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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/11054364p-11971217c.html
Webber's wounded knee is huge concern
By Ailene Voisin
Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, October 11, 2004
Following a summer of discontent, when players feuded from near and afar, when team officials aggressively attempted to trade one veteran forward (Chris Webber) while refusing to trade the other (Peja Stojakovic), most of the Kings return, accompanied by many of the same old issues.
All eyes will be on Webber, on Peja.
All eyes will be on Webber, on Brad Miller.
All eyes will be on Webber, and soon enough, on Rick Adelman.
But before anyone learns the extent of the fallout from Webber's withering criticism of current and former teammates, the most intense scrutiny will be directed not toward anyone's body language, but rather, someone's surgically repaired left knee. The Kings' eyes will be absolutely riveted on Webber, peering, prying, probing to determine the success/failure of his offseason effort to fully rehabilitate a knee that was operated on almost 16 months ago.
And already, there is puffiness, swelling, cause for concern. After practicing three days and sitting out two sessions last week, Webber was scratched from Sunday's preseason opener "because of a sore left knee," according to a team publicist.
Sounds eerily familiar. Sounds like something has to change. Indeed, there should be no debating the fact that sometime within the next several weeks, the Kings have to make an absolutely necessary, coldly clinical assessment of their star player's physical condition, and then react both appropriately and decisively. No more games. No more feeble spinning in back rooms and public forums.
The last thing the Kings need is a repeat performance of last year's closing scenes, either by their franchise player or by their coach. Beginning the season by begging the question would be another blunder of colossal proportions, similar to Adelman returning the still-hobbled Webber to the starting lineup last March, then acquiescing as the 12th-year pro demanded - and then assumed - a dominant role that disrupted the offense. The result was a poor finish, altered roles, erratic individual and collective efforts in the playoffs, bruised feelings and fractured bonds in the locker room, and an offseason punctuated by Webber pointing fingers, yet as Vlade Divac escaped into the L.A. smog, failing to look into his own mirror.
In the end, the Kings spilled more bad blood than tears.
No, if the Kings are intent on moving forward, the feuds and the frayed relationships have to be tabled for the moment, with the first several weeks of 2004-05 devoted exclusively to a critical examination of Webber's knee, and a determination of both its short-and long-term impact on the upcoming regular season. Can he withstand the rigors of an 82-game season? What has he lost? What he has regained? And most importantly, what is the best way to maximize his talents without detracting from the considerable abilities of his teammates?
Resolving the Webber health issue is the very root of the immediate future, from which all else will sprout. Victories. Defeats. Player roles. Offensive and defensive philosophies. A coach's job security. Trade demands. Trades.
The best-case scenario has the former All-Star functioning as a consistent scorer, passer and rebounder who occasionally skips practices to alleviate unnecessary stress on his knees. Yet based on the experiences of other NBA players who have undergone the same surgery, a delicate procedure that attempts to replace the removed, damaged cartilage by facilitating formation of scar tissue - among them Allan Houston, Jamal Mashburn, Terrell Brandon, Eduardo Najera and Penny Hardaway - as well as discussions with members of the medical community, the greater likelihood is that Webber's knee problems will be persistent and probably chronic.
"A lot of guys carry some level of fluid," said Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie, choosing his words carefully. "Where that settles in at ... I don't know. But it's nothing Chris seems to be concerned about."
Of course Webber is concerned. Of course the Kings are concerned. Of course this is serious. There is no such thing as minor swelling in a knee that has been subjected to major surgery.
Nonetheless, once Webber's status is determined, it is incumbent upon Adelman to dictate a course of action that is fair and palatable to all concerned. This is not just about Chris Webber, but also, how Webber best fits with his teammates. And with his unique assortment of basketball gifts, he can be a major contributor as a primary option or as a setup man, as a starter or as a reserve. Perhaps he becomes a facilitator, a foil for the high-scoring Stojakovic and the increasingly effective Mike Bibby.
Maybe he becomes a more physical presence down low, deferring to Miller on the high post, and enabling Divac's more muscular heir to continue developing as a passing fancy. Maybe he just plays differently, plays fewer minutes.
There are many definitions of leadership. But the Kings need answers, need answers soon.
Webber's wounded knee is huge concern
By Ailene Voisin
Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, October 11, 2004
Following a summer of discontent, when players feuded from near and afar, when team officials aggressively attempted to trade one veteran forward (Chris Webber) while refusing to trade the other (Peja Stojakovic), most of the Kings return, accompanied by many of the same old issues.
All eyes will be on Webber, on Peja.
All eyes will be on Webber, on Brad Miller.
All eyes will be on Webber, and soon enough, on Rick Adelman.
But before anyone learns the extent of the fallout from Webber's withering criticism of current and former teammates, the most intense scrutiny will be directed not toward anyone's body language, but rather, someone's surgically repaired left knee. The Kings' eyes will be absolutely riveted on Webber, peering, prying, probing to determine the success/failure of his offseason effort to fully rehabilitate a knee that was operated on almost 16 months ago.
And already, there is puffiness, swelling, cause for concern. After practicing three days and sitting out two sessions last week, Webber was scratched from Sunday's preseason opener "because of a sore left knee," according to a team publicist.
Sounds eerily familiar. Sounds like something has to change. Indeed, there should be no debating the fact that sometime within the next several weeks, the Kings have to make an absolutely necessary, coldly clinical assessment of their star player's physical condition, and then react both appropriately and decisively. No more games. No more feeble spinning in back rooms and public forums.
The last thing the Kings need is a repeat performance of last year's closing scenes, either by their franchise player or by their coach. Beginning the season by begging the question would be another blunder of colossal proportions, similar to Adelman returning the still-hobbled Webber to the starting lineup last March, then acquiescing as the 12th-year pro demanded - and then assumed - a dominant role that disrupted the offense. The result was a poor finish, altered roles, erratic individual and collective efforts in the playoffs, bruised feelings and fractured bonds in the locker room, and an offseason punctuated by Webber pointing fingers, yet as Vlade Divac escaped into the L.A. smog, failing to look into his own mirror.
In the end, the Kings spilled more bad blood than tears.
No, if the Kings are intent on moving forward, the feuds and the frayed relationships have to be tabled for the moment, with the first several weeks of 2004-05 devoted exclusively to a critical examination of Webber's knee, and a determination of both its short-and long-term impact on the upcoming regular season. Can he withstand the rigors of an 82-game season? What has he lost? What he has regained? And most importantly, what is the best way to maximize his talents without detracting from the considerable abilities of his teammates?
Resolving the Webber health issue is the very root of the immediate future, from which all else will sprout. Victories. Defeats. Player roles. Offensive and defensive philosophies. A coach's job security. Trade demands. Trades.
The best-case scenario has the former All-Star functioning as a consistent scorer, passer and rebounder who occasionally skips practices to alleviate unnecessary stress on his knees. Yet based on the experiences of other NBA players who have undergone the same surgery, a delicate procedure that attempts to replace the removed, damaged cartilage by facilitating formation of scar tissue - among them Allan Houston, Jamal Mashburn, Terrell Brandon, Eduardo Najera and Penny Hardaway - as well as discussions with members of the medical community, the greater likelihood is that Webber's knee problems will be persistent and probably chronic.
"A lot of guys carry some level of fluid," said Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie, choosing his words carefully. "Where that settles in at ... I don't know. But it's nothing Chris seems to be concerned about."
Of course Webber is concerned. Of course the Kings are concerned. Of course this is serious. There is no such thing as minor swelling in a knee that has been subjected to major surgery.
Nonetheless, once Webber's status is determined, it is incumbent upon Adelman to dictate a course of action that is fair and palatable to all concerned. This is not just about Chris Webber, but also, how Webber best fits with his teammates. And with his unique assortment of basketball gifts, he can be a major contributor as a primary option or as a setup man, as a starter or as a reserve. Perhaps he becomes a facilitator, a foil for the high-scoring Stojakovic and the increasingly effective Mike Bibby.
Maybe he becomes a more physical presence down low, deferring to Miller on the high post, and enabling Divac's more muscular heir to continue developing as a passing fancy. Maybe he just plays differently, plays fewer minutes.
There are many definitions of leadership. But the Kings need answers, need answers soon.
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