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Kings 2004 preview: Ailene Voisin: Just no place for Peja to hide
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Under normal circumstances, Peja Stojakovic, having struggled throughout his most recent postseason series and yet another of the Kings' ill-fated, seven-game encounters, would be bouncing off the backboard to begin again.
But this was no ordinary offseason.
It began with Peja in a shooting slump.
It ended with Peja in a funk.
In between, the two-time All-Star experienced the following: (a) learned of a teammate's criticism that many believe was aimed in his direction; (b) was told his services were no longer needed by the injury-riddled Serbian Olympic team after he asked to skip the opening weeks of the month-long training session due to a scheduling conflict; (c) served in the Greek army; (d) watched his close friend Vlade Divac defect to the Lakers; (e) asked for a trade.
Oh.
And he had a son, Andrej.
"The baby is probably the best thing to happen in my life to this point," Stojakovic said with a grin. "So there were a lot of things last summer."
Though he seems increasingly upbeat and appears to be even softening his stance regarding his future with the Kings, allowing that "I love the area and the fans, so we will just see what happens and let time take care of things," his 2004-05 season nonetheless figures to be a real page-turner, with the close-to-the-vest small forward again shrouded in mystery.
He speaks English fluently and has even mastered the colloquialisms, yet for public consumption offers words only sparingly when pressed on matters that might be perceived as provocative or controversial.
Like that strangely timed trade request. Like his late-season role change and ensuing slump. Like his analysis of what went wrong with the Kings back in March and April and May. Like his thoughts on the offense and the defense. Like his thoughts on 2004-05.
"I am just going to go on the court and play the game," Stojakovic said carefully. "I'm just going to ... I am not going to worry about how many shots, or things like that. I will just play the game like I always do."
Clearly, this is no Jeff Kent responding to Barry Bonds. Though he has emerged as the most valuable of the Kings' two All-Star forwards primarily because of his health and age, Peja has never seemed interested in sparring with teammates for accolades or attention.
While witty, playful and quite the prankster away from the cameras, he has functioned quite comfortably in the shadow of the more celebrated Chris Webber.
Yet the dynamic between the two stars grows more fascinating by the hour.
The roles are changing, perhaps even reversing, with recent seasons having been more gentle to one than the other. While Webber has been sidelined with debilitating knee injuries, Stojakovic has quietly developed into one of the NBA's elite small forwards and arguably the game's premier outside shooter. He has improved areas of weakness - becoming an adequate defender - and when prodded to do so, he's proven to be a more-than-capable rebounder.
During Webber's 58-game regular-season absence last season, in particular, Stojakovic stretched his 6-foot-10, 229-pound frame and reached elite status.
With an insatiable appetite for running and cutting and moving without the ball, he very gracefully and efficiently assumed the mantle as primary scorer, benefiting immensely from the unselfishness and collaborative efforts of Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Brad Miller, Bobby Jackson and the departed Divac.
"The key to our team is Peja," Jackson said bluntly. "When he's hitting shots, it opens things up for everybody else. And he can still get better on defense."
Yet based on his words and his actions during both the postseason and the offseason, Peja clearly has more maturing to do. On the court, off the court, in the locker room.
First of all, though Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie endorsed the inexhaustible Peja's self-imposed quasi-exile from the gym last summer - for Stojakovic, extensive daily workouts are as essential as eating and breathing - none other than Larry Bird has suggested that he expand his repertoire with some low-post and dribble moves.
Given his offseason hiatus, any immediate improvement undoubtedly will require a willingness to spend extra time working on his individual skills after practices and before games.
Of even greater importance will be whether Peja accepts the responsibility that accompanies his elevated stature. You can't be the league's second-leading scorer and "the guy" for three-fourths of the season - which he was last year - earning recognition as a legitimate MVP candidate on a team that owned the league's best record, and then get shoved aside down the stretch without pushing back.
Without demanding the ball and making the shots. Without asking the tough questions. In essence, without stepping up both for your teammates and for yourself.
Remember, this is no stranger to conflict. After his home was destroyed in what is now Croatia, the native of the former Yugoslavia moved to Greece and became a 16-year-old superstar on one of Europe's premier clubs.
Four years later, and before he was even introduced to Divac, he defied his father and arrived in Sacramento with a Kings gym bag and little else. He was both appreciative of the opportunity and stubbornly determined to succeed; indeed, there was more than a flash of flinty resolve in those dark eyes of his.
And for the Kings to overcome the uncertainty of Webber's medical condition and the extent of his availability and effectiveness, Peja has to be a dominant presence.
He doesn't have to lead per se, not in the conventional sense; that would be inconsistent with his amiable personality. But he does have to shoot and score, and as is the case of all great players intent on taking their games to the next level, do whatever else it takes to get his hands on the ball during crucial possessions.
This season he can't go silently into the night, withdrawing from trusting teammates and becoming overwhelmed by the circumstances. He is 27. He is healthy. He is here.
Asking out is not the answer. Stepping up is.
Kings 2004 preview: Ailene Voisin: Just no place for Peja to hide
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Under normal circumstances, Peja Stojakovic, having struggled throughout his most recent postseason series and yet another of the Kings' ill-fated, seven-game encounters, would be bouncing off the backboard to begin again.
But this was no ordinary offseason.
It began with Peja in a shooting slump.
It ended with Peja in a funk.
In between, the two-time All-Star experienced the following: (a) learned of a teammate's criticism that many believe was aimed in his direction; (b) was told his services were no longer needed by the injury-riddled Serbian Olympic team after he asked to skip the opening weeks of the month-long training session due to a scheduling conflict; (c) served in the Greek army; (d) watched his close friend Vlade Divac defect to the Lakers; (e) asked for a trade.
Oh.
And he had a son, Andrej.
"The baby is probably the best thing to happen in my life to this point," Stojakovic said with a grin. "So there were a lot of things last summer."
Though he seems increasingly upbeat and appears to be even softening his stance regarding his future with the Kings, allowing that "I love the area and the fans, so we will just see what happens and let time take care of things," his 2004-05 season nonetheless figures to be a real page-turner, with the close-to-the-vest small forward again shrouded in mystery.
He speaks English fluently and has even mastered the colloquialisms, yet for public consumption offers words only sparingly when pressed on matters that might be perceived as provocative or controversial.
Like that strangely timed trade request. Like his late-season role change and ensuing slump. Like his analysis of what went wrong with the Kings back in March and April and May. Like his thoughts on the offense and the defense. Like his thoughts on 2004-05.
"I am just going to go on the court and play the game," Stojakovic said carefully. "I'm just going to ... I am not going to worry about how many shots, or things like that. I will just play the game like I always do."
Clearly, this is no Jeff Kent responding to Barry Bonds. Though he has emerged as the most valuable of the Kings' two All-Star forwards primarily because of his health and age, Peja has never seemed interested in sparring with teammates for accolades or attention.
While witty, playful and quite the prankster away from the cameras, he has functioned quite comfortably in the shadow of the more celebrated Chris Webber.
Yet the dynamic between the two stars grows more fascinating by the hour.
The roles are changing, perhaps even reversing, with recent seasons having been more gentle to one than the other. While Webber has been sidelined with debilitating knee injuries, Stojakovic has quietly developed into one of the NBA's elite small forwards and arguably the game's premier outside shooter. He has improved areas of weakness - becoming an adequate defender - and when prodded to do so, he's proven to be a more-than-capable rebounder.
During Webber's 58-game regular-season absence last season, in particular, Stojakovic stretched his 6-foot-10, 229-pound frame and reached elite status.
With an insatiable appetite for running and cutting and moving without the ball, he very gracefully and efficiently assumed the mantle as primary scorer, benefiting immensely from the unselfishness and collaborative efforts of Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Brad Miller, Bobby Jackson and the departed Divac.
"The key to our team is Peja," Jackson said bluntly. "When he's hitting shots, it opens things up for everybody else. And he can still get better on defense."
Yet based on his words and his actions during both the postseason and the offseason, Peja clearly has more maturing to do. On the court, off the court, in the locker room.
First of all, though Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie endorsed the inexhaustible Peja's self-imposed quasi-exile from the gym last summer - for Stojakovic, extensive daily workouts are as essential as eating and breathing - none other than Larry Bird has suggested that he expand his repertoire with some low-post and dribble moves.
Given his offseason hiatus, any immediate improvement undoubtedly will require a willingness to spend extra time working on his individual skills after practices and before games.
Of even greater importance will be whether Peja accepts the responsibility that accompanies his elevated stature. You can't be the league's second-leading scorer and "the guy" for three-fourths of the season - which he was last year - earning recognition as a legitimate MVP candidate on a team that owned the league's best record, and then get shoved aside down the stretch without pushing back.
Without demanding the ball and making the shots. Without asking the tough questions. In essence, without stepping up both for your teammates and for yourself.
Remember, this is no stranger to conflict. After his home was destroyed in what is now Croatia, the native of the former Yugoslavia moved to Greece and became a 16-year-old superstar on one of Europe's premier clubs.
Four years later, and before he was even introduced to Divac, he defied his father and arrived in Sacramento with a Kings gym bag and little else. He was both appreciative of the opportunity and stubbornly determined to succeed; indeed, there was more than a flash of flinty resolve in those dark eyes of his.
And for the Kings to overcome the uncertainty of Webber's medical condition and the extent of his availability and effectiveness, Peja has to be a dominant presence.
He doesn't have to lead per se, not in the conventional sense; that would be inconsistent with his amiable personality. But he does have to shoot and score, and as is the case of all great players intent on taking their games to the next level, do whatever else it takes to get his hands on the ball during crucial possessions.
This season he can't go silently into the night, withdrawing from trusting teammates and becoming overwhelmed by the circumstances. He is 27. He is healthy. He is here.
Asking out is not the answer. Stepping up is.
). That same cynic imagines she'll be right back to her old tricks at the first stumble by the team. 
