Stojakovic aggravated back injury (merged)

[dragonfire]

Just posted on ESPN

Stojakovic aggravates back injury in Kings win

Associated Press

http://log.go.com/log?srvc=sz&guid=...ileespn.com?campaign=mobile&source=insider_ah




HOUSTON -- Sacramento Kings guard Peja Stojakovic aggravated a back injury in an 88-80 win over Houston on Wednesday night.


Stojakovic, Sacramento's second-leading scorer, went to the bench with 2:58 left in the third quarter and did not return. He said after the game he re-injured a protruding disc in his lower back that has bothered him since late December. Stojakovic sat out the Kings' 105-95 loss to Dallas on Dec. 22.


Sacramento coach Rick Adelman did not know how serious the injury was after Wednesday's game. The Kings play New Orleans on Friday.


"It tightened up on him," Adelman said. "Hopefully, he'll be OK by Friday."


Stojakovic scored three points and had seven rebounds against the Rockets.

"It's coming from a nerve in my back," Stojakovic said of his injury. "We'll see. It's day to day."

 

[CreeksideBaller]

link please

 

[kennadog]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2289194

 

[LakerN49erChick05]

is he ever not hurt?

 

[Bricklayer]

Can't help us, and trade value disintegrating at the same time. Beautiful.

Still think/wish the situation had been dealt with over the summer.

 

[kennadog]

Apparently not this season. He seems to be more and more injury prone. I don't think he's faking it. His contract year is gonna be a huge bust at this rate. His value is dropping like a rock. This means the Kings may NOT be able to get much in a trade.

 

[LakerN49erChick05]

there go his chances of having a max "ray allen like" contract

 

[SacTownKid]

Trade value problems aside for a moment, I just hope Peja starts feeling better! Back problems are no fun.

Get well Peja!

 

[VF21]

I agree, STK.

 

[Vlad]

Get well soon Peja.

Nice, ugly, grind-it-out win tonight. Let's continue to roll on Friday.

Only 3 games out of PO.

 

[Bricklayer]

Only 3 games out of PO.

That's always a complete misnomer, requiring as it does not only your own team to win games at a much higher pace despite all kinds of adversity, but also requiring a LOT of teams ahead of you to fall backwards. If we were the 9th team it would be one thing. As it is we are the 13th.

Early in the season the bad teams can always point to the standings and say they are only a few back of the good. But the gulf is in reality no smaller than it is at the end fo teh season. The sample size is just different.

 

[slugking50]

Appearently during the game RA noticed that Peja wasnt getting much lift in his shot. During a timeout RA asked peja if he was hurt and Peja mentione his bad disc was affecting the nerves to his legs again (edit:-Added-->) so he pulled and sat him.

 

[nbrans]

I agree, this is not good for his trade value. Of course, if he stays injured enough and has a bad enough year, with few teams having cap space to begin with I wonder if his value as a free agent would drop below the $8 million he's slated to make next year.

Maybe Peja will decide against opting out of his contract? Could happen...

 

[Yoda]

I agree, this is not good for his trade value. Of course, if he stays injured enough and has a bad enough year, with few teams having cap space to begin with I wonder if his value as a free agent would drop below the $8 million he's slated to make next year.

Maybe Peja will decide against opting out of his contract? Could happen...

Yippee, another year of Peja.

 

[whozit]

Or second chance to trade him in the off-season, this time as an expiring contract.

Hope he gets better soon.

 

[Vlad]

That's always a complete misnomer, requiring as it does not only your own team to win games at a much higher pace despite all kinds of adversity, but also requiring a LOT of teams ahead of you to fall backwards. If we were the 9th team it would be one thing. As it is we are the 13th.

Early in the season the bad teams can always point to the standings and say they are only a few back of the good. But the gulf is in reality no smaller than it is at the end fo teh season. The sample size is just different.

I understand that this 3-game gulf is greater than it seems. But at the same time, the 7-10th placed teams have 17 or 18 losses. If the Kings go 4-1 in the next 5 games, the will find themselves only 1-1.5 games out.

I think if the Kings go 29-21 in the next 50, we get into the playoffs. And yes, this would be a huge (but not impossible) turnaround from how they are playing now.

 

[Kings113]

Trade value problems aside for a moment, I just hope Peja starts feeling better! Back problems are no fun.

Get well Peja!

Agreed.

As far as the trade stuff goes, Corey Maggette is still getting mentioned (after a down period there of no Clippers news), and he's supposedly out for six weeks.

 

[VF21]

Kings notes: Stojakovic's back trouble returns

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14064620p-14895521c.html

Kings notes: Stojakovic's back trouble returns, results in stiff leg
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, January 12, 2006

HOUSTON - At least someone with the Stojakovic name is healthy.
In eight weeks, Peja Stojakovic and his fiancée, Aleka Kamila, are expecting their second child, a girl to balance things out with their 18-month-old boy, Andrej.

Stojakovic wouldn't mind if the kids shared some of that health wealth.

The Kings forward left Wednesday's game in the third quarter, when the back problem that has plagued him since mid-December returned. It already forced him out of one game, with more absences possible.

Stojakovic has a protruding disc in his lower back that is touching a nerve. In turn, his right leg has been stiff and in pain fairly consistently. After hitting 1 of 5 shots in 28 minutes against Houston, Stojakovic could play no more.

"My leg is weak," he said. "It's a weird thing. My back feels all right. But with all the stiffness and the weakness I have in my leg, I don't know. It probably comes from the nerve."

While Stojakovic indicated he might want a second MRI, Kings trainer Pete Youngman - through spokesman Darrin May - said that is not necessary. Stojakovic's status, officially, is day-to-day, though he spoke as if rest was the only option.

"I don't have any power in my leg," he said. "I can't push off. I can't change speeds - no acceleration, nothing. I don't know. I guess that's the athlete's life. You've got to deal with the good and the bad. ... Obviously, it didn't get better the last couple of weeks."

Home horror show - The Rockets played before their smallest crowd of the season, 12,252, Wednesday.

And who could blame the fans for staying home? The 88-80 loss was Houston's fifth straight at home, giving the Rockets the league's worst home record, 3-11.

It's a stark contrast to the team's first two seasons at the Toyota Center, where they went a combined 53-29 after it opened Oct. 30, 2003.
If they keep it up, the Rockets could challenge the franchise's worst home mark, 8-33, set in the 1967-68 season. The Kings are one of the few to have lost at Houston, falling 98-89 in the Rockets' season opener.

"We don't bring the same energy and intensity at home that we do on the road, and there's no explanation," Rockets forward Ryan Bowen said. "It's pretty remarkable that that's our record at home."

But in contrast to Arco Arena, where Kings fans have responded to their team's 9-11 home mark with so much venom, there's no such vibe in Houston. By all accounts, they're a mild bunch.

"You guys get more noise in two minutes than we get in a game," one courtside observer said.

About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.

 

[piksi]

At least someone with the Stojakovic name is healthy.
In eight weeks, Peja Stojakovic and his fiancée, Aleka Kamila, are expecting their second child, a girl to balance things out with their 18-month-old boy, Andrej..

Something for Pedja to look forward to it these days.

Only 6 weeks till the trade deadline.

Just an obsrvation

 

[Purple Reign]

In my view, this is all mental. I once heard an athlete say that once you have checked out mentally, physically your body begins to suffer the nagging injuries. All of Peja's injury woes (outside of the finger) has been nagging.

 

[Ryle]

Well, when they mentioned in the paper today that he has weakness in his one leg and it's from the nerve being compromised in his low back this is not good news for him. This may lead to surgery down the road. Should have traded him when he had some value. Now he has none.

 

[VF21]

So, if you're the Kings, what do you do?

Do you sign him to that extension and get him the corrective surgery NOW? Write off the rest of this season for him and address it next year? Will Peja do it? Will his agent recommend it?

 

[nbrans]

Wait, who says he has to have surgery? Is there a doctor in the house?

 

[piksi]

Wait, who says he has to have surgery? Is there a doctor in the house?

it is most likely option in case of a "disk" injury

 

[piksi]

So, if you're the Kings, what do you do?

Do you sign him to that extension and get him the corrective surgery NOW? Write off the rest of this season for him and address it next year? Will Peja do it? Will his agent recommend it?

I thought - it is a players option.

Once, Feb 23rd passes and there was no trade - Kings season is over (it is pretty much over not ). Kings have no control over what will happen unless they really badly want to keep him. There is a sign and trade option but that is not a given.
I am pretty sure that if Pedja gets healthy in the mean time that he will be offered more money than that option guarantees. If he does take that option - it could also mean that the injury is much more severe than it already is.
Hard to trade him now unless You want some more crap to add to the "Webber" pile. That is how life works. Kings missed an opportunity to get an allstar in summer 2004 when Pedja asked for it. Obviously, now, we are all smarter and know that it was a mistake.
I still think that Pedja is much better player than this when he is healthy. Not a great player or anything close but he can be very effective. Right now - it hurts Kings when he plays and it hurts them when he doesn't.
No GM in their right state in mind - would give away even a prospect or a high pick at the moment. Even if some would take a chance - they would probably have to be reasured that Pedja would resign there to avoid the same situation that Kings are in now.
No matter how You are looking at it - it is a mess. All those trade proposals are pathetic. GP is good but he is not a magician. If I am Spurs - I give Finley for Pedja. If I am Heat - I give You Walker, if I am ... look trough rosters and find older players on Pedjas position and then combine.
Example - Deng for Pedja - if Pedja was healthy and Bulls were contenders and needed a shooter - maybe. Right now - just on potential - unrealistic.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
basically, if Kings want a major "change" - right now - Bibby is the only guy that can be used for that. He is the only one that can get You 'something" in return. Even Brad won't get You much. Pedja will get You nothing but players we have enough of. If Kings don't want to part with Bibby - it will be very difficult to get any solid pieces for what we need.
Either way - we will have a nich draft pick

 

[ONEZERO]

I blame petrie for this mess

 

[DaKings]

Trade value problems aside for a moment, I just hope Peja starts feeling better! Back problems are no fun.

Get well Peja!

No #@$%!

Man how can people be so cold. I hope he gets better. Thanx STK

 

[VF21]

I thought - it is a players option.

Once, Feb 23rd passes and there was no trade - Kings season is over (it is pretty much over not ). Kings have no control over what will happen unless they really badly want to keep him. There is a sign and trade option but that is not a given.

I am pretty sure that if Pedja gets healthy in the mean time that he will be offered more money than that option guarantees. If he does take that option - it could also mean that the injury is much more severe than it already is.

Hard to trade him now unless You want some more crap to add to the "Webber" pile. That is how life works. Kings missed an opportunity to get an allstar in summer 2004 when Pedja asked for it. Obviously, now, we are all smarter and know that it was a mistake.

I still think that Pedja is much better player than this when he is healthy. Not a great player or anything close but he can be very effective. Right now - it hurts Kings when he plays and it hurts them when he doesn't.
No GM in their right state in mind - would give away even a prospect or a high pick at the moment. Even if some would take a chance - they would probably have to be reasured that Pedja would resign there to avoid the same situation that Kings are in now.

No matter how You are looking at it - it is a mess. All those trade proposals are pathetic. GP is good but he is not a magician. If I am Spurs - I give Finley for Pedja. If I am Heat - I give You Walker, if I am ... look trough rosters and find older players on Pedjas position and then combine.
Example - Deng for Pedja - if Pedja was healthy and Bulls were contenders and needed a shooter - maybe. Right now - just on potential - unrealistic.

The part I'm trying to figure out is if the Kings should offer Peja a one-year extension, which could be predicated on him sitting out however long it takes and doing whatever it takes to get healthy (up to and including surgery).

At this point, I think trading him and expecting anything in return is simply naive. Offering the extension gives everyone a bit of time and allows the Kings to develop some kind of rhythm right now with the players we have. And it takes the pressure off Peja to try and perform in a contract year when he's clearly not at anything close to 100%.

It's just a thought. I'm awfully glad there isn't a sign on my door saying "President of Basketball Operations" because this is a fine kettle of fish we're in right now...

 

[BMiller52]

Why would we offer him an extension? He has a player option to opt out, and if his back is bad and he does need surgery than he doesn't have to.

 

[Bricklayer]

I can see it now -- all part of Geoff's master plan: have Peja suck so bad that we and he have no choice to keep him.

But we can't offer him an extension. Technically he is already ours until he decides to opt out. Best we could do is try o get him to promise not to opt out, and then cross our fingers. But that's thrrowing good money after bad. Time to move on for everybody.