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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14277584p-15086634c.html
Here's an article from today's BEE about PEja's reasons for going to New Orleans. It's obvious that Byron Scott coaching the Hornets played a factor in the Peja going there...along with BJax too I'm sure. I guess MArdi Grasville is trying to form a team similar to the KIngs team of 4 years ago. We'll see what happens!
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Stojakovic cites Scott connection
The sharpshooter will enjoy a Kings reunion as a Hornet.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, July 13, 2006
LAS VEGAS -- Call them the Kings of the East.
Except that the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets -- whose regional identity is clearly mixed to begin with -- play in the Western Conference, meaning the Kings will get to see their own "Best of the Oldies" roster more than they would like.
Peja Stojakovic was introduced as the newest member of the Hornets on Wednesday, having been recruited by Hornets coach and former Kings assistant Byron Scott and brought in through a sign-and-trade to rejoin former Kings point guard and free-agent signee Bobby Jackson.
And finally, the saga that was Stojakovic's future appears settled.
Perhaps the only surprise is the final destination, as Stojakovic -- who spent his first seven NBA seasons with the Kings and was traded to Indiana for Ron Artest in January -- appeared ready to stay with the Pacers. Before he took a seat in front of the media in a room at UNLV's Cox Pavilion, Stojakovic said reconnecting with Scott was the major factor in this deal.
Scott was with the Kings as an assistant from 1998 to 2000, and the two played against each other in Greece, with Stojakovic competing for PAOK in Northern Greece and Scott playing for Panathinaikos in Athens.
Certainly, the contract worth $64 million for five years likely played a part.
"Every time that we played against Sacramento, Peja and I would always exchange hugs and talk, and we kept our relationship going," Scott said. "When I saw an opportunity where I knew that he was going to be a free agent, I just wanted him to know that we were going to be calling. I wasn't going to break any rules or anything like that, but I wanted him to know how interested we were as a basketball team. And I wanted him to just be aware."
Those meetings included the Kings' season-opening debacle in Oklahoma City, where their 26-point loss was the franchise's worst in 34 years. Stojakovic, like the rest of the Kings, could do little to stop the Hornets' youth and athleticism. It was, as it turned out, a bizarre sort of recruiting experience.
The first call from the Hornets came in the first legal minute of free-agent negotiations, 12:01 a.m. on July 1. Stojakovic and the Hornets agreed to contract terms on the same day, before the Hornets added center Tyson Chandler and Jackson to a budding group that missed the playoffs by one spot and includes Rookie of the Year point guard Chris Paul.
When the numbers of the Hornets' offer were disclosed weeks ago, eyebrows were raised across the league.
For all his repute as one of the game's best shooters, Stojakovic had seen his production (18.2 points per game last season) decline for two consecutive seasons.
But as Stojakovic noted, his production was on the rise once he landed in Indiana, legitimizing his opinion that a resurgence would need to happen outside Sacramento.
"Sometimes you just need to go on with your career," he said. "I think it came to the point in Sacramento that I gave everything I had to (the Kings). It was on both sides. It was the time to make a move. I was the only one who stayed seven and a half years from that team, and I guess it was time for the team, and for me individually, to go on."
Summer league ends -- Ronnie Price had a simple goal entering summer league: guide the Kings to victories as a means to prove he can lead in the future.
The second-year point guard did just that Wednesday night, turning in his best performance of the session by scoring 31 points in the Kings' 96-73 victory over Dallas. Point guard Eugene "Pooh" Jeter had 20 points.
The Kings, who played the finale without shooting guard Kevin Martin (back spasms), finished 4-1 overall.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
Here's an article from today's BEE about PEja's reasons for going to New Orleans. It's obvious that Byron Scott coaching the Hornets played a factor in the Peja going there...along with BJax too I'm sure. I guess MArdi Grasville is trying to form a team similar to the KIngs team of 4 years ago. We'll see what happens!
--------------------------------
Stojakovic cites Scott connection
The sharpshooter will enjoy a Kings reunion as a Hornet.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, July 13, 2006
LAS VEGAS -- Call them the Kings of the East.
Except that the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets -- whose regional identity is clearly mixed to begin with -- play in the Western Conference, meaning the Kings will get to see their own "Best of the Oldies" roster more than they would like.
Peja Stojakovic was introduced as the newest member of the Hornets on Wednesday, having been recruited by Hornets coach and former Kings assistant Byron Scott and brought in through a sign-and-trade to rejoin former Kings point guard and free-agent signee Bobby Jackson.
And finally, the saga that was Stojakovic's future appears settled.
Perhaps the only surprise is the final destination, as Stojakovic -- who spent his first seven NBA seasons with the Kings and was traded to Indiana for Ron Artest in January -- appeared ready to stay with the Pacers. Before he took a seat in front of the media in a room at UNLV's Cox Pavilion, Stojakovic said reconnecting with Scott was the major factor in this deal.
Scott was with the Kings as an assistant from 1998 to 2000, and the two played against each other in Greece, with Stojakovic competing for PAOK in Northern Greece and Scott playing for Panathinaikos in Athens.
Certainly, the contract worth $64 million for five years likely played a part.
"Every time that we played against Sacramento, Peja and I would always exchange hugs and talk, and we kept our relationship going," Scott said. "When I saw an opportunity where I knew that he was going to be a free agent, I just wanted him to know that we were going to be calling. I wasn't going to break any rules or anything like that, but I wanted him to know how interested we were as a basketball team. And I wanted him to just be aware."
Those meetings included the Kings' season-opening debacle in Oklahoma City, where their 26-point loss was the franchise's worst in 34 years. Stojakovic, like the rest of the Kings, could do little to stop the Hornets' youth and athleticism. It was, as it turned out, a bizarre sort of recruiting experience.
The first call from the Hornets came in the first legal minute of free-agent negotiations, 12:01 a.m. on July 1. Stojakovic and the Hornets agreed to contract terms on the same day, before the Hornets added center Tyson Chandler and Jackson to a budding group that missed the playoffs by one spot and includes Rookie of the Year point guard Chris Paul.
When the numbers of the Hornets' offer were disclosed weeks ago, eyebrows were raised across the league.
For all his repute as one of the game's best shooters, Stojakovic had seen his production (18.2 points per game last season) decline for two consecutive seasons.
But as Stojakovic noted, his production was on the rise once he landed in Indiana, legitimizing his opinion that a resurgence would need to happen outside Sacramento.
"Sometimes you just need to go on with your career," he said. "I think it came to the point in Sacramento that I gave everything I had to (the Kings). It was on both sides. It was the time to make a move. I was the only one who stayed seven and a half years from that team, and I guess it was time for the team, and for me individually, to go on."
Summer league ends -- Ronnie Price had a simple goal entering summer league: guide the Kings to victories as a means to prove he can lead in the future.
The second-year point guard did just that Wednesday night, turning in his best performance of the session by scoring 31 points in the Kings' 96-73 victory over Dallas. Point guard Eugene "Pooh" Jeter had 20 points.
The Kings, who played the finale without shooting guard Kevin Martin (back spasms), finished 4-1 overall.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
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