National Basketball Association

Bucks deal for Salmons paying off early

Published Mar. 5, 2010 9:27 a.m. ET

foxsports

John Salmons found himself with an unexpected night off last month in New York.

Not wanting to sit around the hotel like a stranded business traveler, he called a friend and went to grab a bite to eat in Times Square and watch a basketball game.

Salmons' attention was divided between his Smokehouse burger and watching the Chicago Bulls, the team that told him to stay behind just hours before the trade deadline.

For the second time in as many years, Salmons knew he was switching teams midseason. It didn't take long to figure out he was headed to Milwaukee, and it's taken him even less time to make an impact.

The Bucks are 7-1 since acquiring Salmons by dumping the expiring contracts of Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander. And, Salmons has returned to form as the scoring machine that helped the Bulls push the Boston Celtics to seven games in the first round of the NBA postseason last year by averaging 20.4 points per game so far.

``I was cool with the move, I wasn't sad at all leaving Chicago,'' Salmons said. ``At first, I was shocked it was the Bucks. But it was a great situation. My family is only an hour away, it's a team on the cusp of making the playoffs, I got the opportunity to get playing time. It was a good coaching staff. When I thought about it, it was a great situation.''

Milwaukee appears to be in a great situation now, too.

Salmons is getting more playing time than he was with the Bulls and the Bucks might be able to take the underdog role into the postseason if they continue their torrid play of late.

Milwaukee, which was seven games under .500 at 18-25, has won 13 of 17 heading into Friday night's game at Washington and moved into the middle of the Eastern Conference postseason picture, where five teams are separated by three games.

Salmons and the decision to sign veteran Jerry Stackhouse on Jan. 18 for the veteran's minimum have been two of the keys in the Bucks' turnaround. Coach Scott Skiles said Stackhouse has brought a measure of toughness that was missing, and Salmons' scoring has taken pressure off Andrew Bogut and rookie point guard Brandon Jennings.

Bogut, who last reached the playoffs his rookie season of 2005-06, has averaged 16.5 points and 11.1 rebounds since Salmons joined the team and Bogut said the soft-spoken guard with the distinctive facial hair is letting his actions speak for him.

``We knew he was a scoring punch on every team's he's played on, he's been a great scorer, he's gotten better and better every year,'' Bogut said. ``I wasn't expecting him to contribute this early as the way he has, but he's done a hell of a job for us.''

The forthright Skiles has praised Salmons' effort.

``It's an understatement to say he's playing very well,'' the coach said. ``He's been able to fit in without a lot of hassle. He's been able to do it very easily. He's got a good personality that allows him to do that.''

What's made it all the more impressive to the coaching staff is that Salmons hardly knows any of the plays and practiced with the team for just the second time ever on Thursday.

``He's scoring 20 points a game without having a great idea of everything we want,'' Skiles said.

But Salmons does know what he wants - for now.

Milwaukee is looking to improve seeding in the lower half of the Eastern Conference. Once in the postseason, the Bucks hope to make some noise after failing to win a postseason series since the franchise's 2001 run reached the Eastern Conference finals with Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell.

``We're not just trying to make the playoffs, we're trying to move up in the standings,'' Salmons said. ``If we all stay together, continue to grow, we can only get better and try to make a push.''

After that, Salmons is less certain. He has a $5.8 million player option for next season, but says that exercising it is a conversation for later.

``It's not even a thought,'' Salmons said. ``I'm just focusing on this season.''