Decision process starts for Salmons

St. Francis — John Salmons is a wanted man.

His Milwaukee Bucks teammates were unanimous in hoping the 6-foot-6 shooting guard would return next season, as they made a last stop at the Cousins Center before heading their separate ways Monday, a day after their first-round playoff exit.

Salmons has an option worth $5.8 million for the 2010-'11 season. He can exercise the option or opt out of the deal and become an unrestricted free agent, or he might sign a contract extension with the Bucks.

Asked on a scale of 1 to 10 where he would rate the importance of signing Salmons, point guard Brandon Jennings didn't hesitate.

"It's a 10," Jennings said. "He's a scorer, somebody who helped us get to the playoffs. Without picking him up I don't think we would have been in the fifth or sixth spot (seeded sixth). I think we would have been fighting to get to the eighth spot."

The Bucks went 22-8 after acquiring Salmons in a Feb. 18 trade with the Chicago Bulls, who were looking to clear salary space to make a run at an elite free agent this summer.

Salmons was coming off the bench in Chicago and growing increasingly frustrated, but the cloud lifted as soon as he joined the Bucks.

"The city has been great and the fans have been great," Salmons said. "My teammates have been great, and it's a really good coaching staff.
"When you get traded, you never really know what to expect. We made a great playoff run and had an opportunity (against Atlanta) but just didn't pull it out."

Salmons averaged 19.9 points in 30 regular-season games with the Bucks and led the team in scoring 16 times while providing a needed offensive jolt.

And he averaged 17.0 points in the playoffs despite being limited to eight and 11 points, respectively, in the final two games of the series against the Hawks.

The 30-year-old Salmons said he had not decided whether to opt out of the final year of his contract and was still talking to his agent about it.
"It's probably a pretty good option, to opt out," he said.

If he does opt out, the Bucks would lose the exclusive negotiating status they now hold, and Salmons would have to wait until the free agency period begins July 1 to start having discussions with any teams.

"This is why contracts are done with opt-outs," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "A guy has a right to do what he needs to do.
"We certainly have great interest in John; that goes without saying. He's been our kind of player. He's serious about the game. And he was very, very productive for us."

Salmons said the positive finish in Milwaukee and cohesiveness among the players would be something he considers in making his decision.
Salmons has played for four teams in his eight-year career: Philadelphia, Sacramento, Chicago and Milwaukee. And he has played for three teams in the last two seasons and been traded twice.

"Moving is getting a little old," Salmons said. "It's a business and it's part of it. Quentin Richardson got traded five times last summer.

"For me the main thing is what I feel God wants me to do. I'm just going to pray on the decision."



(jsonline.com)