NBA beat: Free agency likely is Peja's big bank shot

[AleksandarN]

AleksandarN - You need to do your homework before you talk about Artest. Go visit www.pacersdigest.com and read some of the stuff there. There is an almost rennaissance feeling about him. Even Larry Bird is very pleased with the tremendous amount of work and practice Artest has been putting in. He has more drive in his little finger than Peja will ever have in his entire body.

I have and have seen your true views on Pedja on the forum. I am talking about the past year. He should work hard this is his last chance because I do not think he wants to be another Isaih Rider. But the chance is still there that his mental problems might resurface.

 

[Bricklayer]

It seems like there are people on here who'll defend Stojakovic to death. I have defended him in a lot of instances, but when you don't want to play for your country because you "disagree" with the coach, then don't let the door hit your @ss on the way out of the national team forever as far as I'm concerned.

There were greater players than Stojakovic who put up with Obradovic, and yet they never displayed 1% of this primadonna attitude that Stojakovic has.

As I said, he's not a champion; he's a coward.

That's a bit harsh I think. But I do think it all ties in really. Peja will do the things involved in playing basketball if its fairly easy and convenient for him to do so. If its too hard, and too far out of his comfort zone, he has other priorities. I don't view his lack of desire to participate in Obradovic's camp and his lack of competitiveness for us to be separate issues. Its really just the same syndrome. Its just who he is. And he is a kid who had very little, grew tall, developed a very specialized skill, and rode it to fame and riches. And he's pretty happy about that. He's been givne a trememndous amoutn in life, and really, its enough. If he never wins another game, if he never wins an NBA title for sure, Peja will sleep like a baby. Life is good, its been a nice run and thigs went great. Basketball is fun, and as long as it remains so, he'll do it. But if its tough, requires too much work, gets painful, too much is demanded, Peja checks out.

 

[AleksandarN]

I've got 7 years of hard evidence behind my assessment -- I have watched the man play. Sparring over he said/she said throught the summer is just silly. Peja is NOT young. Not a rookie. Not a second year player. Not a developing guy. he's been at this for YEARS. And if anything, when you would have expected him to be hungyr was in his earlier years before the money and fame and beautiful wife ec. flowed over him. Now your best hope would be the pursuit of a max contract -- i.e. greed. But that's never a good sign if that's the motivation. And frankly, with the market as stupid as it now is, if there ever was any inclination for Peja to try to care more and kick it up a notch, at his point he's just about guaranteed a max deal even if he jsut throws in another 20pt 4reb stinker, and so what does it matter?

You can read satisfaction and lack of hunger a mile away, just as you can read the truly hungry types. The guys who are being interviewed as they go through grueling 6 hour a day workouts. running hills, shooting thousands of shots a day, pumping iron. Day after day after day, because damnit, they will NOT lose. Hate it. Are going to do whatever it takes. You can smell it. and that player will NEVER say I don;t take basketball home with me. Never use an excuse, oh I can't find anybody to play with. Come on. Give me a break. They work and work and work until they are compeltely exhausted, and THEN they start the real work of pressing themselves, of going as far as they can push it. And then they start over tommorow.

My reply was directed at what VF21 said about his effort and practice of his basketball skills. I already aggreed with your POV in my other post. I aggree his not on the caliber of Kobes of the world who practice like there is no tommorrow. Lijke I said there is alot of question that will be answer this off season on which direction we will go. All I want is that we improve as a team.

 

[VF21]

I have and have seen your true views on Pedja on the forum. I am talking about the past year. He should work hard this is his last chance because I do not think he wants to be another Isaih Rider. But the chance is still there that his mental problems might resurface.

I have NEVER hidden my "true views" about Peja. I have been more confused about him than any other player in the history of the Sacramento Kings and have said so repeatedly.

When I've seen flashes of brilliance, I've said so. When he's broken my heart, I've said that too.

If you're talking about my posts on PacersDigest, I stand behind every one of them. The latest was in a trade thread where they're trying to figure out if we'd trade Bibby for Tinsley. I said no way. I said Bibby is the warrior with ice water in his veins. And I offered them Peja instead. I told them quite frankly I thought he was soft and I thought he'd break their hearts just like he has a lot of ours.

What you have never understood is that I would absolutely love it if I could be proven wrong about Peja. If he would step up, fulfill his potential and become a true superstar. It would make me ecstatic. Why wouldn't it? It would help my TEAM - the Sacramento Kings.

As more and more time goes by, however, it seems pretty obvious that Peja isn't going to change. For one, he doesn't really want to. The hunger, the drive, the ambition we keep talking about just isn't there. He just wants a bigger paycheck to enable him to live the life he's grown accustomed to. And that's fine - for Peja.

But, as I've said so many times I feel like a broken record, you don't put all your faith in a guy who doesn't have basketball in his blood, who doesn't pace and fret waiting for training camp, who doesn't take game tapes home to study to see what he could do better and what he did wrong. You just don't get far with someone who settles for "good enough" because good enough never really is.

 

[SoupIsGood]

AleksandarN - You need to do your homework before you talk about Artest. Go visit www.pacersdigest.com and read some of the stuff there. There is an almost rennaissance feeling about him. Even Larry Bird is very pleased with the tremendous amount of work and practice Artest has been putting in. He has more drive in his little finger than Peja will ever have in his entire body.

The whole "time off for his rap career" was also just a cover-up floated out to the media by the Pacers, but I have given up trying to tell people this.

What scares me about that rennaissance feeling is that I think Bird has taken quite a liking to Artest, and is now questioning Jermaine. (Now you see why I have that nightmare where Bird wrecks the team)

 

[vj9999]

My wife and I are expecting a baby right now and I already feel like spending a summer with my newly born would take a priority over doing anything else. If Peja wants to be commited to his family during the summer than he has every right to do so.

People undermine the fact that basketball season is very long and demanding. 82+ games, on the road most of the time. My wife gets upset when I have to go on a 3 day business trip

Peja is more obligated to Play for the Kings than for his country. He did his share and shouldn't be expected to play when he doesn't want to. On the other hand he is contractually obligated to fulfil his duties for the Kings and if he went down with a knee injury during Euro Champinship, there would be many angry people in The Golden State.

 

[AleksandarN]

That's a bit harsh I think. But I do think it all ties in really. Peja will do the things involved in playing basketball if its fairly easy and convenient for him to do so. If its too hard, and too far out of his comfort zone, he has other priorities. I don't view his lack of desire to participate in Obradovic's camp and his lack of competitiveness for us to be separate issues. Its really just the same syndrome. Its just who he is. And he is a kid who had very little, grew tall, developed a very specialized skill, and rode it to fame and riches. And he's pretty happy about that. He's been givne a trememndous amoutn in life, and really, its enough. If he never wins another game, if he never wins an NBA title for sure, Peja will sleep like a baby. Life is good, its been a nice run and thigs went great. Basketball is fun, and as long as it remains so, he'll do it. But if its tough, requires too much work, gets painful, too much is demanded, Peja checks out.

I aggree with alot of what you have said but I think in the last year his priorities have changed. This not playing with the national team is more to do with becoming a father than running away from responsability. If you look at Pedja in the past he always was willing to play for his national but with him being a father he is changed. Now does this mean he will quit on the basketball court or quit putting effort in practice I believe that not. Now if does not show effort this year than I will aggree that we have to part ways with him but I do not see it coming to that.

 

[VF21]

vj - Peja is being paid millions of dollars for his efforts. He's not the first player to ever have a wife and family. Why this is even brought up as an explanation astounds me.

At this point, I'm not going to argue about him any longer. It's futile...he still gets a pass on most criticism when any other player would (and has been) totally and completely annihilated. So, for some, they'll continue to applaud at the view of the emperor's new clothes. And the rest of us will continue to try and point out our view...
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SoupIsGood - So, you think Jermaine might be available?

 

[SoupIsGood]

SoupIsGood - So, you think Jermaine might be available?

Well...

Could questions over who is "The Man" lead to new friction with Artest and O'Neal? Answers Bird, "Not with Ronnie."

I'm not sure what's scarier, how Bird has been saying this kind of stuff a lot lately, or that he now calls him Ronnie.

 

[AleksandarN]

Well...



I'm not sure what's scarier, how Bird has been saying this kind of stuff a lot lately, or that he now calls him Ronnie.

Hey I will trade PEdja for JO. Hey anything is possible

 

[funkykingston]

Eh, in the land of GM speak, praise of a player is a better sign of a willingness to move a guy than criticism is. Maybe Bird really is happy with the way Artest is progressing. Or maybe he's trying to help to reestablish the trade value Artest once had.

You don't question a guy like O'Neal publicly if you are at all thinking of dealing him. It sends up a red flag. On the other hand, if you KNOW you are keeping a guy, making a public criticism can serve as motivation for the player.

I'm not convinced Bird is loving Ron-Ron right now, but I also think the Pacers will cross their fingers and roll the dice with the "new" Artest this season rather than field offers to deal him this offseason.

 

[Bricklayer]

My wife and I are expecting a baby right now and I already feel like spending a summer with my newly born would take a priority over doing anything else.

Yes, and good for you for valuing family over work. Now, however, if I am your employer, its an ENTIRELY different story. And that's who we are.

 

[AleksandarN]

Yes, and good for you for valuing family over work. Now, however, if I am your employer, its an ENTIRELY different story. And that's who we are.

I aggree with you that as an employer you have to look what he brings to table reguardless if he is a father or not. Results are the only thing that matter when it comes to deciding if Pedja is worth the money. But for the national team in which he does not get paid to play it is a different matter all together. His family should come first when it comes to playing for your country or spending time with your new born.

 

[vj9999]

Yes, and good for you for valuing family over work. Now, however, if I am your employer, its an ENTIRELY different story. And that's who we are.

Trust me I know. My cousin is my employer and I am working right now as we speak.

Also, I didn't say anything about Peja valuing the Kings over family. Serbia and Montenegro is NOT his employer and he has a right to chose family over spending 2 months of rigorous preparations.

 

[vj9999]

vj - Peja is being paid millions of dollars for his efforts. He's not the first player to ever have a wife and family. Why this is even brought up as an explanation astounds me.

Fair enough, but like I said in response to Brick, he is being paid millions to play in purple uniform and not in blue uniform. I expect him to bleed purple October through June, but anything else he has a choice.

I think Peja is scrutinezed unfairly by alot of people. If Kings management is happy with what he brings to the table they will keep him. He has been their work in progress for a while now and they know the best what to do with him.

Either way some people have been down on him forever, some only after the poor last season and some every year after playoff performances. I chose not to be down on him, the same way I am not down on any other Kings players that underperform at times.

 

[VF21]

And there's what really gets me seeing red.

"I think Peja is scrutinized unfairly by a lot of people."

I won't bring up the old arguments, because they're all moot but it's ironic, isn't it, that Peja is now being subjected to the same kind of scruting as someone before him. Is it a case of what goes around, comes around?

Peja has been the Kings' work in progress for SEVEN BLEEPING YEARS. That's longer than it would take to build a new arena.

It's a paradox in a way, however, that the Peja homers - to use a general term only to try and prove a point - are mostly responsible for a lot of the negative stuff that's posted about Peja on a regular basis. If a few of them didn't try to convince us daily that Peja can walk on water and feed the multitudes, we probably wouldn't try so hard to swing the pendulum back towards the middle.

EDIT: I am in no way, vj, calling you a "Peja homer." Didn't want you to misinterpret that comment.

 

[DocHolliday]

So what exactly would Stojakovic be worth?
"He's going to be expensive," Divac said. "Look at the other offers players got this summer, and Peja's better. No question, Peja should get top money. Top, top money."

Are you KIDDING me....I thin that back injury affected Vlades brain. Are you trying to tell me Peja is better than Ray allen?? Michael Redd?? Joe Johnson???? Larry Hughes???? Bobby Simmons??? I would take ANY one of those players over Peja.

If Peja will be expecting this kind of money I say to everyone, if you like Peja pay attention this season, because this is the last season he'll be a king. If they can come to decent terms I'm sure they'll keep him, but not 90 million. **** that. That's more than Bibby got.

 

[VF21]

Are you KIDDING me....I thin that back injury affected Vlades brain. Are you trying to tell me Peja is better than Ray allen?? Michael Redd?? Joe Johnson???? Larry Hughes???? Bobby Simmons??? I would take ANY one of those players over Peja

Keep in mind that Vlade is Peja's mentor, national teammate, closest friend and surrogate big brother. What else would you expect him to say?

 

[vj9999]

Deleted after seeing edit on VF21's post

 

[emded0341]

Hmmmmm ...money thing..i said this before , i will say it again......Peja has been one of the most underpaid players in nba, if not the most one......Paying peja more than he deserves acording to his value would mean paying back money to him.....because he has done SO much for the kings compared to his contract, and compared to other players of his quality and their contract......

Why dont anybody mention this???!!!! He was mvp cadidate one year and his contract is FAR from that......

Kings own Peja money thinking in this way.......nobody mention this.......if kings pay more than his value after so many years, all you go crazy on him!!!

I dont understand many of you guys....

 

[emded0341]

and peja is alot better player than michael redd, bobby simons, larry hughes and joe johnson.......are you crazy man or something??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!Do you need medicine??????!!!!!!!

but he is not better than allen, still better shooter than him, but allen is better driving to the basket alot..otherwise he deserves better contract than those other you mentioned

 

[AleksandarN]

Hmmmmm ...money thing..i said this before , i will say it again......Peja has been one of the most underpaid players in nba, if not the most one......Paying peja more than he deserves acording to his value would mean paying back money to him.....because he has done SO much for the kings compared to his contract, and compared to other players of his quality and their contract......

Why dont anybody mention this???!!!! He was mvp cadidate one year and his contract is FAR from that......

Kings own Peja money thinking in this way.......nobody mention this.......if kings pay more than his value after so many years, all you go crazy on him!!!

I dont understand many of you guys....

Kings do not owe any money to Pedja.

 

[outsider62]

All he has done for the national team ? And what exactly is that ? Guys like Dejan Bodiroga, Rebraca have done a lot for the national team not Stojakovic.

Younger Generation ? WHAT ? Stojakovic is 28, not 38 , he IS still the relatively young generation. His constant premadonna attitude about getting there earlier and practicing like EVERYONE else is tiring. I hope he never gets invited to play again...and oh yeah, I hope he breaks a leg playing tennis, maybe that'll harden his soft wussy @ss up.

I actually don't like intention to bring all SM best players this year. Better leave NBA starters rest after 80+ games a year and bring them for WC or Olimpics. This EU is not qualifier for SM for WC because they are World Champions. Now is the time to play youngsters.

 

[Entity]

I have questioned why Peja don't add more to his game. But 1 play and 1 play only in the sonics series gives me hope that i never had with peja. When he gave a pump fake and went straight to the rack for a 1 handed dunk IN TRAFFIC. That raised my eyebrows for the first time in years of peja as a king. Now i read articles saying Peja is working on creation and what he needs to do to get better shots and get to the rim. I can't read into it as far as who says it or this and that. I have to read it for what it says. Maybe he is working on his game maybe he isn't but I am glad to know that its not a FACT that he ISN"T. So lets all shutup and watch him and see instead of speculating for the next 2 or 3 months on what he will do or not. Fact is NOBODY not a MOD not a Serbian not a normal everyday Kingsfan knows what to expect. That goes for everybody in the NBA. I, as have many of you seen players go from ordinary to great from one season to the next. Just wait and see.

 

[outsider62]

Are you KIDDING me....I thin that back injury affected Vlades brain. Are you trying to tell me Peja is better than Ray allen?? Michael Redd?? Joe Johnson???? Larry Hughes???? Bobby Simmons??? I would take ANY one of those players over Peja.

If Peja will be expecting this kind of money I say to everyone, if you like Peja pay attention this season, because this is the last season he'll be a king. If they can come to decent terms I'm sure they'll keep him, but not 90 million. **** that. That's more than Bibby got.

Now, this is another extreme. You may take any of them over Peja, but there is a reason why you're not NBA GM. And this is second post including Bibby in Peja thread. I don't want to start Bibby against Peja flame war, but...
Peja is what he is: Great shooter, good one-on-one defender, not very clutch.
Bibby is: Clutch, very good shooter and terrible defender.
Why should be Bibby paid more then Peja? Why is Bibby warrior and Peja is not?
Bibby made a number of clutch shots in PO 4 years ago. Last 2 years each PG had carrier numbers playing against us. Peja can't hit shot when it matters in PO (with a few exceptions) but he does play hard in PO, his overall numbers (except for shooting) rises and he played clutch defense that helped us win more then one PO game.
What I really want to say? I see too much b* about Peja. He is flawed but still much better then fans give him credit for on this board.
*
About NT, I'm cool with him prefering to spend time with his familly.

 

[funkykingston]

Are you KIDDING me....I thin that back injury affected Vlades brain. Are you trying to tell me Peja is better than

Ray allen??

No.

Michael Redd??

Better? No. Equal? I'd say so. Redd and Peja are really similar players. Similar numbers across the board. Of course, having similar rebounding numbers is really a bad thing for Peja as he's a SF and Redd is a SG. But then, last year's rebounding numbers were two per game less than the previous season for Stojakovic, so I'm hoping it's a one year dip and not a trend. Redd has youth over Peja, but Peja is a better defender. That's not to say I think Redd was worth his contract, but I wouldn't take Redd over Peja, as it would just be more of the same.

Joe Johnson????

Tough call. Johnson tantalizes with his skills, but up until last season he'd been very inconsistent. Was last year's three point shooting percentage an anomaly or the real thing? Because that makes a HUGE difference. Johnson doesn't deserve a max contract either. A great 2nd or 3rd option? Absolutely. A difference maker? No. Just like Peja, Johnson can't carry a team anywhere. If possible, would I deal Peja for him straight up? Maybe. I'm interested what kind of season he has this year. Especially if it is in Atlanta.

Larry Hughes????

I like Hughes a lot. He was the guy I was hoping Petrie would draft in '98 when he took Jason Williams instead. On talent, I think he's better than Peja. He has a lot of tools and can play both backcourt spots. He's versatile offensively, and is a very good defender. Shooting remains a weak spot, but the rest of his game makes up for that. However, the one thing that would really make me nervous about signing Hughes to a huge deal would be injuries. He seems to miss 20 or more games every year with the exception of the year he was dealt to the Warriors. I'd take him over Peja with that one reservation.

Bobby Simmons???

Bobby Simmons? Please. A solid roleplayer, but this is either a case of simply disliking Peja or trying too hard to be objective and swinging too far in the opposite direction so as not to be homerish. Peja is a much better player than Simmons, and has proved it for a lot longer time. That said, if Peja signed for Bobby Simmons money I'd change my mind about wanting Petrie to trade him this offseason.

I would take ANY one of those players over Peja.

I wouldn't. I'd take Ray Allen for sure, and I'd have to think about Hughes and possibly Johnson. But that's not really the point. Other than Allen, none of those guys should have been able to get the kind of deal they are being offered. And even Ray Allen poses a concern because of his age (as Peja will next offseason). None of the other three are difference makers, and shouldn't be paid like they are. Neither should Peja.

 

[emded0341]

finally one real kings fan on this site.......thank you outsider

and thank you god

 

[Bricklayer]

and peja is alot better player than michael redd, bobby simons, larry hughes and joe johnson.......are you crazy man or something??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!Do you need medicine??????!!!!!!!

but he is not better than allen, still better shooter than him, but allen is better driving to the basket alot..otherwise he deserves better contract than those other you mentioned

He is better than Simmons.

Roughly equal to Redd. Maybe a tad better for defense.

Last year both Hughes and Johnson passed him and were better players for the season. Now how that will play out this year I am not sure. Based on 1 yr results, Hughes/Johnson are better. Based on career, Peja (although Johnson is just getting started).

Allen showed in that series against us in particular the way you are susposed to get it done as your team's leading man. Gotta give him the nod.

 

[rhuber]

I think some people read comments such as: "Peja isn't devoted enough", "Peja doesn't have the competitive drive", or "Peja has other priorities such as family, etc", and read into them that this suggests that Peja isn't a great guy, or that his priorities are all wrong. But I don't think that's what his critics are saying at all. In fact, many of his critics have clearly said precisely the opposite.

Peja is good guy. He has a great sense of priorities that make him a decent, and caring human being. Max contacts should, on the other hand, be for the delivery of unhuman-like qualities. People who grab those contracts should be reserved to those with a completely screwed-up sense of priorities, obsessive-compulsive disorders and a battery of other social dysfunctions that basically leave them with super-human skills, or at a least super-human drive to ‘not be outdone’. They are very often the ones we love to hate or hate to love... but they consistently make big things happen. This simply is not Peja. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that… but, let’s face it, the best of the best in professional sports is predominantly made up of super-natural freaks with obsessive disorders, and top dollar should buy you a nice, well-rounded psychopath.

It’s a compliment that Paja doesn’t fit this description, but I don’t think he should command the contract of one who does. The Kings are a team that I've loved to love. We've been lucky enough to have a nice handful of freaks that look quite normal from the outside looking in, but don't be fooled... every bit of aggression we've seen on the court has been due to a good balance of the truly imbalanced. Peja is just a little "too" balanced for the dollar... that's all.

 

[VF21]

Hmmmmm ...money thing..i said this before , i will say it again......Peja has been one of the most underpaid players in nba, if not the most one......Paying peja more than he deserves acording to his value would mean paying back money to him.....because he has done SO much for the kings compared to his contract, and compared to other players of his quality and their contract......

Why dont anybody mention this???!!!! He was mvp cadidate one year and his contract is FAR from that......

Kings own Peja money thinking in this way.......nobody mention this.......if kings pay more than his value after so many years, all you go crazy on him!!!

I dont understand many of you guys....

It's also pretty clear you don't understand the NBA.

Paying back money to Peja? Please...

He doesn't walk on water and he doesn't feed the multitude with one fish. He's a shooter, and he's not even the best shooter in the league any longer.

This is exactly the type of thing I've been talking about.

Peja has made a very good living from the Sacramento Kings. They brought him over here when it was even questionable that his leg would heal properly and he'd be able to play NBA ball. If anything, it's a symbiotic relationship. The Maloofs haven't taken advantage of him. He signed a contract knowing full well it could go either way. So did they.

The name of the board is Kingsfans.com NOT Pejafans.com