LMM
Starter
Deal sends shock waves through the locker room
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, February 25, 2005
DALLAS - Kings guard Mike Bibby heard the news from Chris Webber himself and couldn't believe it. And a day after Bibby learned the five-time All-Star forward had been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, it was no more palatable.
"I don't like it," Bibby said of the deal. "I didn't like it when I heard it, and I still don't like it. I was surprised, because I didn't see it coming. I never thought they'd trade Chris. It just surprised me. He called me and told me, and I couldn't believe it. It's still kind of hard to believe."
Bibby said that playing Thursday - a 122-113 loss to the Dallas Mavericks - without Webber was weird. And to Bibby, it didn't matter that the Kings were 51-16 over the past two seasons without Webber. Nor did that matter to Kings coach Rick Adelman.
"We haven't had Chris in the lineup before with injuries and we've done well," Adelman said. "But injuries are one thing - losing a guy to injury and he's still there. This is totally different."
Why did the Kings make that trade?
Adelman said that question needed to be answered by someone else. His primary concern was getting the core Kings - Bibby, Jackson, Cuttino Mobley, Brad Miller and Darius Songaila - to recognize that they will determine the direction of the Kings.
"The younger guys and the new guys are going to follow them," Adelman said he told that group. "So it will be them who determines where this team will go and what it will become."
Jackson said he wished management had given this group a chance to show what it was capable of doing. Stojakovic is the only player remaining from the 1998-99 team. Jackson, who joined the team five years ago as a free agent, now is second in length of service.
"Starting with Jim Jackson, you let Jim Jackson go," Bobby Jackson said. "You let Hedo (Turkoglu) go. You let Keon Clark go. Then Vlade, then Doug, now Webb.
"Each year, you get close to these guys, and it hurts because these guys are like brothers to you. ... We were in a slump, and maybe that's why this happened. But it's all part of the nature of the business."
Stojakovic said he hoped any reported feuding between the two is not cited as a reason for the trade.
"Chris and I had a straight-up relationship, especially from the start of training camp," he said. "We talked to each other then, and I know I talked to Chris more than anyone else on this team. The problem is, we cannot shut up everybody else who wants to make something out of nothing."
Stojakovic was asked if he had said anything to management about not wanting to play with Webber. "How can I say anything to them?" he said rhetorically. "I thought I was getting traded (Monday). ... I hope to talk to Chris (today) in Philadelphia. I was in the movies (Wednesday night) when I found out. I tried to call him, but his phone wasn't taking messages."
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, February 25, 2005
DALLAS - Kings guard Mike Bibby heard the news from Chris Webber himself and couldn't believe it. And a day after Bibby learned the five-time All-Star forward had been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, it was no more palatable.
"I don't like it," Bibby said of the deal. "I didn't like it when I heard it, and I still don't like it. I was surprised, because I didn't see it coming. I never thought they'd trade Chris. It just surprised me. He called me and told me, and I couldn't believe it. It's still kind of hard to believe."
Bibby said that playing Thursday - a 122-113 loss to the Dallas Mavericks - without Webber was weird. And to Bibby, it didn't matter that the Kings were 51-16 over the past two seasons without Webber. Nor did that matter to Kings coach Rick Adelman.
"We haven't had Chris in the lineup before with injuries and we've done well," Adelman said. "But injuries are one thing - losing a guy to injury and he's still there. This is totally different."
Why did the Kings make that trade?
Adelman said that question needed to be answered by someone else. His primary concern was getting the core Kings - Bibby, Jackson, Cuttino Mobley, Brad Miller and Darius Songaila - to recognize that they will determine the direction of the Kings.
"The younger guys and the new guys are going to follow them," Adelman said he told that group. "So it will be them who determines where this team will go and what it will become."
Jackson said he wished management had given this group a chance to show what it was capable of doing. Stojakovic is the only player remaining from the 1998-99 team. Jackson, who joined the team five years ago as a free agent, now is second in length of service.
"Starting with Jim Jackson, you let Jim Jackson go," Bobby Jackson said. "You let Hedo (Turkoglu) go. You let Keon Clark go. Then Vlade, then Doug, now Webb.
"Each year, you get close to these guys, and it hurts because these guys are like brothers to you. ... We were in a slump, and maybe that's why this happened. But it's all part of the nature of the business."
Stojakovic said he hoped any reported feuding between the two is not cited as a reason for the trade.
"Chris and I had a straight-up relationship, especially from the start of training camp," he said. "We talked to each other then, and I know I talked to Chris more than anyone else on this team. The problem is, we cannot shut up everybody else who wants to make something out of nothing."
Stojakovic was asked if he had said anything to management about not wanting to play with Webber. "How can I say anything to them?" he said rhetorically. "I thought I was getting traded (Monday). ... I hope to talk to Chris (today) in Philadelphia. I was in the movies (Wednesday night) when I found out. I tried to call him, but his phone wasn't taking messages."
