peja will opt out

[Fillmoe]

Peja Says He Will Opt Out Of Deal5th April, 2006 - 4:09 amIndianapolis Star - Pacers forward Peja Stojakovic, acquired in the January trade for Ron Artest, said on Tuesday that he will opt out of his contract after the season, becoming an unrestricted free agent.

"I have the option to do it, so that's something I'm probably going to do," he said before the game at Chicago.

Stojakovic is scheduled to make $8.2 million next season, according to the Indianapolis Star. Pacers president Larry Bird said in January that the team wants to keep Stojakovic beyond this season.

"I've been after this kid for two years and I don't want him to be here for two weeks. . . . Hopefully he'll be in a Pacer uniform for a long time to come," Bird said during the news conference to introduce Stojakovic.

Stojakovic is averaging 19.0 points and making 39 percent of his 3-pointers in 31 games with the Pacers.

Stojakovic said he's interested in remaining with the Pacers.

"I said from the beginning that the Pacers are a great organization," he said. "(CEO) Donnie (Walsh) and Larry are great people. I believe this team has the potential."

 

[Sirius]

Pacers have lost 5 games in a row now too. Everyone thinks we have problems...

 

[Andriod_KiNg]

Bad Timing...

Iv tried to like Peja, but comeon dont give up on your team now.

 

[Peja]

Peja Says He Will Opt Out Of Deal5th April, 2006 - 4:09 amIndianapolis Star - Pacers forward Peja Stojakovic, acquired in the January trade for Ron Artest, said on Tuesday that he will opt out of his contract after the season, becoming an unrestricted free agent.

"I have the option to do it, so that's something I'm probably going to do," he said before the game at Chicago.

I think we'll see Peja in Chicago jersey next season.

 

[vj9999]

Bad Timing...

Iv tried to like Peja, but comeon dont give up on your team now.

Opting out is not same as giving up. All it means IMO is that he wants more money next year. He said he wouldn't mind staying with the Pacers.

 

[mavsman]

I bet he stays in Indy. Seems to like the Pacers so far...Filing for free agency could also be a good move financially for him, he can say he has good offers on the table from other teams in hopes of Indy matching competing contracts and he'll get the most he can.

 

[DeAtHrOw]

Bad Timing...

Iv tried to like Peja, but comeon dont give up on your team now.

Someone already said that optiong out is not same as giving up. Either way he said a while ago (even while he was with the Kings) that he would opt out. Anyone else would do the same so I don't see why Peja would have to be different.
Show me the money

 

[sloter]

Pacers or Bulls.

 

[piksi]

or Raptors

 

[vj9999]

Or PAOK

 

[DocHolliday]

Opt out all you want, but make that known by your action of opting out when the season is over. You don't need to say publicly "I'm going to opt", when there are still games to lay, nor do you need to do it PERIOD. Just do it, when the time come's.

He knows he can get more than 8 million. Opting out doesn't necessarily mean he wants to leave Indiana, it just means he wants to get more money. If Indiana make's a good offer he'll stay. If not, then Chicago would be a likely candidate.

 

[JJ22L]

Opt out all you want, but make that known by your action of opting out when the season is over. You don't need to say publicly "I'm going to opt", when there are still games to lay, nor do you need to do it PERIOD. Just do it, when the time come's.

He knows he can get more than 8 million. Opting out doesn't necessarily mean he wants to leave Indiana, it just means he wants to get more money. If Indiana make's a good offer he'll stay. If not, then Chicago would be a likely candidate.

I agree

I dont like this move by peja...do it at the right time, not when your team is/was in a playoff hunt.....

...i feel sorry for the Pacers..not just because of this, but..in general..their franchise the last couple years has had so much potential, and its been stuff like this that has killed spirits.

 

[vj9999]

I know this is an attrocity. Peja should have just demanded to be traded or ask to have some time off to promote his Serbian folk music CD that is coming out.

It is no surprise that he was going to opt out and it was expected. If he said he was opting out because he doesn't believe in his future with the team I would understand. But he said he is planning to opt out and that he likes Indiana.

Peja (or his agent) has made some stupid/mistimed statements in the past, this is the least stupid one of them in my opinion.

 

[SacKings4Life21]

Well guyz at least we don't have to worry about him anymore... hes spineless! good riddence!

 

[DocHolliday]

Well guyz at least we don't have to worry about him anymore... hes spineless! good riddence!

Can I get an AMEN!

 

[Kings113]

They haven't played well at all since JO's come back, kinda surprised me actually. From watching them, seems similar to a degree like w/ Amare when he came back.

I think Peja ultimately stays in Indy. Chicago has Luol Deng and Nocioni playing well and blossoming. Toronto? Maybe.

 

[bozzwell]

Indy has much worse problems then resigning Pedja. They have three PG's that are essentially proving that they all should be backups and not starters. If the choice of who is their leader was JO or Artest - well they kept the wrong guy. Their best young player plays the same position as Pedja. Thier shooting guard is so incosistent that they never know what they will get from him night in, night out. The players have seemingly tuned out the coach. The fans are baying for the blood of the said coach.

As for Pedja, the whole year we were hearing/reading "expected to opt out" and he was on every '06 FA list since last summer. So, if he confirmed it when asked, how is that newsworthy or untimely?

 

[SacTownKid]

I don't understand all the hate, but, he'll be a Pacer for a long long time.

 

[VF21]

Opt out all you want, but make that known by your action of opting out when the season is over. You don't need to say publicly "I'm going to opt", when there are still games to lay, nor do you need to do it PERIOD. Just do it, when the time come's.

Word.

Peja's actions have pretty much spit in the face of the Pacers IMHO. Now is NOT the time to be talking about whether or not he'll opt out. Once again Peja has put himself and HIS interests ahead of a team's.

Sorry, vj9999, but his timing sucks.

 

[vj9999]

No prob. I just think it is funny that we Kings fans are more worried and critical of his statement than Pacers fans.

Pacers fans seem to be not surprised and not upset by the statement. I guess after being stabbed in the back by our own Ron Ron so many times, this seems so irrelevant

 

[VF21]

No prob. I just think it is funny that we Kings fans are more worried and critical of his statement than Pacers fans.

Pacers fans seem to be not surprised and not upset by the statement. I guess after being stabbed in the back by our own Ron Ron so many times, this seems so irrelevant

Or maybe they simply aren't quite as enamored of Peja as we were before all the drama...

From what I've read on PacersDigest, most of them don't really view it as a big loss. And that, in all honesty, is the saddest part of all of it...

Oh well. As you say, it's not our problem any longer.

Off-topic: I finished watching Season 1 last night. (I started watching in season 3) All I have to say is HOLY CRAP!!! Now I have to go back to ebay and find season 2... and 24 more spare hours in which to fit in the viewing.

 

[KingKong]

Off-topic: I finished watching Season 1 last night. (I started watching in season 3) All I have to say is HOLY CRAP!!! Now I have to go back to ebay and find season 2... and 24 more spare hours in which to fit in the viewing.

Thread derailer.

 

[VF21]

Not exactly. It's only considered "derailing" if you don't have something in your post that pertains to the topic at hand. I covered that first, and then just added a minor post-script since I know vj9999 is one of the 24 addicts around here.

 

[vj9999]

Or maybe they simply aren't quite as enamored of Peja as we were before all the drama...

From what I've read on PacersDigest, most of them don't really view it as a big loss. And that, in all honesty, is the saddest part of all of it...

Oh well. As you say, it's not our problem any longer.

Off-topic: I finished watching Season 1 last night. (I started watching in season 3) All I have to say is HOLY CRAP!!! Now I have to go back to ebay and find season 2... and 24 more spare hours in which to fit in the viewing.

Well he has only been there for a short time so no big attachement yet. Plus, if I had Danny Granger asa future SF, I wouldn't worry too much either

And as for 24, not really off topic. Wasn't the bad guy in the first season Serbian? Don't get me started on Nina though

 

[Bricklayer]

Not at all sure what the fuss is about here. This is entirely 100% a standard sort of announcement that FA's in option years make every single season. OF COURSE he is going to opt out. That has been the well known situation for over a year now. Big whooptideedoo.

 

[hoops4kings]

Of course he'll opt out, and his agent will seek close to the max, or settle for a huge pay increase. That's the game. That's the way it is today.

No surprise what-so-ever.

 

[ParniValjak]

Or PAOK

No chance

 

[DeAtHrOw]

Not at all sure what the fuss is about here. This is entirely 100% a standard sort of announcement that FA's in option years make every single season. OF COURSE he is going to opt out. That has been the well known situation for over a year now. Big whooptideedoo.

You wanted an AMEN Doc, here is your chance cause this is the only post that deserves an AMEN.

Peja has moved on, and I think you should too Doc

 

[bozzwell]

Not at all sure what the fuss is about here. This is entirely 100% a standard sort of announcement that FA's in option years make every single season. OF COURSE he is going to opt out. That has been the well known situation for over a year now. Big whooptideedoo.

You are destroying this topic with your balanced and rational comments. What are we to argue about now that all the "divisive" players have been traded? Do you realize that now that Pedja is not a King it is our only opportunity to call him names without getting banned!

Spoilsport.

 

[love_them_kings]

As far as Peja opting out, yes it was a given.

As far as the timing goes, I think we have to keep in mind that Peja was probably responding a to question that was asked. "Peja, are you going to opt out after the season?" "well, yes, I probably will" (left unsaid, "I am very underpaid and would be stupid NOT to opt out"). If Peja had a press conference to say "I'm opting out & want to sign with a different team" I'd have a probably with it. Candidly answering a question that he will probably opt out doesn't bother me at all.