Peja Stojakovic: King For Life?
- Thread starter Purple Reign
- Start date
Purple Reign, hope you don't mind I posted your article at the "other" board...can't see where any new takes will be added but it's worth a try.
Looking at Peja's worth on the Kings is kind of like trying to check yourself out in the car rear-view mirror: We only get half the picture, because his possible worth to another team with different role players could make him a star (or, more of a star than he is depending on how you look at it). Or, if Petrie is serious about keeping the core three then a "healthy" Brad & Peja combo could work in the long run, using Bibby to deal for that all-important and needed presence in the middle and on the defensive end.
My take is the whole "Peja deserves max" comment from Joe Maloof is not etched in stone, as Peja is not aggressive enough to hold Joe to some comment he made on the fly about his worth. Additionally, I tend to agree with Mr. Moustache that upping the possible trade ante by claiming worth-beyond-belief, at least from our perspective as fans, could very well be used as a tool to lure more/better offers from other teams.
Either way, it's impossible to suggest that Peja AS HE IS NOW is worth a max deal, but maybe a max deal would be the inspiration needed to get his butt hustling and become the leader this team needs? Doubtful, but still possible. Just trying to look at it from all angles.
Looking at Peja's worth on the Kings is kind of like trying to check yourself out in the car rear-view mirror: We only get half the picture, because his possible worth to another team with different role players could make him a star (or, more of a star than he is depending on how you look at it). Or, if Petrie is serious about keeping the core three then a "healthy" Brad & Peja combo could work in the long run, using Bibby to deal for that all-important and needed presence in the middle and on the defensive end.
My take is the whole "Peja deserves max" comment from Joe Maloof is not etched in stone, as Peja is not aggressive enough to hold Joe to some comment he made on the fly about his worth. Additionally, I tend to agree with Mr. Moustache that upping the possible trade ante by claiming worth-beyond-belief, at least from our perspective as fans, could very well be used as a tool to lure more/better offers from other teams.
Either way, it's impossible to suggest that Peja AS HE IS NOW is worth a max deal, but maybe a max deal would be the inspiration needed to get his butt hustling and become the leader this team needs? Doubtful, but still possible. Just trying to look at it from all angles.
A couple of thoughts, and forgive me if I repeat anyone because I didn't read all 93 previous posts...
1. If Joe Maloof is making that kind of statement, he's showing even less business acumen that I previously gave him credit for.
2. If they pay Peja the maximum contract, they are totally and completely insane.
3. The idea that this is puffery to up Peja's trade value is just silly IMHO. I think the GMs around the league are perhaps even more aware of Peja's strengths and shortcomings than the Maloofs, since they aren't blinded by the light so to speak.
4. You don't pay someone a maximum contract in the hopes that person will step up and eventually earn it.
IF Peja gets a maximum deal, I'm going to be very surprised - and disappointed.
1. If Joe Maloof is making that kind of statement, he's showing even less business acumen that I previously gave him credit for.
2. If they pay Peja the maximum contract, they are totally and completely insane.
3. The idea that this is puffery to up Peja's trade value is just silly IMHO. I think the GMs around the league are perhaps even more aware of Peja's strengths and shortcomings than the Maloofs, since they aren't blinded by the light so to speak.
4. You don't pay someone a maximum contract in the hopes that person will step up and eventually earn it.
IF Peja gets a maximum deal, I'm going to be very surprised - and disappointed.
For a player to be getting a max deal he should at least be in the top 50 players in half of the significant catagories. Peja barely made top 25 in ppg and the rest of his stats don't even get to the top 100. To me that deserves 1 or 2 mil over the MLE. If Peja is given anything near max you can rest assure that the Kings will be nothing for a long while unless the Maloofs are willing to pay 40 min in luxury tax every year.
Čarolija said:
Let me guess, someone like Artest would deserve the max in your world
Peja is no where near MAX type player but he would command a hell of a lot more than 1 or 2 million over the MLE. Even now he is getting paid less than he is worth. Peja would easily be worth 10 million if he was a FA this year.
i don't think it would be to hard to find a SF that gets 20 points 3 rebounds and 1 assist with 0 blocks and 0.5 steals for 1 or 2 mil over the MLE as a first year salary i meant.
I hope to God all this Peja love from Kings management is a prelude to them trading him, as has happened in the past with Williams and Webber, among others. Peja is such a coward, and his attitude infects the team.
And please stop comparing Peja to Manu and Rip. Those guys have heart and actually play hard. Peja does not deserve anywhere near the money that Manu, Rip, or Reggie Miller have made. Honestly, he doesn't deserve Bibby money either, but he'll get at least that somewhere. And yes, I know Bibby makes more than all of them right now. I don't even feel rational about this right now. My disdain for Peja's style of playing is overwhelming me.
Is Peja still popular back in Sactown? Just curious, because the rest of the country has figured out he is a one-trick pony, and I am at an absolute loss as to how the words "max deal" even enter the conversation.
And please stop comparing Peja to Manu and Rip. Those guys have heart and actually play hard. Peja does not deserve anywhere near the money that Manu, Rip, or Reggie Miller have made. Honestly, he doesn't deserve Bibby money either, but he'll get at least that somewhere. And yes, I know Bibby makes more than all of them right now. I don't even feel rational about this right now. My disdain for Peja's style of playing is overwhelming me.
Is Peja still popular back in Sactown? Just curious, because the rest of the country has figured out he is a one-trick pony, and I am at an absolute loss as to how the words "max deal" even enter the conversation.
As I have said before, I do not think Peja should get a max contract, but he will get a big one - from us or another team is really the question. I am curious about the seemingly deep hostility I am seeing in regards to Peja. He had a disappointing seaon. His playoff performance has also been subpar. However, that is true of most of the team (past and present). Webb, Brad, and Bobby were almost never healthy, Bibby had one poor playoff run. Doug choked. I say that honestly since Christie in my top 5 all time favorite Kings. The list goes on. My question in saying all this is, "Why is Peja seeming to get the brunt of the anger right now?" Maybe I am just seeing something that is really not there. I think calling him a coward is a bit too personal. As fans, we pay enough to be able to speak about their perfomance on the court but I do not think we are entitled to criticize their character. If I misread that comment, I apologize.
I think talent wise we could have. I just think that there wasn't enough cohesion to get the job done. They were certainly more capable than they showed. Not only that but I made my opinion not knowing of any injuries/bad luck to come.
Peja will not get 26 mil towards the end of his deal. I don't think that anyone is worth that much money but he will be compensated for more than he is worth according to many.
Peja will not get 26 mil towards the end of his deal. I don't think that anyone is worth that much money but he will be compensated for more than he is worth according to many.
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In NBA lingo he's much more of a shooter, while A.I. is the scorer.
Very much so. The tide changed some after the disappointing playoffs in 04 and the subsequent trade request, but over all I'd say he's still very liked in Sacramento. If he was a little more outspoken, he'd be the man already. But even his biggest supporters are a bit wary of anointing him right now. His lack of any un-offensive personality traits is really what keeps him in the good graces of most fans.
Very much so. The tide changed some after the disappointing playoffs in 04 and the subsequent trade request, but over all I'd say he's still very liked in Sacramento. If he was a little more outspoken, he'd be the man already. But even his biggest supporters are a bit wary of anointing him right now. His lack of any un-offensive personality traits is really what keeps him in the good graces of most fans.
Venom - I think there are at least six different viewpoints about Peja:
1. The largely female contingency who likes him because he's "hot," whether or not he can actually meet the needs of the team.
2. Those who think he's a great shooter ... and that's enough.
3. Those who think he's a great shooter, but needs to be more.
4. Those who think he's over-rated, as he always disappears in the playoffs.
5. Those who think he's over-rated by the fanatics, but do still want to see him in Kings purple.
6. Those who hope the door doesn't hit him in the arse on his way out the door.
There are also other variances, so I don't think Peja is anywhere near as well liked and revered as he once was.
1. The largely female contingency who likes him because he's "hot," whether or not he can actually meet the needs of the team.
2. Those who think he's a great shooter ... and that's enough.
3. Those who think he's a great shooter, but needs to be more.
4. Those who think he's over-rated, as he always disappears in the playoffs.
5. Those who think he's over-rated by the fanatics, but do still want to see him in Kings purple.
6. Those who hope the door doesn't hit him in the arse on his way out the door.
There are also other variances, so I don't think Peja is anywhere near as well liked and revered as he once was.
Its very simple, the max deal isn't just more than anyone else will pay, its VASTLY more. If we're already talking negotiating strategy a year early, then what did Peja's agent do by saying now Peja wants to be here and its his top choice? Basically he's saying that if Sacramento offers as much as everyone else, this is where Peja will play. Basically both sides know exactly what the deal is in this negotiation. Peja wants to be here, but isn't going to take less. The Kings want Peja here but won't overpay, (I know I know the quote says different but GP isn't going to pay Peja dramatically more than market value) Really, the whole thing depends on Peja's market value, which will be set by how he plays this year. It just looks like both sides are trying to avoid this becoming a media circus like other high profile players last years in contracts have been. By Peja saying I want to stay and the Maloofs saying we want to pay, then we won't have the team distracted all year like we've seen with other big name guys. I just think we're really making too big a deal of this.
or better yet...hows peja gonna feel if they say...no...hes not worth the max....im not sure why an owner answers that question...but its almost a nowin situation.....if he says hes not a max player, peja takes it as a slight....u dont want that guy playing on ur team with a bad attitude...or peja takes it as a slight and goes out and has a banner year just to spite the kings with every intent on leaving because of the slight...either way its not good for the kings....
this way they kinda put the onus on peja to go out and have the good season...and they will reward him accordingly...then they can say after the fact that hes not a max player...which hes not...but in negotiations that are for real and arent just posturing a year ahead of time...
this way they kinda put the onus on peja to go out and have the good season...and they will reward him accordingly...then they can say after the fact that hes not a max player...which hes not...but in negotiations that are for real and arent just posturing a year ahead of time...
Interesting angle, although I fail to see how it's really germane. The fact is, he DID have a sub-par year, continued to have a sub-par year even after Chris left, which pretty much shoots THAT argument in the foot. Hasn't added anything to his game to make himself multi-dimensional. I don't think it wise to consider salary levels for any player based solely on only their best season. How much of his performance this year was due to the changes created when Vlade left? Vlade made it his personal mission to make sure Peja got the ball just where he needed it to be most succesful and didn't care if he had to sacrifice his own game to do so. Do we have players with that mind-set now? More to the point, with the lowered talent level can we afford players to be solely concentrating on getting Peja his looks, when we know that come play off time, those same looks are going to disappear and the team will have to rely on something else?
I've always wanted Peja to stay a King for his career, we drafted him, watched him grow as a player etc. but a Max deal??
I've always wanted Peja to stay a King for his career, we drafted him, watched him grow as a player etc. but a Max deal??
Well I am on record (perhaps lost to server crash) as not having been, so there. Call it prescience. Or knowing a one-dimiensional shooter with clutch problems when I see him. Even pumped up to 25ppg that's not max. Max = dominating action, making teammates better, superstar. Have to be with the % of the cap you are going to eat up because there is no way the team can afford to have somebody else do all that with you eating the cap.
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I noticed you haven't replied to my other query as yet, so I would like to know just a couple of more details if you don't mind...
When did you have this conversation with Joe Maloof? Was it one on one or part of a news conference of some kind? And, perhaps most importantly, why hasn't this been released anywhere in the American media? This is pretty big news - team owners don't generally talk about what they're willing to pay players whose contracts are entering their final year. I really think you should get in touch with either Jim Rome or someone from ESPN. I think they'd love to have a copy of that tape...
When did you have this conversation with Joe Maloof? Was it one on one or part of a news conference of some kind? And, perhaps most importantly, why hasn't this been released anywhere in the American media? This is pretty big news - team owners don't generally talk about what they're willing to pay players whose contracts are entering their final year. I really think you should get in touch with either Jim Rome or someone from ESPN. I think they'd love to have a copy of that tape...
I have wmv and ram files of my conversation with Joe Maloof which fall under the copyright laws that my sports news agency abide to. Please go to www.sportskacentrala.com and inquire about the rates for our services.
#2, #4, and some #5 for me.
Peja will never be offered a max deal. It just won't happen.
For the needs of our team, a $12M per year deal may be more than he's worth to us. I'd almost rather see him walk at that point, except for the fact that we'd still be over the salary cap and have one more position we need to fill on the cheap.
I think it's time to realize Peja is not a franchise player or a #1 option on any contending team. He is a shooter, like Fred Hoiberg or Brian Cardinal. He just happens to be very very good at that; probably the best today. Except in clutch situations or the playoffs.
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Peja will never be offered a max deal. It just won't happen.
For the needs of our team, a $12M per year deal may be more than he's worth to us. I'd almost rather see him walk at that point, except for the fact that we'd still be over the salary cap and have one more position we need to fill on the cheap.
I think it's time to realize Peja is not a franchise player or a #1 option on any contending team. He is a shooter, like Fred Hoiberg or Brian Cardinal. He just happens to be very very good at that; probably the best today. Except in clutch situations or the playoffs.
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