John Salmons is owed $7 million next season, but only $1 million of that is guaranteed. It all becomes guaranteed July 1.
So, June 30 is the Raptors’ deadline to make a decision.
Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Suns:
If Raptors cannot find a taker for John Salmons by June 30 deadline, he will be waived. Raptors would pay $1 million, save $6 million.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) June 25, 2014
Salmons is an OK backup. He’s definitely not worth $7 million.
His main value would be in a salary-dump trade that nets Toronto a better player and allows the other team to waive Salmons and save money, but that would have to occur by June 30. The Raptors should, and will, explore that possibility and then waive Salmons if they can’t find a trade partner.
The only downside to waiving him is that locks $1 million into the payroll. It can’t be traded or removed in any other way. If the Raptors keep Salmons into July, it’s always possible they trade him and remove his entire salary. He doesn’t hold much value as a player, but his large expiring contract could help grease a larger deal.
I don’t think that’s worth the risk of keeping him and getting stuck with his high salary – and apparently neither do the Raptors.
