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Kings Notes: Hornets' Stojakovic might not return this season
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:36 am PST Saturday, January 27, 2007
While Peja Stojakovic continues to express optimism that he will return this season from a serious back injury, the New Orleans Hornets are conceding that the popular ex-King might be finished for 2006-07, raising the fear that Stojakovic will never reclaim his past Sacramento form.
Stojakovic remained in Oklahoma City for treatment as the Hornets played the Kings at New Orleans Arena on Friday, with Hornets coach Byron Scott saying Stojakovic is still planning on playing this season in the wake of surgery Dec. 17 to remove a disc fragment.
But Scott put the return of his starting small forward as a "might," and when asked if Stojakovic is done for the season, said, "I think that's a realistic possibility. I think you've got to be prepared for that. In Peja's situation, you have to be prepared for the worst."
The gloomy update comes almost one year to the day Stojakovic was traded from Sacramento to Indiana for Ron Artest. Stojakovic signed with the Hornets as a free agent in what was billed as a coup for a franchise trying to rebuild, within the roster and within a city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, but he has played 13 games and not at all since Nov. 24.
Jet lags -- The Kings' four-game trip got off to a bad start when their scheduled Thursday afternoon departure from Sacramento was delayed approximately 10 hours, a setback that delayed the arrival at their hotel until about 14 hours before tipoff and forced the cancellation of the shootaround.
Turning what should have been a restful day off into a travel grind akin to playing a back-to-back, only this time while traveling some 1,800 miles, the Kings charter finally departed around 10 p.m. A mechanical problem prompted an initial delay of four hours. Then, once it became apparent the problem could not be quickly solved, the team waited for another plane.
They finally arrived at their hotel at approximately 4:30 a.m.
Jurisprudence -- A Michigan judge said Artest has been released from the probation imposed after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery in September 2005 as part of the fallout from the 2004 Pacers-Pistons brawl in Auburn Hills, Mich.
"I've put it behind me," Artest said of getting finality to the case.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
Kings Notes: Hornets' Stojakovic might not return this season
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:36 am PST Saturday, January 27, 2007
While Peja Stojakovic continues to express optimism that he will return this season from a serious back injury, the New Orleans Hornets are conceding that the popular ex-King might be finished for 2006-07, raising the fear that Stojakovic will never reclaim his past Sacramento form.
Stojakovic remained in Oklahoma City for treatment as the Hornets played the Kings at New Orleans Arena on Friday, with Hornets coach Byron Scott saying Stojakovic is still planning on playing this season in the wake of surgery Dec. 17 to remove a disc fragment.
But Scott put the return of his starting small forward as a "might," and when asked if Stojakovic is done for the season, said, "I think that's a realistic possibility. I think you've got to be prepared for that. In Peja's situation, you have to be prepared for the worst."
The gloomy update comes almost one year to the day Stojakovic was traded from Sacramento to Indiana for Ron Artest. Stojakovic signed with the Hornets as a free agent in what was billed as a coup for a franchise trying to rebuild, within the roster and within a city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, but he has played 13 games and not at all since Nov. 24.
Jet lags -- The Kings' four-game trip got off to a bad start when their scheduled Thursday afternoon departure from Sacramento was delayed approximately 10 hours, a setback that delayed the arrival at their hotel until about 14 hours before tipoff and forced the cancellation of the shootaround.
Turning what should have been a restful day off into a travel grind akin to playing a back-to-back, only this time while traveling some 1,800 miles, the Kings charter finally departed around 10 p.m. A mechanical problem prompted an initial delay of four hours. Then, once it became apparent the problem could not be quickly solved, the team waited for another plane.
They finally arrived at their hotel at approximately 4:30 a.m.
Jurisprudence -- A Michigan judge said Artest has been released from the probation imposed after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery in September 2005 as part of the fallout from the 2004 Pacers-Pistons brawl in Auburn Hills, Mich.
"I've put it behind me," Artest said of getting finality to the case.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.