Mental toughness is the issue and will continue to be the weakness of this TEAM. BUT you cannot keep making excuses and ignoring the facts.Like with peja how do you go from 24+points per game and probably would have been more if other circumstances didn't hinder his play towards the end of the season He led the league in Free throw percentage shot an amazing high FGP all of this considering he was doing this all from the outside, 6 Rebounds per game and a early season candidate for MVP of the year. He was second TEAM ALL NBA finished second in MVP voting behind kevin garnett and was getting better and better as the season went on The TEAM had the best record in the league by this time last year, the offense was praised as a HOOP PHENOMENON those magazine people were raving how the kings OFFENSE was poetry in motion and VLADE at one point during this time was averaging nearly a triple double over a 5 or 6 game period, I mean he was playing like he was 20 and you can go back in the ARCHIVES and check the STATS,The TEAM was winning and having fun.
Not to blame it all on C-WEBB but his coming back had an effect on the whole TEAM, VLADE AND PEJA both were reduced roles after both playing so well before his return.Then all of sudden it was like Bench vlade and start Brad but no one was saying this before C-WEBB came back and Vlade was playing like a young dude averaging almost a triple double and the TEAM was winning.How would you feel if you already old and then you get rejuvenated to play basketball on a Big time level again and you are playing well and then your minutes and Role on the TEAM are put on the back burner in favor of a player coming off of a carreer ending injury.Then look at PEJA your playing at a MVP level almost the whole season.You are doing this in the same offense with Brad and vlade playing in the same sets the same system that right now CHRIS WEBBER is functioning with you in.Now C-webb takes control of the high post sets you starting now getting less shots the screens are not the same your scoring imput declines, you are now having mediocre games.The TEAM starts losing etc etc etc EARLY PLAYOFF EXIT.
This trend continues at the start of the season and up until now.Your shot attempts dwindle you are playing horrible.They don't consider you for all star consideration your game falls apart.I know I would feel way out having had that type of season ,you are a young player you reach that brand of success and then YOU have your fellow Team member and likewise fellow all star comes in talking about this is my TEAM I am this,I am that everyone must follow my rules, we need more HEART AND players like ME.You can be the best shooter in the world but if you are not like ME THEN YOU ARE WACK.How would you feel and I think all this was done because he felt Bad he got Booed and Peja was getting alot of props and he felt he had to come in and declare this is my TEAM. He did this at the expense of the TEAM he didn't care about PEJA BLOSSOMING as a young up incoming STAR,all he wanted was first declare himself the BEST on the TEAM and this has been his agenda from the time he came back last season and it was up until the all star selection of the coaches.
LOOK at how he has played since the all star selection process from when he didn't know who was going to be picked.He just knew he was going to Denver I just knew he was going.He gets snubbed and now all motivation has dropped he has know motivation right now and thsi what he was playing for up until that point.He has been playing for stats and personal glory.Now he's just going through the motions and nothing really to prove.He vibes off peja also to prove he is the best on the TEAM,But since PEJA has been AWOL he has no one to use as a measuring stick for motivation and he feeds off of this type of stuff.
PEJA on the other hand has his own ego and he was trying to elevate his own game.He felt last season he was stepping up his career he felt he was one of the top 10 players in the game.The legends and greats of the past were praising him people like magic johnson and even steve kerr went to sacramento and did and inteview with him on the court at the practice GYM raving about his game.These things will put a players mind on another level and How do you blame him for loosing his drive when he was at such a high level.
The kings have some real chemistry issues and Trading peja may be the solution.I mean you have cuttino mobley coming in here and all of sudden he's WEBB'S best friend and he is the vocal LEADER and he's the 3 point king on the TEAM ,we don't need peja anymore now.But does everyone remember when cuttino mobely tried to enter the 3 point contest a few years ago and bombed out first round, but peja ended up winning his second 3 point contest in row.If i were peja I would want to get out of town also, I mean what type of loyalty do the kings really have when you have your fellow TEAM MEMBER for 6 seasons saying he likes the scrubs and junk men on the TEAM and he is used to playing with players like that.Peja feels left out and the injury stuff is psychological you can see by the Body language. you got a dude in cuttino not even a all star calling the shots telling an all star all NBA second team peja what's up and what needs to be done.
Matt barnes and all them other dudes are cool but they have fallen prey to the hype.They are players that must must work hard for everything, they are not granted players in this league they are oppurtunistic players.They are playing like they have mistakes at freedom you don't see the hunger to stay in the league anymore,you see players believing there own little hype and cuttino mobley is a good role player and good 3rd or 4th guy,But he is not a prime time player or a player to depend on in CRUNCH TIME.He must adapt his game to be more of a role type of player and do more dirty little things the TEAM nedds.
The coaching staff must take intiative to assign everyone roles on the TEAM OR they may need to make some drastic personality changes for the good of the squad.Something must and will be done
