Will Peja Stojakovic Be a King Next Year?

[Purple Reign]

With all of the trade talk going on, it made me wonder regardless of what happens this season will Peja be wearing a Sacramento Kings jersey next season, whether it is by the team's choice or his choice.

Although I have been fairly critical of Peja since the day he requested a trade, I would hate to see him go regardless if i feel he needs to for the betterment of the team. He is the one player that grew up here from literally a boy into a grown mature basketball man. Many teams can not say that about their players.

My prognostication says I DO NOT think Peja will be a King next year. If the team does not trade him, I do believe he will walk as a free agent. He has alot of options (Chicago, Indiana, Miami, Los Angeles) and he does not seem like a player, where money would totally dictate his decision. And based on everything that has gone down here in Sac in the last two years.....

Vlade leaving
Negativity around Webber
The constant critisism from the fans
New mix of players
The inevitable dismissal of Rick Adelman
The uncertainty of the future of the team in Sac

..... I think he will look for a new start else where. Therefore if I were Petrie, i would keep all of my options open, including Artest. Because if he walks, the team comes away with nothing.

 

[tradepeja]

no, he will not...and if a trade involving him isn't made in the next few weeks, he will stay a King till the end of this year, but then walk to the Bulls

 

[piksi]

Pedja will not walk.

Will he stay - "show me the money"

Pedja will stay if Kings want him to stay - very simple.

Is he going to be King bext season - ask me in a month and I might know more

 

[BMiller52]

I hope not.

 

[KP]

If Petrie doesn't trade him, I think he walks and we get nothing. Some team will pay him more than we are willing too. This will complete Petrie's awesome run of putting one of the best teams in the league together and then getting nothing of value in return for any of them, and sending the team back to obscurity... or maybe Vegas.

 

[sono]

Who knows, that would depend how he performs the rest of the season. If he struggles he might look for a better fit somewhere or offer, otherwise as piksi said 'show me the money'.

 

[Ryle]

I hope not. My guess is that Chicago throws the cash at him and we walks.

 

[DirkAB]

Why are there such limited specific choices? I've heard Toronto might get him next year. I don't know how you came up with those teams and why you would think he was just limited to those.

 

[Purple Reign]

Why are there such limited specific choices? I've heard Toronto might get him next year. I don't know how you came up with those teams and why you would think he was just limited to those.

I went by media reports. I have not heard Toronto. I know there is a large Serbian community there, but that team is horrible on the floor and in the front office.

Chicago - Because of his relationship with Scott Skiles and the Serbian community there.

Indiana - Because of Larry Bird's high regard of Peja and their desperate need for outside shooting.

Lakers - because of his ralationship with Vlade and moving would not be an issue.

Miami - I mean who would not want to play with Shaq, Wade and Riley. Plus in the Miami papers yesterday, they said that Peja has a home there, plus the large Greek community.

 

[piksi]

I just saw the Lakers option

He might do it influenced by Vlade if the money is good.

Obviously, he would be "dead" to me and I would never watch him again unless they play Kings cheering for him to suck and for Lakers to lose.

Only crime worse than treason is going to play for LA Kobes.

 

[BMiller52]

I just saw the Lakers option

He might do it influenced by Vlade if the money is good.

Obviously, he would be "dead" to me and I would never watch him again unless they play Kings cheering for him to suck and for Lakers to lose.

Only crime worse than treason is going to play for LA Kobes.

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


If Peja goes and plays for the LA Kobes I will hate him. I also remember hearing somewhere that he and kobe are friends or something. Maybe we could atleast get Odom outta them?

 

[Bricklayer]

If he does go its going to be quite the spectacle to see Geoff Petrie desperately clutching onto one of Peja's legs and bawling "don't leeeeeaaaave me Peja-poo. Don't leeeaaaavvee!!!"

 

[piksi]

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


If Peja goes and plays for the LA Kobes I will hate him.

they are not really worth hating because hating means thinking about them. They don't deserve that


despise - To regard as unworthy of one's interest or concern


much better choice and equaly strong

 

[piksi]

If he does go its going to be quite the spectacle to see Geoff Petrie desperately clutching onto one of Peja's legs and bawling "don't leeeeeaaaave me Peja-poo. Don't leeeaaaavvee!!!"

or he can just give him a max and avoid such an embarrasment

 

[BMiller52]

or he can just give him a max and avoid such an embarrasment

I'd rather Peja go play in LA than get a franchise killing max contract... and I really don't want peja to play in LA.

 

[Bricklayer]

or he can just give him a max and avoid such an embarrasment

I am sure that I will be able to round up enough fans with pitchforks and torches to burn Geoff out of his office and chase him from town if he takes the nepotism that far. If he's just going to operate in Peja's best interests, and not the franchise's, then Peja should really be the one paying him out of his salary, not the Maloofs.

 

[piksi]

I am sure that I will be able to round up enough fans with pitchforks and torches to burn Geoff out of his office and chase him from town if he takes the nepotism that far. If he's just going to operate in Peja's best interests, and not the franchise's, then Peja should really be the one paying him out of his salary, not the Maloofs.

maybe he already does

 

[Fillmoe]

i hope not!

 

[Kings2805]

If he does go its going to be quite the spectacle to see Geoff Petrie desperately clutching onto one of Peja's legs and bawling "don't leeeeeaaaave me Peja-poo. Don't leeeaaaavvee!!!"

Haha, that is so funny and true bc Petrie is so afraid to let go of his protege, even when a superior player who would help the team more is available he will not give in.

 

[PFFFT!!]

bah, this stuff about cash and players depresses me. They are the biggest babies I've ever seen. If you don't feel you are getting paid enough, like Artest, you wreak havoc on everyone. If Peja doesnt get the max, I can see him sucking on a pacifier for a while then whining about needing more toys. *sigh*

 

[Kings2805]

bah, this stuff about cash and players depresses me. They are the biggest babies I've ever seen. If you don't feel you are getting paid enough, like Artest, you wreak havoc on everyone. If Peja doesnt get the max, I can see him sucking on a pacifier for a while then whining about needing more toys. *sigh*

Man this **** is cracking me up, and yea I concur with everything you said, bc if there one thing artest hasn't done that is complain about his contract, and honestly being underpaid for what he delivers.

 

[starks]

I am sure that I will be able to round up enough fans with pitchforks and torches to burn Geoff out of his office and chase him from town if he takes the nepotism that far. If he's just going to operate in Peja's best interests, and not the franchise's, then Peja should really be the one paying him out of his salary, not the Maloofs.

I have to ask: Do you really mean thet Geoff operate in Peja's intrest not the frenchise's?....

 

[Bricklayer]

I have to ask: Do you really mean thet Geoff operate in Peja's intrest not the frenchise's?....

Do I have suspicions that personal prejudice has compromised Geoff's acumen with regards to Peja? Of course.

 

[gman23]

Trade him and get something in return...period
Why let him walk without nothing to show for it

 

[starks]

Do I have suspicions that personal prejudice has compromised Geoff's acumen with regards to Peja? Of course.

Seriously, I'm not familiar with peja/petrie relationship but I guess hes too long in this business and having some personal prejudice (regarding any player) would be immature and unprofessional.

 

[Bricklayer]

Seriously, I'm not familiar with peja/petrie relationship but I guess hes too long in this business and having some personal prejudice (regarding any player) would be immature and unprofessional.

Its well known that Geoff discovered Peja (on this side of the pond), took him under his wing, and has always considered him as a protege (with some reports even going so far as to suggest surrogate son).

His personal affection for Peja is really not in doubt. All that is in question is whetehr he keeps a professional detachment, or whether this is being played out like Geoff had his son on the team. I was a little ahead of the curve in beginning to wonder just how far Geoff would go for Peja. But the ranks are swelling.

 

[Wuster]

Its well known that Geoff discovered Peja (on this side of the pond), took him under his wing, and has always considered him as a protege (with some reports even going so far as to suggest surrogate son).

His personal affection for Peja is really not in doubt. All that is in question is whetehr he keeps a professional detachment, or whether this is being played out like Geoff had his son on the team. I was a little ahead of the curve in beginning to wonder just how far Geoff would go for Peja. But the ranks are swelling.

His loyalties are there with RA and perhaps others as well. Seems like the questioning of his professional character comes into play during these trying times. Valid questions.

 

[Amory]

Just has been said.

Peja will ask for money.......

Petrie will show him how much he can pay him........

If someone else comes in and offers more then he will be gone. I sure hope for a s&t for something good.

I could still see him staying and getting paid a decent amount IF they trade Bibby. Not that I want that to happen but I can't see Mike and Peja playing together next year. GP will build a more defensive minded team.

 

[Rowdyone]

There is another possibility here. We all know that we cannot afford another max contract, even if we felt Peja was worth one. We also know Peja is held in high esteem by management. Does anyone here think that GP might trade Brad or Mike to fit Peja under the cap ? You can certainly make a case for not needing Mike as a PG since the high post distributes the ball in our system (but, yes he is a great shooter). You can also make a case that Brad is not fast enough, jump high enough or rebound and play defense enough to keep around (but, yes, he's a good passer). Would management take this tack to keep Peja around? Or is GP too vain to admit Peja was not the best choice in that year's draft?

 

[G_M]

I don't see a scenario where Peja is signed to anything approaching a max deal and stays with a team that has both Bibby and Miller. It just does not make financial sense. As much as people are beating Petrie up about the "parts" we received in the "trade." He seems to get a free pass on overpaying for Bibby.

I mean who were we competing with to keep his services? Who was under the cap? Or was it we didn't want to insult him??