIAA State Championship in 1997. He then played for the Sixers from 2002-06. Now, he’s back in Philly spending the summer playing basketball with fellow local stars.

With the NBA currently locked out, summer leagues like the Delco Pro-Am League are a good opportunity for NBA players to stay in shape. It’s also a great opportunity for college and overseas players to test their mettle against NBA players.

“I play in this league because I love playing the game,” Salmons said. “It’s good competition, so I want to try and win. At the same time, I’m trying to get in shape and get ready for the season.”

Salmons, whose Millennium All Stars won the Delco Pro-Am League Championship last summer, was on the court Sunday night at Competitive Edge Sports. His team, which includes former Plymouth-Whitemarsh and Siena point guard Ronald Moore and former Siena forward and Reading native Alex Franklin, took on Omega Medical, which includes former Penn Charter teammates and NBA players point guard Sean Singletary and forward Rob Kurz, and former Villanova players Reggie Redding and Antonio Pena.

Salmons struggled in the first half, scoring only nine points, and the game remained close throughout. But Salmons turned up the heat in the second half with 24 of his 33 points to lead his team to an 86-77 victory. With his team up 70-69, Salmons drained a three-pointer. Then, with his team up 76-71, Salmons hit a step-back baseline jumper over Kurz to put the game away.

“I guess the competitive side came out,” Salmons said. “I’m not in the greatest shape, so I can’t go hard like that all game.”

On June 23, Salmons was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Sacramento Kings. Later that night, the Kings drafted Jimmer Fredette, Tyler Honeycutt and Isaiah Thomas. A few days later, the Kings traded Omri Casspi to the Cavs for J.J. Hickson. Those players join an already solid core of Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton, DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson. Salmons is likely to start at small forward along with Evans, Thornton, Hickson and Cousins.

“I was shocked,” Salmons said about getting traded to the Kings. “But we have a lot of talent. We have a chance to have a good team. We just have to play together.”

Salmons, Kurz and Singletary weren’t the only NBA players on the court Sunday night. Former Temple star Mardy Collins, who went to high school at Simon Gratz and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2006 draft, scored 13 points to lead T.Y.G.T.A.L. to a 60-55 win over Trad Jazz. Collins teamed with former Temple teammate Dustin Salisbery and Morehead State grad Kenneth Faried, who was recently drafted in the first round by the Denver Nuggets.

The Trad Jazz, a team full of former and current Penn players, nearly defeated a team full of professional players. But a layup in the final minute by Faried broke a tie and gave his team the victory. Penn sophomore Miles Cartwright kept his team in the game with big shot after big shot. The 6-foot-3 point guard can flat-out score, no matter what the competition. The Trad Jazz also includes former Penn forward Mark Zoller, senior Tyler Bernardini and incoming freshman Patrick Lucas-Perry.



(csnphilly.com)

Veteran swingman John Salmons was just as surprised as many fans when the Kings reacquired him from Milwaukee in a three-way trade on draft day last Thursday.

Salmons, who was playing perhaps the best basketball of his career for the Kings when they dealt him to Chicago in 2009, said returning to Sacramento didn't cross his mind.

He said he was planning to work out in Milwaukee and didn't have "any inclination I was getting traded or anything like that."

"That's what made it even more shocking," said Salmons, 31. "I just never thought I'd be back to a team I'd played for."

After trading him during their rebuilding effort, the Kings believe bringing Salmons back moves them closer to being competitive.

Salmons will be asked to provide stability at small forward, a position that has been problematic much of the past two seasons. The Kings have tried using veterans, and they've tried waiting for young players to assert themselves and play consistently.

Now it will be Salmons' turn to prove he deserves the job after a deal that sent guard Beno Udrih to the Bucks.

Despite injuring his knee before last season and dealing with a hip injury, Salmons played in 73 games, starting 70, and averaged 14 points.
The 6-foot-6 Salmons is expected to be an upgrade on offense and defense for the Kings, who were exploited in matchups on both ends of the court the past two seasons.

The Kings were at their best last season when they started Francisco García at small forward. But that came after Garcia began the season as a backup shooting guard and Donte' Greene and Omri Casspi took turns at small forward.

Barring injury, the Kings appear to be done with the turnover at the position. Salmons has three seasons worth about $24 million left on his contract. The team holds an option for another year at $7 million.

The Kings believe Salmons' ability to post up, make three-pointers and create his own shot will give them more options.

"When they play a small guard, we like to post them up," Kings coach Paul Westphal said. "After people figured that out, they stopped putting small guards on Tyreke (Evans). They started putting them on our (small forwards) or Beno if he was in there."

Salmons said he has improved as a player since he left the Kings. When he signed with the Kings as a free agent in 2006, he had not averaged more than 30 minutes a game in four seasons with Philadelphia.

The Kings gave Salmons his first chance to play extended minutes, and by his second season with them, 2007-08, he was averaging 31.1 minutes to go with double-digit scoring (12.5 points) for the first time as a pro.

When Salmons was traded, he was averaging 18.3 points for the Kings. With the Bulls in 2009, he also averaged 18.3 points in the regular season and 18.1 points in the playoffs.

"That was a big moment in my career," Salmons said of the playoff run with Chicago. "Just by being in the playoffs and just playing in that environment."

After being sent to Milwaukee in 2010, Salmons again provided a boost for the playoff stretch, averaging 19.9 points in 30 regular-season games. Salmons averaged 17 points in the playoffs.

The Kings have been looking for more players who can excel under pressure. They found one in guard Marcus Thornton, who they intend to re-sign. Salmons could be another player who fits that mold.

Sacramento still must find another post player, especially if free agent Samuel Dalembert leaves, and needs to make moves to clear up the glut of small forwards behind Salmons.

Part of Salmons' job will be serving as a veteran leader, a role he said he's embracing.

"I feel like we have a lot of young talent," Salmons said. "It's just a matter of piecing it together."


(sacbee.com)

SACRAMENTO, CA, June 23, 2011 -- The Sacramento Kings today acquired forward John Salmons and the draft rights to Jimmer Fredette from the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade that sent guard Beno Udrih to the Bucks and the draft rights to Bismack Biyombo to the Charlotte Bobcats. Charlotte also received Corey Maggette from Milwaukee in exchange for Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston and the draft rights to Tobias Harris, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

“The acquisition of John Salmons, whom we had before, gives us a versatile small forward that can score the ball and defend a number of different positions,” said Petrie. “He obviously brings some experience back to our team and was extremely productive in his former stint as a King. We’re looking forward to have him come back and join our team.

“Jimmer was one of the most exciting players in college basketball the last couple of seasons. If not the best shooter in the draft, he was certainly one of the best. He’ll add a new dimension to our team offensively. He’s an exciting player and I think our fans will enjoy him as well.”

Salmons, a nine-year NBA veteran, averaged 14.0 points (.415 FGs, .379 3FGs, .813 FTs), 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 73 outings with the Bucks last season, of which he started 70. He has posted career averages of 10.1 points (.442 FGs, .369 3FGs, .806 FTs), 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assts per game in 674 contests with Philadelphia (2002-06), Sacramento (2006-09), Chicago (2009-10) and Milwaukee (2009-11). His arrival in Sacramento marks his second stint with the Kings. One of Salmons’ most productive seasons occurred while playing for Sacramento when he averaged 18.3 points (.472 FGs, .418 3FGs, .823 FTs), 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game in 53 outings during the 2008-09 campaign. He has amassed career playoff averages of 11.2 points (.401 FGs, .258 3FGs, .875 FTs), 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game through 22 contests, of which he started 14 for Philadelphia (2003 and 2005), Chicago (2009) and Milwaukee (2010). Salmons was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round (26th pick overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami where he enjoyed a four-year career, averaging 10.4 points (.466 FGs, .321 3FGs and .805 FTs), 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 124 outings for the Hurricanes.


(nba.com)