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[KP]

Kings notes: Jackson's action keys much more on 'D' now

By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C6

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14061015p-14892071c.html


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Bobby Jackson was in official Gary Zielinski's ear, trying with all his verbal might to turn a call his way in the first quarter Tuesday night at the FedExForum.
Rick Adelman walked toward his former guard to chime in.

"He complains all the time," the Kings' coach joked.

Not so much, really.

Six months after being traded to the Grizzlies, Jackson is plenty content, with Damon Stoudamire's injury giving him a new role as the starting point guard on a squad that sits fifth in the Western Conference. Nonetheless, the adjustments have been many.

Jackson said no difference between Grizzlies country and Kings land is greater than the polar-opposite systems, going from offense-minded Sacramento to defense-oriented Memphis. Under coach Mike Fratello, the Grizzlies entered Tuesday's game allowing a league-low 87.5 points per game.

"In my nine years, I ain't never played defense like I am now," Jackson said. "I couldn't believe how hard they work on defense. At the first practice, I was like, Man, why are we doing this? Don't we need to work on our offense a little bit? We worked on defense the whole practice. That shows you (Fratello's) mentality and where he wants us to be, and he's got me believing and guys buying into it."
Jackson - who will be a free agent after this season - said he has tracked the Kings' plight closely. While he expected the change to come with some struggle, he said the down season of Peja Stojakovic surprised him.

"I know they're giving him a hard time in Sac," Jackson said. "I think he's ready, in my opinion, to write a new chapter in his career. That's the way I feel. I think (Stojakovic's trade request before last season) is where it all started. If somebody wants to be here, and somebody doesn't want to be here, it's kind of obvious. But Peja asked for the trade, and they got rid of Webb (Chris Webber)."
It hasn't taken long for Grizzlies fans to grow fond of Jackson's game. The process wasn't instant, though.

"They were sort of suspicious about him at first," said Jackson's nephew, Chris. "Then he had a good game, and then they had a little diary about him on TV. Then people started getting close to him like in Sacramento."

The other half - The return of Bonzi Wells to Memphis was a bit anticlimactic, the shooting guard still recovering from his partially torn groin. Still, Wells - who was traded from Memphis to Sacramento in the Jackson deal in July - could begin practicing in as soon as eight days, according to Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie.

"He's upgraded his activities and rehab," Petrie said. "He's improved. ... (But) you don't want a situation where you go too fast and rush things."


--Interesting quotes I highlighted

Hmmm... why was Webber traded again?

 

[love_them_kings]

"I know they're giving him a hard time in Sac," Jackson said. "I think he's ready, in my opinion, to write a new chapter in his career. That's the way I feel. I think (Stojakovic's trade request before last season) is where it all started. If somebody wants to be here, and somebody doesn't want to be here, it's kind of obvious. But Peja asked for the trade, and they got rid of Webb (Chris Webber)."

Hmmm... why was Webber traded again?

Yep, and you have to wonder if BJax was the only King wondering why the Kings got rid of the leader, who loved Sac, instead of the player who wanted out. We'll never know exactly what brought on the Webb trade but little comments made here and there (such as the one above) makes it obvious that Webb and Peja were not going to co-exist much longer. So, the powers that be (for whatever reasons) traded Webb and kept Peja. And here we are...... hmmm....

 

[KP]

Yep, and you have to wonder if BJax was the only King wondering why the Kings got rid of the leader, who loved Sac, instead of the player who wanted out. We'll never know exactly what brought on the Webb trade but little comments made here and there (such as the one above) makes it obvious that Webb and Peja were not going to co-exist much longer. So, the powers that be (for whatever reasons) traded Webb and kept Peja. And here we are...... hmmm....

I think that as the years go by and more of these guys retire, it's all going to come out eventually... but yeah... good decision by management if it's true, they obviously banked on the right guy. Sky's the limit .

 

[nbrans]

For what it's worth, my sister knows someone who worked with the Kings last year and I heard that at the deadline they were trying very very hard to move Peja for Richardson and Golden State was actually considering it but it dried up when they made the Baron Davis trade. Not sure if it's true and it obviously didn't happen, but I also don't know that we should necessarily take it as a given that Peja is the apple of the franchise's eye and a conscious decision was made to make Peja the centerpiece instead of Webber.

 

[love_them_kings]

I think that as the years go by and more of these guys retire, it's all going to come out eventually... but yeah... good decision by management if it's true, they obviously banked on the right guy. Sky's the limit .

Yes, I think someday the real picture may come out.

And, yes, good choice, I know we all feel very confident about the direction the team is taking now!

 

[SacTownKid]

Sounds like it was the first time Bobby ever had a practice that involved the defensive end.

 

[ParniValjak]

Sounds like it was the first time Bobby ever had a practice that involved the defensive end.

Thats what I took out of that as well