http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14035201p-14867148c.html
Ailene Voisin: Kings had evolved without Webber, and he didn't want to adjust
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Chris Webber won't limp into Arco Arena tonight, won't be seen clutching a swollen left knee and wincing in pain. Those days appear to be over. He is sleeker and healthier, and, on the court, a more effective and complementary scorer than when he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas and Brian Skinner.
But no second thoughts.
The boss stuck with the coach, in essence, dictating that the best player had to go. The swap that polarized the city was the inevitable conclusion of a championship run that stalled against Los Angeles in 2002, remained stuck in neutral in 2002-03, and then kick-started impressively in 2003-04, only to be halted later that season by circumstance (Webber's rushed return from major knee surgery) and timid coaching and organizational demeanors (disrupting the rhythm of a surprisingly cohesive, dangerous unit).
The Webber reprise and Kings rebirth never would have happened, mainly, because Webber never would have been forced to change. The power forward who emerged this season as a willing passer and accommodating teammate, whose offensive gifts mitigate the defensive limitations caused by decreased mobility and lateral movement, would have clung to the past without regard for the team's future.
Kings officials urged him to shed weight to relieve pressure on his surgically repaired knee. They asked him to move the ball. They encouraged him to be a selfless leader, to collaborate with the coaches and uncover ways to better utilize Mike Bibby's talents, to instill confidence in a fragile Peja Stojakovic, to play off Brad Miller's passing fancies, to discover the means to dominate despite a decrease of explosive athleticism.
They demanded too little.
They enabled. They retarded his progress.
Though visibly hobbled, Webber wanted the same role, the same routine, wanted everything to remain the same. But it was too late for that, for a full recovery, and as it turns out, a serious shot at redemption. The Kings had moved on, had moved ahead, and with Miller having eased into the starting lineup, had snatched the league's best record and produced one breathtaking sequence after another. Or as one highly regarded Western Conference coach noted in February 2004, the Kings unit his staff hoped to avoid in the playoffs was the one that featured Webber ... in street clothes.
Turns out, that was never a problem. Was never a problem except for the Kings. Thrusting a laboring Webber back into the starting lineup during the closing weeks - under the pretext of getting him ready for the postseason - merely lit the fuse for the ensuing implosion.
The Kings were never the same, were never as good. Major change thus became inevitable. With the coaching staff intact, a demoralized Vlade Divac signed with the Lakers. Doug Christie was traded. Webber was dispatched to the 76ers for three veterans who were healthier, and, according to the spin out of the Kings' front office, afforded salary cap flexibility and signaled the club's transition toward a more defense-oriented approach.
Initially for the Kings, the swap looked as good as it sounded. The newcomers blocked shots, stole passes, established a physical presence. They also came cheaper and offered individual selling points. And then they stopped playing, falling victim to the all-too-familiar Kings theme: Defense wins, but around here, offense rules.
"You can't argue that coming into the season, on top of adding Bonzi (Wells) and Shareef (Abdur-Rahim) that we thought we would have increased depth and flexibility," acknowledged Kings president Geoff Petrie. "To this point, the product hasn't been what we expected. But I think both of these teams think they're better than their records."
This is why Petrie - whose moves usually score points for the Kings - is suddenly subject to questioning, why coach Rick Adelman's job security is shaky, why the Kings don't loom as major players in the postseason chase. Heck, why they probably won't make the playoffs.
Can't blame any of this on Webber. Can't keep the same coach and the same system without obtaining the same type of parts. Round pegs still don't fit into square holes.
While it would have been interesting to watch Webber with a more forceful coach, someone who required the former All-Star to improve his conditioning before reclaiming his starting job, who persuaded him to shed the 10-15 pounds of upper body bulk he carried despite admonishments from Petrie and pleas from the trainers, that was never the issue.
Adelman stayed, Webber had to go.
So, no, no second thoughts.
Time moves on. The scrutiny these days is directed elsewhere.
About the writer:
Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com.
Ailene Voisin: Kings had evolved without Webber, and he didn't want to adjust
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Chris Webber won't limp into Arco Arena tonight, won't be seen clutching a swollen left knee and wincing in pain. Those days appear to be over. He is sleeker and healthier, and, on the court, a more effective and complementary scorer than when he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas and Brian Skinner.
But no second thoughts.
The boss stuck with the coach, in essence, dictating that the best player had to go. The swap that polarized the city was the inevitable conclusion of a championship run that stalled against Los Angeles in 2002, remained stuck in neutral in 2002-03, and then kick-started impressively in 2003-04, only to be halted later that season by circumstance (Webber's rushed return from major knee surgery) and timid coaching and organizational demeanors (disrupting the rhythm of a surprisingly cohesive, dangerous unit).
The Webber reprise and Kings rebirth never would have happened, mainly, because Webber never would have been forced to change. The power forward who emerged this season as a willing passer and accommodating teammate, whose offensive gifts mitigate the defensive limitations caused by decreased mobility and lateral movement, would have clung to the past without regard for the team's future.
Kings officials urged him to shed weight to relieve pressure on his surgically repaired knee. They asked him to move the ball. They encouraged him to be a selfless leader, to collaborate with the coaches and uncover ways to better utilize Mike Bibby's talents, to instill confidence in a fragile Peja Stojakovic, to play off Brad Miller's passing fancies, to discover the means to dominate despite a decrease of explosive athleticism.
They demanded too little.
They enabled. They retarded his progress.
Though visibly hobbled, Webber wanted the same role, the same routine, wanted everything to remain the same. But it was too late for that, for a full recovery, and as it turns out, a serious shot at redemption. The Kings had moved on, had moved ahead, and with Miller having eased into the starting lineup, had snatched the league's best record and produced one breathtaking sequence after another. Or as one highly regarded Western Conference coach noted in February 2004, the Kings unit his staff hoped to avoid in the playoffs was the one that featured Webber ... in street clothes.
Turns out, that was never a problem. Was never a problem except for the Kings. Thrusting a laboring Webber back into the starting lineup during the closing weeks - under the pretext of getting him ready for the postseason - merely lit the fuse for the ensuing implosion.
The Kings were never the same, were never as good. Major change thus became inevitable. With the coaching staff intact, a demoralized Vlade Divac signed with the Lakers. Doug Christie was traded. Webber was dispatched to the 76ers for three veterans who were healthier, and, according to the spin out of the Kings' front office, afforded salary cap flexibility and signaled the club's transition toward a more defense-oriented approach.
Initially for the Kings, the swap looked as good as it sounded. The newcomers blocked shots, stole passes, established a physical presence. They also came cheaper and offered individual selling points. And then they stopped playing, falling victim to the all-too-familiar Kings theme: Defense wins, but around here, offense rules.
"You can't argue that coming into the season, on top of adding Bonzi (Wells) and Shareef (Abdur-Rahim) that we thought we would have increased depth and flexibility," acknowledged Kings president Geoff Petrie. "To this point, the product hasn't been what we expected. But I think both of these teams think they're better than their records."
This is why Petrie - whose moves usually score points for the Kings - is suddenly subject to questioning, why coach Rick Adelman's job security is shaky, why the Kings don't loom as major players in the postseason chase. Heck, why they probably won't make the playoffs.
Can't blame any of this on Webber. Can't keep the same coach and the same system without obtaining the same type of parts. Round pegs still don't fit into square holes.
While it would have been interesting to watch Webber with a more forceful coach, someone who required the former All-Star to improve his conditioning before reclaiming his starting job, who persuaded him to shed the 10-15 pounds of upper body bulk he carried despite admonishments from Petrie and pleas from the trainers, that was never the issue.
Adelman stayed, Webber had to go.
So, no, no second thoughts.
Time moves on. The scrutiny these days is directed elsewhere.
About the writer:
Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com.
