Salmons' 13th season in the NBA will be his first with the New Orleans Pelicans, after the small forward inked a new deal with New Orleans this offseason. In 78 games between the Kings and Raptors last season, Salmons averaged 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 22 minutes per game. Salmons also averaged 0.6 steals per game and shot a strong 39 percent on his three-point attempts. Unfortunately, he struggled on all shots that weren't three-pointers, shooting a career-worst 36 percent from the field. Salmons has a shot at earning a starting job this season depending on whether coach Monty Williams wants to see Tyreke Evans in a sixth man role, but even as a starter, Salmons' ceiling is limited. The Pelicans need a replacement for Anthony Morrow's shooting, but Salmons' shooting is the extent of his usefulness. Even in his prime half a decade ago, Salmons never averaged more than 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He's not the same scorer he was in years past, but if the right opportunity arises due to injury, Salmons could end up providing a bit of scoring for owners.
Salmons now looks like the backup at small forward, but still has a strong chance at earning back the starting position. Even if he doesn't, he would still play more than 20 minutes per game, with a chance at breaking 25. Last season Salmons averaged 30 minutes per game, but posted some of his worst per-minute numbers of his career. Like Hayes, at this point in his career, the majority of Salmons' value is in his veteran leadership qualities. Best-case scenario for Salmons in 2013-14 is that he is provides a low-turnover source of rebounds, assists, and threes, but with limited points and a harmful field goal percentage.
In his 10th year of NBA service, Salmons began to show some wear and tear last season. He was constantly limited by a nagging hip injury, and when he was on the court he averaged a career-low 7.5 points as a starter. With the Kings trading for James Johnson this off-season, it appears as those Salmons days as a fantasy contributor are long gone.
Salmons was traded to the Kings in a draft-day deal that sent Beno Udrih to the Bucks. He’ll start at small forward this season, but he may be somewhat limited in his role on offense. The Kings have Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins to be the focal points, they’re also expected to re-sign Marcus Thornton, and they drafted Jimmer Fredette. If all of those players are used as expected, Salmons would project to be no better than the fourth option on offense. As a result, he may see his averages fall even further off the cliff than they did last season. Salmons is capable of scoring and filling up the box score in a more prominent role, but barring significant injuries to other Kings, expect him to play more of a bit part.
Salmons has had a curious career path. Although he's been in the league since 2002-03, and has played around 90 percent of all possible games since then, he never became anything like a number one scoring option until the 2008-09 campaign, which he split between Sacramento and Chicago. Having averaged only 12.5 points the season before (itself already a career high), Salmons averaged exactly 18.3 points with both teams that year. Despite getting off to a slow start last year with Chicago, he more than made up for it after moving to Milwaukee, where he averaged 19.9 points per contest. The difference-maker for Salmons has been a combination of (a) more playing time and (b) better three-point shooting. There's no reason he can't sustain the improvements to the latter. As for the former, the offseason acquisitions of Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette might limit his touches, if not his actual minutes on the court.
Salmons went on to have a quiet but extremely productive season, averaging 18.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 treys and 1.0 steal on 47.3-percent shooting from the field and 83-percent from the line. He was a top-50 fantasy player last season, believe it or not, and his production remained extremely consistent despite having to adjust to a new team environment right after the All-Star break when he was traded to the Bulls. All signs point to an increase in his numbers across the board since he will be an even bigger part of the team’s offense this season with the team’s leading scorer, Ben Gordon, off in Detroit. Salmons has proven that he can maintain his efficient shooting percentage with an increased workload, as his field-goal percentage dipped less than half a percent last season even though he attempted about four more shots per game. With a good shot at surpassing 20 points and two treys per game while maintaining an ultra-efficient line, Salmons offers a lot of upside , especially for where he’s likely to be drafted given his lack of name recognition.
Salmons is one of the winners in the Ron Artest trade. Every time Salmons got the opportunity last season he took full advantage, with averages of 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 49.7 percent shooting from the field and 81.1 percent from the line in 41 games as a starter. Salmons is a 6-6 wing that can play every position from the PG up to SF, and he thrives with the ball in his hands where he can create his own shot or scoring opportunities for his teammates off the dribble. Salmons will be competing with Francisco Garcia for the starting job as the starting wing opposite Kevin Martin, and Salmons’ ability to run the offense gives him the edge.
For years, Salmons has been touted as a player with tons of potential – a guy with the handle and passing ability to run the point, the shot to play off-guard and the size to play small forward. Unfortunately, he’s spent his entire career blocked by guys like Allen Iverson, Andre Iguodala, Mike Bibby, Ron Artest and now Kevin Martin. Salmons has produced when given the opportunity – in 18 games as the Kings’ starting three last season, Salmons netted a solid 12.2 points, 4.3 boards, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals – over a full season, that would make him a very valuable fantasy garbage man. Watch the rumor mill closely – if the long-discussed trades involving Artest and/or Bibby ever materialize, Salmons’ value will increase in a hurry.
Salmons has had an interesting summer, turning down offers from the Suns and Raptors before finally deciding to sign with the Kings. Salmons is a 6-6 swingman with good athletic ability and ballhandling skills that could play any position from point guard through small forward. He was a bench player for the Sixers, but in 24 starts he flashed enough potential (averaging almost 11 points, more than five assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 10 starts in the backcourt) that the Kings were willing to bring him in as a possible replacement for Bonzi Wells. Because Kings guards Mike Bibby and Kevin Martin are both good off-the-ball shooters, Salmons could potentially be a primary ballhandler that produces decent assists if he earns enough minutes to be useful. He’s a bit of a sleeper and worth taking a flyer on late.
Salmons was given a chance to play last season behind Iverson, but really didn't receive the kind of minutes for which he hoped. This could be his last chance to make an impression on the Sixers brass. If the absence of Green doesn't help him exceed the 4.1 ppg he averaged last season nothing will.
A big guard with great hands, John will again see limited minutes and will have to make the most of them. He is stuck behind the other guards on the roster and defense will be his only shot of gaining time on the court. He has showned some potential so he could get more of a look under Coach O'Brien.
Salmons looked good on the Sixers Summer Pro League squad and could be in line for more minutes, though with Greg Buckner and Aaron McKie around as reserves, there's really not all that much to go around.
