Vlade?

Warhawk

Warhawk

Give blood and save a life!
Staff member
#1
#1
I know it was mentioned / discussed before, but I was just watching a bit of the Laker game and the commentators mentioned that the Lakers probably won't pick up Vlade's contract extension for next year and he has expressed interest in playing one more year, preferably with the Kings.

If he would sign for the veteran's minimum, would anyone like to see him return as a 3rd string C / (un)official assistant coach to the younger guys? The Tag thing doesn't seem to be working out with RA and passing big men are hard to find. I think for minimal $$$ he could be an asset to have on the bench for situations such as that we are in right now....

Any thoughts?
 
BigWaxer

BigWaxer

Starter
#7
#7
Vlade won't help us. He is at the end of his career and would be nice to retire as a king with some sort of sign for a day and retire deal. Vlade is not the answer to a ring in Sactown.
 
D

Diehard Jim

Bench
#8
#8
I don't think vlade is the answer to a ring in sactown, but he could definately spell brad miller for 10 mins a night and would make a great locker room prescence
 
Heuge

Heuge

Starter
#10
#10
Diehard Jim said:
I don't think vlade is the answer to a ring in sactown, but he could definately spell brad miller for 10 mins a night and would make a great locker room prescence
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Has he played 10 minutes in a game thsi year.
 
D-Mass

D-Mass

Starter
#11
#11
I don't think he's the answer for a ring, but I don't think he'd prevent it either. Think of it this way: Daniels won't be the reason we don't win a ring this year. If Vlade can be paid the minimum for the end of the bench, why not? He'd be a great presence in the locker room and a positive influence on the younger guys...a great player/coach.
 
A

AriesMar27

Guest
#12
#12
what would we have to lose? its not like we use ostertag anyways...... at least we know that adelman will play vlade.... if shaq can get into shape, then so can vlade.... just good enough to play a couple of minutes and pass the ball to peja a few times..... it'd be nice....
 
kingskings!

kingskings!

Bench
#13
#13
D-Mass said:
I don't think he's the answer for a ring, but I don't think he'd prevent it either. Think of it this way: Daniels won't be the reason we don't win a ring this year. If Vlade can be paid the minimum for the end of the bench, why not? He'd be a great presence in the locker room and a positive influence on the younger guys...a great player/coach.
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You said it better than I could. If Vlade could come back as a player/coach and take the 12th chair on the bench, then I would love to see him come back to the Kings (a la Avery Johnson with the Mavs), It's not like the guy in the 12th spot ever sees playing time and even if he only came back to us as a player/coach, I would love to see that happen. He has a ton of knowledge to share with the younger players and I would really like to see him back, as long as it was on the coach's side of the bench! :D
 
Bricklayer

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#14
#14
You can stick a fork in Vlade as a player. If we brought him back I would only do so in a last ditch effort to salvage Peja by bringing back his personal cheerleader. But that's certainly not a compliment to Peja if that is the case, and its looking seriously backward when we should be looking to the future now.

If Vlade wants to coach, better. Still might be able to cheerlead for Peja in a suit too.
 
D-Mass

D-Mass

Starter
#15
#15
You said it very well, kingskings...even the deepest teams rarely use their last spot. Vlade in that slot is no more a waste than that roster spot already is.
 
PixelPusher

PixelPusher

Starter
#16
#16
if he played for the Kings next season he'd be a stiff like Ostertag, but with passing skills...probably not as good a rebounder or shot blocker/changer though.
 
A

AriesMar27

Guest
#17
#17
but tags 5 mins if that dont change much..... i think bibby has gotten more blocks this season than ostertag.....
 
BigWaxer

BigWaxer

Starter
#18
#18
Bricklayer said:
If Vlade wants to coach, better. Still might be able to cheerlead for Peja in a suit too.
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I don't think that would make a difference. I honestly think we have seen pretty much what Peja's potential is. I hope I am wrong (well if he is still with us) But... I don't think I wrong. Most of these Euro's have the same problem and I have come to grips lately that maybe Peja is another one of them.
 
Bricklayer

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#19
#19
BigWaxer said:
I don't think that would make a difference. I honestly think we have seen pretty much what Peja's potential is. I hope I am wrong (well if he is still with us) But... I don't think I wrong. Most of these Euro's have the same problem and I have come to grips lately that maybe Peja is another one of them.
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Perhaps. But personally I have been arguing all year long that last year's version of Peja was more or less created by Vlade as a pet project. Constantly encouraging him, cajoling him, looking for him at all times etc. He can't do the latter anymore, but to whatever degree the handholding made a difference, he could still provide that. And yes, if you can't tell, I find that more than a little pathetic if I'm correct. But nonetheless, think it might be true. Peja is no superstar, Vlade or not. But I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that he mans up and gives a better effort with Vlade around than with him not.
 
PixelPusher

PixelPusher

Starter
#20
#20
Bricklayer said:
Perhaps. But personally I have been arguing all year long that last year's version of Peja was more or less created by Vlade as a pet project. Constantly encouraging him, cajoling him, looking for him at all times etc. He can't do the latter anymore, but to whatever degree the handholding made a difference, he could still provide that. And yes, if you can't tell, I find that more than a little pathetic if I'm correct. But nonetheless, think it might be true. Peja is no superstar, Vlade or not. But I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that he mans up and gives a better effort with Vlade around than with him not.
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If Peja can't be a superstar, can he at least be a "Fred Hoiberg" for us during the playoffs?
 
cogito ergo sum

cogito ergo sum

Prospect
#21
#21
I believe the younger players need coaching from veterans such as Divac. I, too, would love to see the big fella in a purple jersey again. But nobody can predict, he will accept the minimum salary to play or the Kings will acquire for "such" reasons to be a mental coach for players without any coaching experience. I never considered him nor he did himself a leader. Plus, he won't fit in the Kings system after Skinner establishes himself and, more importantly, after Miller estrablishes himself when he returns. True, The Tag needs to work out more. But I'm already seeing improvement in the Tag's game. Divac will only give the Kings a heavy burden if they decide to add him.
 
BigWaxer

BigWaxer

Starter
#22
#22
PixelPusher said:
for us during the playoffs?
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Thats the key this year. I am willing as a SUPER DUPER Peja fan to give him the playoffs. Lets see how he does. In previous playoff games he has been very inconsistant. Lets see if he is a true superstar. Lets see if he is good enough to actually try and demand a trade.

MEMO to PEJA: you gotta play and prove your the man before demanding a trade. You haven't done that yet.
 
Grobar

Grobar

G-League
#23
#23
and divac is like a big ol' bulldozer. he won't do anything with 5-10 minutes in the game. he needs to be there for extended periods of time to warm up and actually get in the flow of the game. i'd carry him to sactown on my back if he wants to coach, but as a player - hell no :(
 
cogito ergo sum

cogito ergo sum

Prospect
#24
#24
Grobar said:
and divac is like a big ol' bulldozer. he won't do anything with 5-10 minutes in the game. he needs to be there for extended periods of time to warm up and actually get in the flow of the game. i'd carry him to sactown on my back if he wants to coach, but as a player - hell no :(
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touché
 
chelle

chelle

Starter
#25
#25
I would love to see Vlade back as a player/coach. Obviously, he is not the player he once was, but he is a SMART player. I think he would be a great help to the younger players, since we seem to be joining the youth movement. Never underestimate the value of veteran leaderhip on and off the court. I also think it would be good, not only for Peja, but Bibby and Miller as well. As for Peja, give him a break. Every player has high and lows in his career. This year has been a low. He still has as much talent as he had last year. He has just had a hard time adjusting. Chalk this year up to a learning experience for him. Next season will be better. He is already doing better than the beginning of the year. He just needs to be more consistent.
 
Vlad

Vlad

Bench
#27
#27
Warhawk said:
I know it was mentioned / discussed before, but I was just watching a bit of the Laker game and the commentators mentioned that the Lakers probably won't pick up Vlade's contract extension for next year and he has expressed interest in playing one more year, preferably with the Kings.

If he would sign for the veteran's minimum, would anyone like to see him return as a 3rd string C / (un)official assistant coach to the younger guys? The Tag thing doesn't seem to be working out with RA and passing big men are hard to find. I think for minimal $$$ he could be an asset to have on the bench for situations such as that we are in right now....

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Vlade's extension through the 2005-2006 season is a player option, not a team option, so it's not up to the Lakers. What the announcers probably said is that the Lakers will try to buy out his contract.

And for the record, he's played for 37 mins in 8 games (the most he's played in a game this year is 8 mins). His lack of playing time is due to his injuries, the fact that he is totally out of shape, and because he didn't fit in well with
Rudy T's offense.

I would love for him to come back and play well... but I just don't see it happening, considering the Kings' new focus on younger players.

I think there is an overall consensus that we should put 21 in the rafters, and that he should become an assistant.
 
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SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#29
#29
Time to move forward and not look back. I would love to see him in the organization though. Player/coach is something I could handle, with the emphasis on the coaching part of course.
 
Warhawk

Warhawk

Give blood and save a life!
Staff member
#30
#30
I think the emphasis of my post was that he would be deep on the bench and signed for the minimum. I think Vlade could play more minutes than Tag/Daniels (what would that average - about 2 minutes a game? :) ) and be more effective than both (offensively). He and Skinner on the floor together might be a good combo - Vlade in the high post and Skinner cleaning up the boards.

I didn't remember who had the option, but maybe that is what they meant - Lakers try to buy him out. IIRC, part of next year is guaranteed whether he plays or not, meaning he might be more willing to sign for the minimum to retire as a King, which is something I would like to see.

I think he could (as previously mentioned) be a great locker-room presence and "assistant" coach to the younger guys, even if he doesn't play much/at all.

Seriously, wouldn't he be better on the bench than a Daniels? I mean, come on, be serious.
 
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