Peja, whazzup

natedizzle said:
I gave up on Peja after he dissapeared in the playoffs last year yet again. I believe we are stuck with him until his contract expires.

Dude if Webber can be traded, who most in the media called UNTRADEABLE, then Peja can be moved. He will snap out of his funk.






















on his new team next season.
 
Offense is a mess!

Ok slap the new guy around if you will, but I think the Kings have not been able to run their offense without Brad. They have had fewer assists than their opponent in 10 of the last 11 games. That's not our Kings and not the way Peja usually scores his points. If not for Bibby, and a few good nights for some others we'd already be the 8th seed. We need to get Thomas better schooled in the offense and Cuttino, Corless, and Skinner healthy again. Then try to hang on and pray Brad can play again this year. If he can't, we'll cheer for them as always and wait for next fall. GO KINGS!
 
People need to realize that guys like Peja and even Miller should not considered members of the untouchable nucleus of the Kings. They are good players, but more specifically role players. While I appreciate the things that Peja, Miller, Webber, etc have done, you gotta do what you gotta do to get a championship. If it means trades, so be it. I know Artest is a huge problem at times, but if given a short contract, I'd be willing to take that gamble.

The Kings are in dire need of improvement in the following areas: defense, rebounding, athleticism, and points in the paint. What the Kings got right now is Bibby (shoots mainly from the outside, but can take the ball to the hoop), Peja (shooter who's shown no ability to play in the low post), Miller (big guy who shoots on the outside), Mobley (can drive to the basket and shoot on the outside), and then there's Songaila/Thomas. A jump-shooting team is what the Kings are and that isn't gonna cut it. In my view, if the price is right, bring on Artest, Maggette, Swift, Hughes, Chandler, or whomever.
 
Once again, I want to remind people to try and NOT hijack the thread. We have tons of threads about various trade scenarios. In this one, we're addressing our concerns about Peja - and I think it's valid to do so.
 
Im not too worried about Peja's offensive game, im more worried about his overall attitude in the game. Tonight, i saw him give up on his man Dunleavy after somebody set a screen and as a result Bibby was force to rotate over to Dunleavy. Twice in the fourth quarter, the ball was right above his eye level if he just reach out for a rebound and yet his man, Dunleavy grabbed it. I mean, i can understand if he was guarding an athletic freak, but Dunleavy is not one.
 
I would love to see Peja turn into some magnificent all around player -- a true force to be reckoned with. Not only making his shots, but grabbing rebounds and diving to the floor for loose balls. But, its not him, and I've been okay with that fact for a number of years.

My big problem this season has been his lack of effort. His lack of heart. I mentioned here, I think, after the first game of the season that he didn't really seem to care what was happening on the court. And I've hoped every day since then that he'd do SOMETHING out there to make me question my first impressions. Well, It's late(ish) March and I'm still waiting.

Last night, I mentioned the fact that Mike has earned huge brownie points in my book this season (for playing hurt, tired, frustrated and giving a damn for all but the one game he missed this season), and tonight I've got to mention that Peja has easily lost just as many brownie points for doing just the opposite.

Sure, he's had a few games that showed differently. There've been games that we wouldn't have won without Peja's contribution. But, those games have been few and far between.
 
KP said:
The problem is it's almost too late. The Kings made their decision and it was to go with Peja all the way. If he continues to struggle in pressure situations and the playoffs in particular we aren't going to get anything good for him anyway, add to that Mobley leaving(maybe we sign and trade him, maybe not) and I'm not sure what we are going to be left with. It's a bad situation right now. Plus how eager do you think teams are going to be to do business with Petrie anyway?

Something I had pointed out a couple weeks ago. You are right . It is a bad situation right now....and it could have been and should have been dealt with at the trade deadline. Peja wanted to be the man. Now that Webber has been traded, he has gotten his wish. Unfortunatly, he has stepped aside and allowed Bibby to take the reigns of this team. Another squandered opportunity by him. Peja is not a leader and never will be. he might have a good game now and then but he will always be more comfortable in somebodies shadow. And that my friends is not what makes champions. He still needs to go. Him and somebody else for Paul Pierce.
 
tubiscus said:
Ok slap the new guy around if you will, but I think the Kings have not been able to run their offense without Brad.

I echo'd this comment when Brad got injured in practice. We all know Peja needs help to get his shot off and IMO Brad was just the person that could do that. I also feel now more then before that DC had a lot to do with Peja getting the ball.

Without someone being able to set picks/screens for him I think he is just another roll player. If we had someone to constantly run plays for him then I think his value goes way up.
 
BigWaxer said:
Without someone being able to set picks/screens for him I think he is just another roll player. If we had someone to constantly run plays for him then I think his value goes way up.
I concur.

Another thing that worries me: I hope it's just my imagination, but I went to the game and from the warm-ups it looks like Peja doesn't have a good rapport with the other Kings players. Why this could be I can only speculate on, but I hope there aren't any bad feelings among the team over the Webber trade.
 
I don't know if I'm running solo here, but I haven't quite given up on (the enigmatic) Peja yet. Not to say that he hasn't disappointed me for much of this season because he damn well has and he's been ummm well, for lack of a better word, painful to watch for the most part, but for some reason I still think there's hope for him. That might just be me, :shrugs: but optimist that I am, I feel like some good things are bound to happen... From my view, his defense has picked up some this season, but his offense has been inconsistently dismal. He now has people breathing down his neck for lack of drive and heart, and I'm not arguing with that stand. He needs a lot of help from his teammates but more importantly, I think he needs to help himself. Season's far from over, he still has a chance, but time's ticking.
 
If Peja, who's pretty one dimensional let's face it, is hitting his outside shots he opens up the offense. If not, he's pretty worthless besides some decent one on one defense.

I have serious doubts if this guy has the mustard to be a true star. He really needs great screens and great feeds to get into his rythym. This current team is more of a one on one offense without the great passing we've been used to. Peja cannot create his own shot consistently and he's not running hard to get open like he used to.

I dunno. I used to really think he could bring his level up. At the same time I never felt that he was the best shooter in the NBA. Yeah he hits some WOW shots now and then, but in my opinion Dirk kills him as a pure shooter as do others.
 
hoops4kings said:
I have serious doubts if this guy has the mustard to be a true star. He really needs great screens and great feeds to get into his rythym. This current team is more of a one on one offense without the great passing we've been used to. Peja cannot create his own shot consistently and he's not running hard to get open like he used to.

I agree, Peja is not a one on one type player, he can't really create his own shot. The reason he was able to score with ease and shoot a high percentage in the past was because of his ability to move without the ball and the screens Divac, Miller or Webber would set that would allow him to get to the basket for an easy layup or a wide open three. Watching recent games, Peja has had to create off the dribble and chuck up bad shots. He is not that type of player. I wouldn't give up on Peja so fast, without Brad we do not have a high post player capable of getting him easier shots, and the new guys have not really figured the system out. So before we freak out, lets wait until Brad gets back and the new Kings get more accustomed to this system.
 
If Peja is OK with new Kings contract, here's what I think...
He signed his 2nd Kings contract in 2000, year before he turned All Star. 3 consecutive All Star games and now, in his extension year, no All Star and probably his worst season over the last 5 years...
I think Kings will offer significant if not max money for the extension but by no means should that be considered as a stable longterm commitment, at least not from Kings point of view...he absolutely must be signed so that, if proves necesarry, Kings could get something real in return, that Artest deal well you can just forget about it cause it ain't gonna happen...
If he goes bizerk in playoffs and proves instrumental for the team, it's pretty clear how this will end up...but if he doesn't, if he fails to do that, Petrie could file it under a crappy season for him, pick up his extension, and see what'll happen next year, how Peja handles probable max contract situation...only if then Peja pulls consecutive troubling season, Petrie will trade him as Peja is by no means untouchable, all of the personal sents aside, Petrie is not stupid...
I say it's all up to Peja, if he wants to stay, regardless of how he performs in this year's playoffs, I feel Petrie/Maloofs will give him the extension, and probably a year to see how he performs...if by the end of 05-06 season he fails to put up some "franchise" numbers, he will get traded...
 
NumberFour said:
I concur.

Another thing that worries me: I hope it's just my imagination, but I went to the game and from the warm-ups it looks like Peja doesn't have a good rapport with the other Kings players. Why this could be I can only speculate on, but I hope there aren't any bad feelings among the team over the Webber trade.

It's not necessarily bad feeling over the Webber trade, but perhaps a lack of effort. The worst thing for team morale would be a player who doesn't match the effort of the rest of his team. This is purely speculative, but lack of effort seems to be a pretty common complaint when team chemistry goes bad(Vince Carter in Toronto & Tracy McGrady in Orlando).
 
Peja symbolizes the "on again/off again" Kings. He really needs to look inside himself and commit to becoming a better player. Even in the good game he had against the Clippers on Saturday he disappeared during the stretch run in the 4th and in OT.

Unless Peja can somehow surprise us all and really step it up when it matters in the playoffs, I think Petrie should look into trading him. As of right now, Peja just doesn't have what it takes deep down and isn't the kind of guy you want on your team. (since he's never took it back, he apparently still doesn't want to be here).

Perhaps one of the biggest things we'll get out of the playoffs is whether or not it's worth keeping Peja.
 
This summer he has to make it clear: does he want to stay in sac or not
If he want to stay, how much it would cost us?....Can we get someone better for the max money?.....Sign and trade him for Harnigton (Atlanta) could be a good trade for us.....I think this season he is out of shape totally....and in the play-off the things could be worst (field goal percentage, defense and of course, clutch shoots)....bad scenario: he ends up in sas or lal......
 
Peja's biggest problem (on court) is that the league has caught up with his game, limited as it is....run at him and force him to shoot the long distance fadeaway (low, low percentage shot) or hope he puts it on the floor and goes all the way to the hoop where anyong, including the ball boys, can block it as it softly leaves his hand to kiss off the glass. I (we) have said it all before; he needs to spend a summer in the gym developing his game and bringing a new wrinkle each year. He got by in the past by having some of the best passers ever in the league finding him open but they're pretty much gone now.
 
What's really depressing about this whole Peja thing is that he has a chance to pick up his game and carry the team with all the injuries they have. Unfortunately he just doesn't seem to have it in him and I don't think this will ever change.
 
If I understood well,some trades this season were because Petrie wanted to leave enough place in salary cap for new contract for Peja.Correct me if I am wrong?
 
Peja said:
If I understood well,some trades this season were because Petrie wanted to leave enough place in salary cap for new contract for Peja.Correct me if I am wrong?

That was just speculation -- nobody but Geoff really knows.

Actually the Webber trade doesn't clear ANY room to sign Peja - we got back just as much salary as we traded away. And the Christie trade was far more likely about Doug's age than freeing up money.
 
I am just reading some report where they say that Peja is scoring 18 points average in last 8 games,which is good when we know that he was injured and that he have new teammates now :rolleyes:
Also they say that he scores 90,1% of his points in first 29 minutes of the game,and just 9,9% in the last part...
 
Peja said:
Also they say that he scores 90,1% of his points in first 29 minutes of the game,and just 9,9% in the last part...

Where did you read that? That would be a pretty staggering number if true.
 
In actuallity, if we keep all the guys acquired in the deal through the length of their current contract, the Kings end up spending 3 million MORE in salary. They just broke the salary up into smaller pieces. Like making change for a 100 dollar bill, still have 100 bucks, it's now just in 20's. We have Peja's Bird rights. We CAN sign him to a Max salary irregardless of what our cap situation is, if they choose.
 
starks said:
This summer he has to make it clear: does he want to stay in sac or not
If he want to stay, how much it would cost us?....Can we get someone better for the max money?.....Sign and trade him for Harnigton (Atlanta) could be a good trade for us.....I think this season he is out of shape totally....and in the play-off the things could be worst (field goal percentage, defense and of course, clutch shoots)....bad scenario: he ends up in sas or lal......


If Peja keeps playing like this (inconsistent, not huslting, nowhere to be found in clutch spots) it would be to our benefit if he went to the Spurs or Lakers.
 
Team Dime said:
If Peja keeps playing like this (inconsistent, not huslting, nowhere to be found in clutch spots) it would be to our benefit if he went to the Spurs or Lakers.

I was all set to protest loudly about trading him to a team in the West, and then I re-read your post more carefully.

...

...

...

Never mind.
 
Bricklayer said:
Where did you read that? That would be a pretty staggering number if true.

My Serbian friend told me the same thing.....the analysis was posted on some Serbian sport's web.....shortly, they are very disappointed with Peja this season but they are very happy with Cabarkapa and Radmanovic (Sonics)...even, some of them claim that they don't need Peja in the national team anymore, on some forums people said that peja was just lucky guy who played with divac and webbe or he is just role onedimensional player with no hart etc........when I read those translated posts this forum looks to me like peja's fan club



 
punisher said:
I say it's all up to Peja, if he wants to stay, regardless of how he performs in this year's playoffs, I feel Petrie/Maloofs will give him the extension, and probably a year to see how he performs...if by the end of 05-06 season he fails to put up some "franchise" numbers, he will get traded...

The way we've been trading and dealing players lately, it could be a lot sooner than that. I give Peja till the next trading deadline, if by then he hasn't picked up his game and isn't playing the way we are accustomed too (not even sure if that is enough), I say he's as good as gone.
 
Here's What's Gonna Happen Next ...

I'm waiting for the ARCO ARENA - PEJA BOO BIRDS !!!

I'm not a boo bird ... I'ver never booed a King's player or player of a team I supported ... well, I take that back ... I remember booing Jose Canseco when he was with the A's and striking out all the time .... I think I calculated it out to be $10,000.00 per at-bat/strike-out ... this was back when a 4mill-a-year contract was considered alot.

note: the above #'s are just guesses ... don't hold me to anything ... just an example
 
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