Salmons ready to increase role

John Salmons isn't so much a man of few words as one who uses the most economical number to answer a question properly.

Talk to him about his new baby daughter, and he will gush. Discuss his strong religious foundation, and you will get an earful without judgment.

But ask him if he feels pressure to prove last season wasn't a fluke, and the notebook remains mostly bare.

"No," he said, neither remotely nor rudely. "Because it wasn't."

Salmons became more effusive in talking about how he tweaked his offseason routine because he "learned a lot in the playoffs" and, initially, had to rest a sore groin. But ask him if that change in focus was, in any way, because he will assume Ben Gordon's shooting guard slot in Thursday night's opener against the Spurs, and the response is even more succinct.

"No," he said.

The tape recorder kept rolling. Salmons looked down and smiled.

"Look, I'm going to do what I do," Salmons said. "I don't feel any added pressure because BG is gone. We still have a lot of players with talent. I'm just going to do the best I can, work hard, put it in God's hands, and whatever the results are, they are."

If past history is any guide, that should be enough.

Salmons averaged a career-high 18.3 points last season, continuing a trend that has seen his scoring average increase from 4.1 to 7.5 to 8.5 to 12.5 to 18.3 over the last five seasons. Perhaps it's merely coincidence Salmons also started a career-high 74 games between the Bulls and Kings last season -- or not.

"At Sacramento (in 2007-08), I started 41 games and averaged 17 points in those games," Salmons said. "I finished the season averaging 12.5 because I'm not a big coming-off-the-bench guy. Another year in Philly as a starter, I averaged 14. I got a thousand excuses why it wasn't working earlier. But last year, I got an opportunity and I took advantage of it."

That opportunity will grow this season. Not only has Salmons moved from small forward to assume Gordon's vacated shooting guard spot, but coach Vinny Del Negro said Salmons still would see some small forward minutes.

"He's going to have the ball a lot," Del Negro said. "We need him to score consistently. John's a pro. He knows the importance of him being consistent at both ends. He does a good job defensively helping and talking. I think he's even more comfortable now just going through training camp instead of jumping in at the trading deadline."

In fact, Salmons is so comfortable, he lives up to his nickname of "Cool Breeze" and scoffs at any offensive differences between playing shooting guard and small forward.

"The only change will be on defense," Salmons said. "A lot of shooting guards run off screens, so chasing Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton has been on my mind."

In other words, that defensive assignment will be more painful, right?

"Yes," Salmons said.



(chicagotribune.com)