Vlade to stay with Lakers? (merged)

[vj9999]

Vlade - final decision?!

Vlade gave an interview to http://www.blic.co.yu/danas/broj/strane/sport.htm#3

" ... No, I'm not going to play next season! I will work for Lakers as an assistant coach and an international scout. I'm coming to Serbia for my first assignment. I will not only watch European Championship as a fan, but as a professional scout as well...."

 

[mcsluggo]

vlade- final decision

wasn't that a song by that swedish hair band "Europe"...?

 

[loopymitch]

I wish he'd do it for the Kings instead of the Lakers. Good luck Vlade.

 

[VF21]

That statement, while interesting, is NOT true.

A couple of days ago, as Vlade was in town gathering donations to take to the victims of Katrina, he made it clear that he's going to retire within a few weeks. He will then most likely spend the next year in Europe, but NOT as a scout for the Lakers or anyone else. He has said repeatedly that he's going to take a year off and take his kids back to Serbia so they can learn more about their country.

As usual, you have to take any comments posted on Euro websites with a grain of salt. They seem to tailor their quotes to what they think their readership wants to see.

 

[hrdboild]

As usual, you have to take any comments posted on Euro websites with a grain of salt. They seem to tailor their quotes to what they think their readership wants to see.

So does "tailor their quotes" mean make them up out of the blue then? Cause that's what this sounds like.

 

[VF21]

I wouldn't go so far as to say "made up." They're Serbian sites; they're trying to read things into comments that they most want to hear. Unfortunately, they sometimes read much more into things than have actually been said.

On the other hand, I've noticed from both Vlade and Peja that they sometimes say things to their "home-town" interviewers that could be taken more than one way.

In this case, I suspect it might have been a situation where there's MORE to the comment than has been reported. For example, Vlade COULD have said:

"No, I'm not going to play next season!" I don't know what I'm going to do after next year. Maybe I will work for Lakers as an assistant coach and an international scout. Maybe I'm coming to Serbia for my first assignment. Of course I'll be attending the European Championships but maybe I will not only watch European Championship as a fan, but as a professional scout as well...."

If Vlade had made a deal with the Lakers to return as an assistant coach OR as part of the Lakers organization, it would be all over the news here and not buried somewhere on a European site.

Just my three cents, of course, but it's based on a lot of experience with Vlade rumors.

 

[vj9999]

VF21. That's why I put "final decision ?!" because you can't believe everything you read (especially in media over there) and we heard so many different "official" stories what he will be doing next year

 

[VF21]

I figured that, vj9999. I was just attempting to clarify it for hrdboild.

 

[SacTownKid]

wasn't that a song by that swedish hair band "Europe"...?

Final Countdown is the song. Heard at many basketball games BTW.

 

[Stojakovic]

Blic is a gossiping magazine. If you hear something like that from either Beonet, or B92 then it's pretty much official. But Blic...eh, disregard.

 

[macadocious]

Vlade Coaching

I remember hearing numerous time on 1140 Vlade saying that he was never interested in Coaching and now here he is an assistant for the Lakers and Scout. Does not make a lot of sense to me.

I also do not understand his undying loyalty to that franchise, with all the turmoil and the fact that they traded him to Charlotte, seems like he enjoyed the Kings, Sac, the players and ownership more here. I would have thought if he ever stayed in basketball as a different capacity than player it would have been is Sacramento. C'mon he has Tunnell 21 to operate.

 

[LA King Fan II]

Vlade stays in Laker Family

According to a reliable radio show in LA in which Laker announcer Mychal Thomson is a host, Vlade announced an official retirement and will be an assistant coach for Phil and the Lakers.

 

[Warhawk]

Yeah, it's on espn.com, etc. as well. Would have liked to see him here as an assistant of some kind....

 

[Amory]

Does that mean Peja gone next season?

 

[SacTownKid]

Does that mean Peja gone next season?

Hmmm....I doubt it.

 

[Venom]

Does that mean Peja gone next season?

Well, had Vlade come back to Sactown to coach, I would have taken that as a sure sign that a Peja extension was imminent.

 

[Coach]

The ESPN and Sports Illustrated web sites are treating the story as if it is fact.

Oh well. I'm happy that he is happy, but I'm a little disappointed that his heart is with the Lakers. I guess I understand it though: he started his career there, he played in an NBA finals there, and he retired there. I was just hoping that he considered himself a King, not a Laker.

 

[Bad Boy Bo]

I guess it came down to two choices. Ahh, retirement to be assistant coach and live the rest of my life at... Sacramento... or L.A.... Hmm...

 

[KingKong]

Blech...

 

[quick dog]

OK, Vlade is walking like a duck (Laker), quacking like a duck (Laker), and preening feathers like a wet duck (Laker). Vlade, afterall, is truly a duck (Laker). When do we start "hating" Vlade? This whole Vlade "thing" just doesn't make sense. My world is upside down. Phil is back, Kobe is still there, and now Vlade. Is Vlade the "Jane Fonda" of the Western Conference?

Confused in Placerville.

 

[6th]

When are we all going to understand that Vlade (and others) do not see the big rivalry between Northern and Southern California....between the Kings and the Lakers? C'mon, to ball players, there are just other teams....not something to hate like we (the fans) do.

So, having said all that, my view is that Vlade loves the people in Sacramento. We are, after all, the best fans, and we support our players with all our hearts. He absolutely loves that about us.

Now, we come to the "where should my family and I live" question. For Ana and Vlade, it is going to be Los Angeles. She loves it there. She will come here and check on her business investments....sure...but she likes the glitz and glitter of L.A. Nothing wrong with that. It is who she is.

Vlade wants his family to be happy. It was a business and family decision and staying in L.A. and working for the Lakers had absolutely nothing to do with Kings fans.

 

[BigSong]

ahhhh, i can see it now....peja for lamar.

 

[Coach]

It appears that the Lakers are more dear to him than the Kings. That's okay. He gave us some terrific years. The fact that he considers himself a Laker at heart is okay with me.

You know how baseball players who make the Hall of Fame go in under a particular team? Dave Winfield, for example, went in as a Padre, even though he played for many teams. Is it the same thing for the basketball Hall of Fame? I'm not sure if Vlade will make it, but if he does, I wonder if he will choose to go in as a Laker? Either way, I'm sure we are still important to him, and I bet he looks back on his years here fondly. I miss you Vlade!

 

[SacTownKid]

Its called the Lakers offered him a job and he took it. Who knows if the Maloofs even formally offered him a job.

 

[VF21]

OK, Vlade is walking like a duck (Laker), quacking like a duck (Laker), and preening feathers like a wet duck (Laker). Vlade, afterall, is truly a duck (Laker). When do we start "hating" Vlade? This whole Vlade "thing" just doesn't make sense. My world is upside down. Phil is back, Kobe is still there, and now Vlade. Is Vlade the "Jane Fonda" of the Western Conference?

Confused in Placerville.

Oh, come on, quick dog.

First, the whole thing seems to be based on ONE REPORT - from a Serbian website.

http://www.kingsfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7608

Second, if you choose to "hate" Vlade after everything he did for the franchise, then that is - of course - your choice to make.

Personally, I think it's a tempest in a teapot.

 

[VF21]

For the record, here's what the Bee had to say about it:

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13573127p-14413439c.html

Report: Divac to retire, work for Lakers
Associated Press and Bee Sports Staff
Published 2:13 pm PDT Friday, September 16, 2005

BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro -- Former Kings star center Vlade Divac plans to retire as a player from the NBA, but will become an assistant coach and scout for the Los Angeles Lakers, a Serbian newspaper reported Friday.

“It is enough,” Divac told the Blic daily. “No, I won’t play the next season. I’ll work for the Lakers as an assistant coach and an international scout.”

The 37-year-old Divac, who returned to the Lakers last season, underwent back surgery in January and played in only 15 games, averaging 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. He averaged 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds in 15 previous NBA seasons - six with the Lakers, two with Charlotte and seven with the Kings.

“The injury has only helped my decision to retire,” Divac said. “I always gave 100 percent to the sport, and after so many years of playing, I can no longer do that. I’m ending my professional career as a player, but I will remain in basketball.”

The Lakers and Divac had previously agreed to postpone a decision on his contract status.

Los Angeles had the choice of picking up a one-year, $5.4 million option or paying a $2 million buyout.

“I can’t confirm that Vlade has retired. Right now, it’s premature and we have not been notified of that,” Lakers spokesman John Black said.

Divac was in Sacramento on Monday, collecting clothing and needed items for children affected by Hurricane Katrina. He personally delivered the goods to shelters in Houston.
------------------------------------------------------------

One has to believe that Divac and the Lakers organization would make a public announcement on something like this BEFORE Vlade gave the particulars to that particular website.

Bottom line for me? If it's true, that's his choice. It will not change in any way, shape or form the admiration I have for him AND the gratitude I will always hold in my heart for what he did for my beloved Kings.

 

[Westones3]

Is it the same thing for the basketball Hall of Fame? I'm not sure if Vlade will make it, but if he does, I wonder if he will choose to go in as a Laker? Either way, I'm sure we are still important to him, and I bet he looks back on his years here fondly. I miss you Vlade!

"Fondly" may be a bit of an understatement. I have consistently heard Vlade refer to his time in Sacramento as "The best years of my career". Both as a Laker and post 04-05 season.

I would be very surprised if he did make it to the Hall of Fame and was not inducted as a King.

 

[Coach]

If the report is not true, I wonder what Vlade meant by this quote: “It is enough,” Divac told the Blic daily. “No, I won’t play the next season. I’ll work for the Lakers as an assistant coach and an international scout.”
Maybe he was misquoted.

 

[quick dog]

Geeze. I'm joking!

 

[Fillmoe]

so i guess that tip to robert horry was an assist after all..... dammit vlade! LOL...... just kiddin