Why did the Kings leave Gerald Wallace unprotected?

[Superman]

Still not buying that one (albiet public) isolated incident is indicative of a lack of work ethic, and I certainly can't remember any others. I'll grant you that I'm not from California, and I don't read these local reports, but I cannot recall reading or hearing anything from either of the two people I would trust on the subject (they being Wallace and Adelman) that Wallace had a bad work ethic, or was a poor practice player, or whatever else fans who defend exposing Wallace to expansion say he was accused of.

I'm not defending Gerald being exposed. It was a gross lack of advance planning to allow that to happen, assuming Petrie and Adelman had any desire to keep him around. But that's my recollection of the feeling on Gerald at that time, that season. And after that Dallas game, no more Gerald. He broke into the starting lineup due to a suspension, had the game of his life, and was never heard from again? Something was up.

And let's not act as if coaches don't have egos as big as players have. For all this innuendo about Wallace having a bad work ethic, I think that it's equally probable that Adelman felt as though Wallace was showing him up in that Mavericks game, and decided he would show the kid who's boss. "Oh really? Well, we'll see about that!"

Gerald was showing Adelman up by having a good game? I'm missing your point, I think.

And Adelman nailing a good player to the bench because they had a disagreement just doesn't jive with what we know about him and his coaching style. He was nothing if not a flexible coach who could get the most out of his players, in most instances. Pulled a superstar effort out of Bonzi Wells in the playoffs, of all people. Sure, coaches have big egos, and that includes Rick, but of all the coaches in the NBA, he's at the lower end of the ego scale. Go back and listen to his radio interview right after they let him go. Perfect time for him to be egotistical, and he wasn't. He defended himself and his staff, but there was nothing about him, at a time when anyone would find away to laud his own accomplishments, that made me think his ego would stand in the way of him making sound decisions for the good of the team and the players. I don't know that what you're suggesting didn't happen, but it seems like a stretch for Rick Adelman.

All that aside, there were a considerable number of reports that Gerald's work ethic was less than commendable, but there were no reports that Rick simply didn't like him. I just don't think it was a good pairing. Gerald was a hustler, wanted to go out and just play basketball, and that's when he's at his best, but Rick ran a system that put a premium on fundamental basketball skills, and it marginalized Gerald's value. I hated it as much as anyone else, and whenever anyone started a thread wondering why Gerald wasn't getting more time, I was right there wondering as well. Even started a couple of those threads myself. I wish things had worked out differently. But I don't think he'd have thrived under Adelman the way he did right away in Charlotte. And even if he had, we still would not have been a very good team, overall. So it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things that we didn't protect him in the expansion draft. I still don't like the way it went down, but it's not what buried this franchise.

 

[bajaden]

And at the time I believed the Kings did the right thing. I never really enjoyed Wallace's game while he was a King. So let's move on.

I think that if there's a lesson to be learned here, is that patience is sometimes rewarded. There are people on this fourm that would like to get rid of some of our young players right now, because they don't like their game. I don't know about you, but I would sure love to have Wallace on our team right now.

 

[bajaden]

While we're at it, why did the Blazers draft Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan in 1984?

Same reason they drafted Greg Oden over Kevin Durant.

 

[bajaden]

I keep the ball rolling.

Why did teamS passed on Kobe? Dumbassess, don't they know who Kobe is?

I would of drafted him #1.

I think we all would have now. Actually there were rumors that Petrie had his eye on Kobe, but the Lakers took him one pick sooner. Plus if memory serves, Kobe said he would only play for the Lakers. Or some such nonsense.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Same reason they drafted Greg Oden over Kevin Durant.

Well Greg Oden was the general consensus number one pick, the pick everybody in town wanted and a guy that most here in town are still madly in love with. I think it was understood that Durant was the safer pick. It's still early so who knows. Not looking good though.

Bowie is another story, but still that's one where having the benefit of hindsight makes it look a lot worse than it was.

 

[pshn80]

I think that if there's a lesson to be learned here, is that patience is sometimes rewarded. There are people on this fourm that would like to get rid of some of our young players right now, because they don't like their game. I don't know about you, but I would sure love to have Wallace on our team right now.

Maybe you're right but I'm glad I haven't had to put up with his game these last years. In regard to our young players right now - I admit I'm tempted to see Thompson and Greene gone. But I will be patient for a while longer- in reality, what choice do I have?

 

[bajaden]

As much as I loved Adelman as a coach, one thing was apparent. He prefered experienced players over young inexperienced players. Not that he wouldn't play a young player. Especially if he didn't have much choice. As in J. Will, or a young Peja. Although Peja had played pro basketball in europe. But when he had a choice, as in G. Wallace, he leaned toward the experienced player almost everytime. As stated earlier, he like skilled players that knew how to play the game. Mostly because he liked to trust the players on the court to figure out things for themselves. Thus driving me crazy sometimes by not calling timeouts to stop a run by the other team.

If your going to draft a young immature player like Gerold, then you have bring your valium to work with you every day. Young players should come with a warning label saying, Patience required. Petrie and Adelman had a lot of history together. Petrie threw himself under the bus for Adelman in Portland. They were close friends. I believe that if Petrie came to Adelman and asked him that if they had to lose someone and Adelman had to choose between Peeler and Wallace, Adelman probably would have chose to lose Wallace. Adelman wasn't about the future three years down the road. He was about winning a championship the next season. And I sure he would have thought that Peeler would be a bigger help doing that than Wallace.

At the time I thought that this was the first major mistake Petrie had made in a long time. I loved Wallace. On a team that had limited athleticism, he was a breath of fresh air. Anyone that took the time to watch him play could see the potential. Petrie could have avoided loosing him if he had desired. There were many options available. So in my mind Petrie made a concious decision to leave him unprotected. I have been, and still am a supporter of Petrie. But in this instance, it was a stupid move. Water under the bridge now...Damm bridge!

 

[Bricklayer]

Well Greg Oden was the general consensus number one pick, the pick everybody in town wanted and a guy that most here in town are still madly in love with. I think it was understood that Durant was the safer pick. It's still early so who knows. Not looking good though.

Bowie is another story, but still that's one where having the benefit of hindsight makes it look a lot worse than it was.

Yeah but...they didn't even pick the right CENTER (Hakeem was #3)

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Yeah but...they didn't even pick the right CENTER (Hakeem was #3)

Wasn't Hakeem picked #1, Bowie #2, Jordan #3.

 

[Bricklayer]

Wasn't Hakeem picked #1, Bowie #2, Jordan #3.

Doh. I should go edit my post, but I won't.

Yes he was -- I fired off a quickie without thinking.

 

[Superman]

I believe that if Petrie came to Adelman and asked him that if they had to lose someone and Adelman had to choose between Peeler and Wallace, Adelman probably would have chose to lose Wallace. Adelman wasn't about the future three years down the road. He was about winning a championship the next season. And I sure he would have thought that Peeler would be a bigger help doing that than Wallace.

It didn't come down to Peeler vs. Wallace. Peeler wasn't under contract. Really, it came down to Webber vs. Wallace. The only reason anyone brings Peeler up is because he was one of our free agents, but it wasn't about Peeler anymore than it was about Songaila. You could only protect players that were under contract.

I don't necessarily disagree with you on how Adelman felt about Wallace. I just don't see why we're comparing him to Peeler.

 

[pshn80]

If your going to draft a young immature player like Gerold, then you have bring your valium to work with you every day. Young players should come with a warning label saying, Patience required.

You're right. That's just about the only players available in the draft these days. Maybe we have to change the rules now. If you have to wait four or five years, that's four times a first and second round choice or eight players if you're lucky (or unlucky), that leaves just four other spots on the roster. These facts might force you to reconsider your 'patience'.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Gerald was showing Adelman up by having a good game? I'm missing your point, I think.

Showing Adelman up as in Adelman feeling that Wallace wasn't as injured as he said he was, and causing him to lose face by not going back in. I remember there being criticism during the game about why was Adelman not putting Wallace back in, and I'm sure some of that got back to him; he probably felt as though people held that against him, ergo, losing face.

I'll put it to you like this: I've been watching the NBA for something like twenty-two years now, and I've never, ever heard of anybody who started their career as not being tough becoming tough later on. Toughness isn't something that you can be taught; you either got it, or you ain't got it. And, if Wallace's six years in Charlotte have proven anything, it's that kid plays hurt. There was a brouhaha about whether or not Wallace was really all that hurt when he allegedly pulled himself out of that Dallas game but, like I said, players don't learn to be tough. With what I know about Wallace, if he said he couldn't go, I have to believe he really couldn't go, whether Adelman and some fans thought so or not.

 

[bajaden]

Doh. I should go edit my post, but I won't.

Yes he was -- I fired off a quickie without thinking.

Yeah, I do it all the time. For me to rely on my memory is like relying on univac. Which to some on this fourm is probably a vacume cleaner.

 

[bajaden]

It didn't come down to Peeler vs. Wallace. Peeler wasn't under contract. Really, it came down to Webber vs. Wallace. The only reason anyone brings Peeler up is because he was one of our free agents, but it wasn't about Peeler anymore than it was about Songaila. You could only protect players that were under contract.

I don't necessarily disagree with you on how Adelman felt about Wallace. I just don't see why we're comparing him to Peeler.

I was just using him as a comparison for the sake of argument. I could have used Christie, but that would have been a given.

 

[bajaden]

Showing Adelman up as in Adelman feeling that Wallace wasn't as injured as he said he was, and causing him to lose face by not going back in. I remember there being criticism during the game about why was Adelman not putting Wallace back in, and I'm sure some of that got back to him; he probably felt as though people held that against him, ergo, losing face.

I'll put it to you like this: I've been watching the NBA for something like twenty-two years now, and I've never, ever heard of anybody who started their career as not being tough becoming tough later on. Toughness isn't something that you can be taught; you either got it, or you ain't got it. And, if Wallace's six years in Charlotte have proven anything, it's that kid plays hurt. There was a brouhaha about whether or not Wallace was really all that hurt when he allegedly pulled himself out of that Dallas game but, like I said, players don't learn to be tough. With what I know about Wallace, if he said he couldn't go, I have to believe he really couldn't go, whether Adelman and some fans thought so or not.

I have to agree with you. Well, I don't have to, but I do..

 

[Bricklayer]

Yeah, I do it all the time. For me to rely on my memory is like relying on univac. Which to some on this fourm is probably a vacume cleaner.

My dad worked for Univac, back before it even merged with Sperry. One of the first computer engineers, back in the days when that meant walking around INSIDE the computer and changing lightbulbs.

But that was my dad. He was old. Like you.

 

[Superman]

I was just using him as a comparison for the sake of argument. I could have used Christie, but that would have been a given.

I think you're missing it, though. Doug Christie was still under contract. We could have left him unprotected if we wanted. Anthony Peeler was NOT under contract, so he didn't come into consideration for the expansion draft. If we want to talk about Christie, then that's fine. We can do that; he was under contract. But Peeler was not, so there's reason for his name to be in this thread to begin with.

 

[Superman]

Showing Adelman up as in Adelman feeling that Wallace wasn't as injured as he said he was, and causing him to lose face by not going back in. I remember there being criticism during the game about why was Adelman not putting Wallace back in, and I'm sure some of that got back to him; he probably felt as though people held that against him, ergo, losing face.

I'll put it to you like this: I've been watching the NBA for something like twenty-two years now, and I've never, ever heard of anybody who started their career as not being tough becoming tough later on. Toughness isn't something that you can be taught; you either got it, or you ain't got it. And, if Wallace's six years in Charlotte have proven anything, it's that kid plays hurt. There was a brouhaha about whether or not Wallace was really all that hurt when he allegedly pulled himself out of that Dallas game but, like I said, players don't learn to be tough. With what I know about Wallace, if he said he couldn't go, I have to believe he really couldn't go, whether Adelman and some fans thought so or not.

There was obviously something screwy about the way Gerald came out of that game. None of us really knows what happened. Could be that Rick went overboard by not putting Gerald back in; could be that Gerald exaggerated the seriousness of his injury. Don't really know.

What stands out to me is the fact that Gerald NEVER got back in the rotation after that. Now, I don't know this for sure, but from all we know about Rick Adelman, would he have kept Gerald at the end of the bench for the rest of the season (the Dallas game was on Christmas day) if he was working hard, practicing well, and could have helped the team? I can't wrap my mind around that. There was a lot going on that season, but if you have a team that is incredibly challenged athletically, and you have a super-athletic player who is practicing his butt off and has shown that he can impact the game when he's in there, why wouldn't you put him in? And by the way, he had been on the team for three years already. I just don't see a hard working, tough player, who practices well and is the only athletic player on the roster, not getting playing time because, in one game over the course of three seasons, he had a disagreement with a reputed player's coach over an injury, and that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the season. Just doesn't sound right to me.