do you think peja's reached the peak of his perfomance with the kings already?

RaY Z

RaY Z

Starter
do you guys ever think that peja will have such a good season with the kings as he did in the 2003-2004 season?

his still fairly young but i dont think he can surpass how he played with the kings last season although he may equal his performance last yr with the the kings in the future i think he wont surpass how he played that yr unless he can develop his rebounding and passing... i think that he can only surpass his numbers with a team that really sucks... i think its to hard for peja to perform well since there are so many scoring options in this current team as well as great passers...but i think if he just does his role well which he hasnt been consistently this year due to injuries i think the kings are gonna win the championship.. just hope a setback doesnt wreck his flow from here... KEEP HEALTHY PEJA...

all in all GO PEJA!!!!! DO UR THING to GIVE THE KINGS THE RING!!!!!!!!
 
He is young so chances are yeah he has plenty more left in the tank. I;m not sure if he needs to be traded, sent tothe shrink or kicked in the *** but this is just not his year so far. Lets just hope that the appropriate treatmet will be applied during the All Star break.
 
to answer the initial question, yes.

Does, not mean I think he's in decline. But I don't think he's gotten much better over the years and what you see is pretty much what you get with him.
 
I do not think so. He may have reached his potential with this team/system/coach but as a player most definitely not.
 
If he has to go, it would be interesting to see him with pop and the spurs....of course from our perspective that is bad scenario but under pop's command and treatment he could develop his defense and rebounding, primarily.....he can be a great player on the both ends but key thing is motivation.....it is very hard to make adjustment from option 1 to option 3 (now 4) and unfortunately for him, he does not have that attitude "me, me and only me".....and I think that's the main reason why he ask for trade....
 
I can't think of another team/offensive scheme where Peja would have as much freedom or less responsibility. I think on any other team he'd be relegated to a spot up 3 pt. shooter a la Fred Hoiberg and that would be a shame because he has good ball handling skills for a guy 6'10". Can he improve? Yes, and here's how. Peja, for the most part shoots low percentage shots (yes, even when he's backdooring to the hoop because he's so easily blockable and in fact knows this which accounts for many of his blown layups since he's seeing a fanthom shot blocker coming). When he does work himself into an iso on a smaller player near the basket he still does a low percentage fall away shot for fear of being blocked. On the perimeter, perhaps because he knows he's our primary 3 point shooter, he often forces a shot. Solution? On the perimeter give a good ball fake like he's shooting, pull it down and blow past the defender for one or two dribbles, stop and pop the 15-17 footer where he's usually money on the very few occasions when I've seen him shoot from this range. This will force his defender to back off a bit giving him more room to get his 3 pointer off. Plus, when he drives he needs to go right more because he ALWAYS goes left.
 
sloter said:
GREAT answer.
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At first I was a little angry at this response and the one it was referring to, but then I had another thought.

I certainly hope that IF Pedja has reached the peak of his performance with this team/system/coach that it doesn't turn out to be the best he can be...

This year is one of growth and change for Pedja. It will either make him or it could break him. From what I read in another thread, he IS discouraged but by the injuries that have hampered him from really getting into the swing of things. I have to wonder if, because of all the nagging stuff, he may just have a little better appreciation for the frustration Webber went through.

There is something very special about Pedja. He is, when completely healthy and playing at his peak, a marvel to watch. His shot, although unorthodox, is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. It appears to magically leave his fingers and then, just as magically, appear at the top of the cylinder almost as though it was floating on a pre-determined path from which it cannot be stayed.

I don't know if he's peaked. I think, if healthy all year, he would be reaching his stride. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for as long as it takes. I'm not about to throw dirt him and call him done.

Again, however, his faith isn't ours or even his to decide. It belongs solely in the hands of Geoff Petrie. And, quite frankly, Pedja is very lucky.
 
piksi said:
I do not think so. He may have reached his potential with this team/system/coach but as a player most definitely not.
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in what other system would peja have more offensive freedom? he has every opportunity here in sacramento to improve on his offensive game, to expand his repetoire of skills.

and, playing with such a poor rebounding team as the kings, why shouldn't peja look to rebound the basketball more? hustle after loose balls more? play the hard defense that we know he can play?

i agree with brick 100%. we've pretty much seen all we're gonna see form peja. the sacramento kings, as they are right now, is the perfect fit for peja as a player. he should be thriving in our system, with this team, and with this coach. ya can say whatever ya want about webber's return, and the addition of cuttino mobley, but i dont see mike bibby's or brad miller's production going downhill. in fact, they are having the best seasons of their respective careers. peja, on the other hand, just doesn't have the emotion and the drive of a champion. he never has, and probably never will. we can give him the trade he wants, but will he improve elsewhere? not likely. and if he does, it won't be because he's a part of a new team, it'll be because he's finally discovered the drive he's missing. i like to think that peja plays in gears. normally, he hovers around 3rd gear. on occasion, he pushes it up to fourth. when peja discovers his fifth gear, so to speak, he will be unstoppable. but he's got to want it, and i just dont see that right now.
 
Padrino said:
in what other system would peja have more offensive freedom? he has every opportunity here in sacramento to improve on his offensive game, to expand his repetoire of skills.

and, playing with such a poor rebounding team as the kings, why shouldn't peja look to rebound the basketball more? hustle after loose balls more? play the hard defense that we know he can play?

i agree with brick 100%. we've pretty much seen all we're gonna see form peja. the sacramento kings, as they are right now, is the perfect fit for peja as a player. he should be thriving in our system, with this team, and with this coach. ya can say whatever ya want about webber's return, and the addition of cuttino mobley, but i dont see mike bibby's or brad miller's production going downhill. in fact, they are having the best seasons of their respective careers. peja, on the other hand, just doesn't have the emotion and the drive of a champion. he never has, and probably never will. we can give him the trade he wants, but will he improve elsewhere? not likely. and if he does, it won't be because he's a part of a new team, it'll be because he's finally discovered the drive he's missing. i like to think that peja plays in gears. normally, he hovers around 3rd gear. on occasion, he pushes it up to fourth. when peja discovers his fifth gear, so to speak, he will be unstoppable. but he's got to want it, and i just dont see that right now.
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You can have all freedom you want - if you do not have touches - will not do you any good.

Pedja has played well in other systems. He has played great for coaches like Pesic (Pop like) who will not tolerate BS of any kind. There is basketball outside NBA.
 
piksi said:
You can have all freedom you want - if you do not have touches - will not do you any good.

Pedja has played well in other systems. He has played great for coaches like Pesic (Pop like) who will not tolerate BS of any kind. There is basketball outside NBA.
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There may be basketball outside the NBA, but there aren't salaries to match those of the NBA.

You aren't saying Pedja would prefer to go back, are you?
 
VF21 said:
There may be basketball outside the NBA, but there aren't salaries to match those of the NBA.

You aren't saying Pedja would prefer to go back, are you?
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My comment was directed to Pedja playing in other systems under other coaches.

Why in the world would he leave NBA after so much effort to establish himeself ?
 
If you're suggesting that he just needs a coach to slap the wuss out of him and he's played with more grit outside of the NBA, doesn't that further implicate him as being a "hold out"? Plus, maybe I got the wrong impression but I don't feel Euroball has much in the way of physical matches and defensive battles. I think the Spurs would smirk at any comparison. I'd bet Bruce Bowen would get tossed in the first minute outside the States.
 
VF21 said:
There is something very special about Pedja. He is, when completely healthy and playing at his peak, a marvel to watch. His shot, although unorthodox, is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. It appears to magically leave his fingers and then, just as magically, appear at the top of the cylinder almost as though it was floating on a pre-determined path from which it cannot be stayed.

I don't know if he's peaked. I think, if healthy all year, he would be reaching his stride. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for as long as it takes. I'm not about to throw dirt him and call him done.
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^I totally agree with this.

Last season was probably the best season Pedja had in the NBA so far. Some even said Pedja could be MVP...and the funny thing was, I actually thought Pedja still have the potential to be better. Too bad that this season, injuries haven't help Pedja. He's still young and have areas to work on to become a better player. So I don't really believe this is the end of Pedja.
 
Its a lot easier to get lots of touches and score lots of points when you are playing against lesser competition outside the NBA. Guys are smaller, slower.

Last year was it, BTW. The career year:

1) Peja has never been a rebounder, apparently at any level (according to stats provided to us by Bozzwell) -- highly unlikely he ever will be as he hits the later stages of his career.

2) Peja does not rack up assists, and never will (not lack of passing skill, simple limitation of his game -- he plays without the ball).

3) Peja has improved his man on man defense a lot since he arrived in the league. But he's taken it about as far as he can simply because of physical limitations. He's never going to be able to consistently smother guys with quickness.

4) Last year Peja played on the best passing team in the league, with two unselfish aging veterans in the lineup who simply could NOT score big on a nightly basis, but could really pass and had excellent chemistry with him born of years of playing together. He also had another strong passer/reluctant shooter at PF. Surrounded by 4 passers, 3 of whom were the #1 or #2 passing players at their positions in the NBA, and only 1 of whom really looked to shoot (Bibby) -- Peja will NEVER find a better situation than that in this league. Only potential at even close to that same level would be as a shooter hovering around a Shaq or Duncan.

5) About the only place where there's room for significant improvement would be in the hustle/help defense/passing lanes/shotblocking areas. But much like rebounding, that is simply not in the nature of the beast. You don't learn how to hustle. You are either aggressive and ferociously competitive or you're not.
 
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I think Peja just wants to be traded. It seems to me that he is not very happy since Valde departed. He is a Professional player and does not say what he really feels. if thats the case, and yea thats my feel on it. Then let J.P. make the move. but don't think it will happen till the seasons over. he's reached his peak for this season. My.02
 
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Bricklayer said:
5) About the only place where there's room for significant improvement would be in the hustle/help defense/passing lanes/shotblocking areas. But much like rebounding, that is simply not in the nature of the beast. You don't learn how to hustle. You are either aggressive and ferociously competitive or you're not.
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I think Peja could improve his low post offense. To me that's one of his glaring offensive weaknesses. Peja has several inches on two of his historical nemisis, Bowen and Hassell. Yet, he rarely attempts to back them down for a post move. It seems that is something, unlike being aggressive, that he could actually learn.
 
piksi said:
I do not think so. He may have reached his potential with this team/system/coach but as a player most definitely not.
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I don't think he will ever have a team/system/coach that is a better fit and gives him an opportunity to thrive. If he leaves he will have to significantly improve and change his game to be as productive. With that said, I think he will continue to improve. Injuries, and the loss of his mentor have slowed him this year, but he will eventually return to form. When he does, the next step is to work on a turn around J from a post position. He will then (and only then) be considered a superstar in this league.
 
G_M said:
I think Peja could improve his low post offense. To me that's one of his glaring offensive weaknesses. Peja has several inches on two of his historical nemisis, Bowen and Hassell. Yet, he rarely attempts to back them down for a post move. It seems that is something, unlike being aggressive, that he could actually learn.
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I've been saying that for years, only problem is, he just doesn't work on it in the off season. Be it because he was playing for the National team, or this season when he had other things to do. Maybe this summer?
 
G_M said:
I think Peja could improve his low post offense. To me that's one of his glaring offensive weaknesses. Peja has several inches on two of his historical nemisis, Bowen and Hassell. Yet, he rarely attempts to back them down for a post move. It seems that is something, unlike being aggressive, that he could actually learn.
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Yes, this is true. In fact as I recall many of us were screaming for him to develop such a game over the summer -- such an obvious need after the playoff flameout vs. Hassel. But of course he did not. And that's not the system, not the coach, that's Peja. Peja has his game. Its the same one he's played since he was a teenager. And he's shown little inclination to significantly add to it. Makes sense if you think about it -- Peja doesn't like to bang, he doesn't like physical contact, developing a post game sounds good on paper, but its a bit of anathema if you are a finesse player who does not like contact.

Not as if there's some great mystery about the holes in Peja's game. Not as if it doesn't make sense or fit together. Hustle, rebounding, post game -- those are all aggression + physical aspects of the game. And that's not our boy.
 
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I don't know if Peja wants to be traded and his lackluster year is a product of that desire or not. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt and just say he's having an off year given all of the changes this year from last, both personal and professional. However, this still doesn't address his professional shortcomings or his seemingly lack of desire to change/improve his game. His shortcomings aren't a personal slam or criticism at all but business is business and the fact is this team cannot excel with a slow footed, vertically challenged front line. In my estimation he's pretty much peaked since his game hasn't changed for several years and at this point would be best to be traded while he's still a bargain and before we have to confront his salary increase he will want (and, too a degree) will have earned. The Kings cannot afford 3 max contracts so any trade scenario must include Peja/Webber leaving Mike as our max contract player and possibly gaining one in return if we trade for an esablished star.
 
Zyphen said:
If you're suggesting that he just needs a coach to slap the wuss out of him and he's played with more grit outside of the NBA, doesn't that further implicate him as being a "hold out"? Plus, maybe I got the wrong impression but I don't feel Euroball has much in the way of physical matches and defensive battles. I think the Spurs would smirk at any comparison. I'd bet Bruce Bowen would get tossed in the first minute outside the States.
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exactly other way around.

In Europe game is bordedline physical.

They do go by the rules and not by the names

Bowen would not survive one game where he would go after a best player of the home team. He would need more than police escort to get out of there alive.
 
piksi said:
European Championship at home in Serbia. One just have to be compleately insane to miss this
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I think he already made statements that he is really looking forward to playing for the national team again...

Unfortunately, I think we have to accept that for Pedja the NBA is not his first priority. And we also have to consider that his desire to win an NBA championship isn't the main driving force in his life because, in his mind, he has already won the bigger prize - the World Championship with his national team.

And you know what? None of that really matters to me. I just want to know that he's doing the best he can when he's in a Kings uniform. This stuff about what he wants or feels or thinks is totally irrelevant to me as long as he plays to the best of his ability whenever he steps on the court in the uniform of the Sacramento Kings. If he can't do that, then I'm sure Petrie has considered the options. And, as has been said so many times before, bottom line is that Petrie will do what Petrie feels is best for the KINGS. And that, too, is good enough for me.
 
piksi said:
European Championship at home in Serbia. One just have to be compleately insane to miss this
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Matter of priorities. If the European Championship is more important to Peja than developing into the BEST player he can be, then he should, by all means, play in it. I understand the pressure from his homeland he would be under to do so, etc. and wouldn't fault his motives, HOWEVER; then you can't come here and complain that Peja is having a down year, that he doesn't get the touches he needs to be succesful, when he could, just by adding a simple post move to his game, get more looks than he is getting now. Simply put, it always seems to be the TEAM who is supposed to get Peja his opportunities, set more screens for Peja, get Peja the ball more, etc. At some point, Peja has to take it upon himself to GET more opportunities for himself.
 
Kingsgurl said:
Matter of priorities. If the European Championship is more important to Peja than developing into the BEST player he can be, then he should, by all means, play in it. I understand the pressure from his homeland he would be under to do so, etc. and wouldn't fault his motives, HOWEVER; then you can't come here and complain that Peja is having a down year, that he doesn't get the touches he needs to be succesful, when he could, just by adding a simple post move to his game, get more looks than he is getting now. Simply put, it always seems to be the TEAM who is supposed to get Peja his opportunities, set more screens for Peja, get Peja the ball more, etc. At some point, Peja has to take it upon himself to GET more opportunities for himself.
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Every year after playing for NM he has had good season. This year he did not and it is not going great so far. In the national team he plays with great players under great coach. He plays for 10+ million people who do not have much to chear for. That concept my be strange here because it goes against "Me, myself and I mentality " but some things are biger than the others.
 
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