Looking more and more like Peja will not be a King this year

[akaarod03]

http://www.indystar.com/articles/6/168459-4016-036.html

Stojakovic appears good fit for Pacers
Contracts of Kings' sharpshooter and Indiana's Artest would make for easy trade.

"The tremors from Sacramento Kings forward Peja Stojakovic's trade demand have rolled straight to Indiana, where he's already the focus of rampant speculation in a deal involving Ron Artest.

Stojakovic, the NBA's second-leading scorer last season with a 24.2 average, revealed Thursday he told the Kings on July 23 he wanted to be traded.

The Pacers qualify as a logical destination, given president Larry Bird's public admiration for Stojakovic and the fact his contract closely matches that of Artest.

Stojakovic's agent, David Bauman, told the Sacramento Bee that Bird had inquired about an Artest-Stojakovic deal in June. Friday, Bauman confirmed the Pacers' interest and Stojakovic's desire to leave the Kings.

"Larry Bird is a very tenacious general manager and he's going to do everything he can to make something happen," Bauman said in a telephone interview from Serbia and Montenegro, where Stojakovic has been making promotional appearances for the Serbian national team.

"I dealt with him in the draft. He's calling and pushing and coming up with ideas all the time."

Bauman said Stojakovic put his Sacramento home up for sale Friday and plans to reiterate his demand in a telephone conversation with Kings co-owner Joe Maloof tonight.

"They're going to realize Peja is deadset on this," Bauman said. "It's probably better to make the best trade you can make now.

"We're putting a ton of pressure on the Kings and the Kings' owners."

Bird and Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh were out of the office and unavailable for comment Friday. Artest and Kings general manager Geoff Petrie did not return calls.

Artest's agent, Mark Bartelstein, would not confirm trade discussions.

"I don't think there's anything imminent or anything like that," Bartelstein said.

A straight-up deal involving the two players would qualify under NBA salary cap rules because their salaries match closely enough, or the Pacers could include a minimum salary player. Stojakovic will be paid $6.875 million next season, while Artest will receive $6.2 million.

Artest played in the All-Star game and was named Defensive Player of the Year last season. He averaged 18.3 points during the regular season, but his production fell off sharply as the playoffs progressed. He averaged 14.5 points in the conference finals loss to Detroit, shooting .298 from the field and .194 from 3-point range.

Stojakovic played in the All-Star game for the third consecutive season and had a career-high regular-season scoring average, but also struggled in the postseason. He averaged 17.5 points in 12 playoff games, shooting .384 from the field and .315 from 3-point range. He hit 3-of-12 shots in the Kings' Game 7 loss to Minnesota and was criticized by the Sacramento media for becoming passive.

"I wasn't able to find my game the whole playoffs," he said.

Stojakovic's regular-season production fell off after Kings forward Chris Webber returned from a knee injury for the final 23 games. The lack of on-court chemistry between the two was exacerbated after Webber criticized the effort of some teammates after the Game 7 loss to Minnesota.

Stojakovic also is said to be upset by the loss of Kings center Vlade Divac, his closest friend on the team. Divac had been the Kings' most powerful locker room presence, a role Webber will likely inherit.

"Now that Vlade is gone, this team is going to take my tone," Webber said in an interview published in the Sacramento Bee on Sunday.

Asked what changes he'd like to see Kings management make in the offseason, Webber asked for a player fitting Artest's description.

"I'd just like to see an aggressive defender at the three (small forward) spot," he said.

Bird, meanwhile, has stated the Pacers need more scoring and improved outside shooting to take pressure off Jermaine O'Neal around the basket. Bird has called Stojakovic "the best shooter in the NBA by far."

Stojakovic, 27, has hit .398 from 3-point range and .885 from the foul line in his six NBA seasons.

Stojakovic, whose girlfriend is due to give birth to their first child Aug. 15, has not stated a preference to play for a specific team, but Bauman said he would be happy with a trade to the Pacers.

"He's looking for a team that's successful and has a chance to win," Bauman said. "We did look at Indiana and Indiana does fit his parameters."
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If you're Sacramento...would you do Peja straight up for Artest? Or Stackhouse, Howard, and the #1 pick we got from Atlanta for Peja?

[Jamisonite]

Trade makes sense to me...if indy throws them a pick or another player

[MavsFanFinley]

Stojakovic would love to be a Bull

August 7, 2004
BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter Advertisement

Sacramento Kings All-Star Peja Stojakovic told the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday he would love to play for the Bulls, and John Paxson has admitted calling the Kings to inquire about Stojakovic's availability.

The main impediment to that courtship heating up is Sacramento ownership has said it has no plans to trade Stojakovic, despite his request to be dealt.

And if the Maloof brothers change their minds, the Bulls don't have a lot to offer for the 6-9 forward, who was second in the league in scoring during the regular season at 24.2 points.

The latter hurdle becomes even greater for the Bulls because Indiana is said to be offering former Bull Ron Artest, who is the reigning defensive player of the year.

''I love Chicago, and I have a lot of friends there,'' Stojakovic said by phone from Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where he is shooting a Reebok commercial that also will feature Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson. ''I also feel the Bulls are a great organization, and I especially like the fact that Scott Skiles is the coach there. He was my coach in Greece when I played for PAOK in 1998. We almost won the championship under him. He's a great man and a great coach.''

Paxson proved he's not afraid to aim high when he and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf visited Kobe Bryant before he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

''Yes, I called and expressed an interest, but I have not talked with [Kings operations chief] Geoff Petrie yet about it,'' Paxson said. ''So it was a one-sided phone call. Certainly, if a player of his caliber were available and he would be interested in Chicago, we'd obviously owe it to ourselves to take a hard look at it.''

The most sought-after commodities on the Bulls are center Eddy Curry and guard Kirk Hinrich. After losing Vlade Divac to the Lakers, which prompted Stojakovic's displeasure with Sacramento, the Kings need a center.

But Artest is a special talent.

''Peja tells me he would love to play in a big city like Chicago with a strong population of Yugoslavians and Greeks,'' said Nick Papaioannou, who writes for Eleftheros Typos, an Athens, Greece, newspaper.

''He is Serbian, and he speaks both languages.''

Artest's salary of $6.5 million this season is compatible with Stojakovic's $6.8 million. Stojakovic has an option to get out of his contract in 2007.

''I've asked for a trade because I think a change of teams would be good for the Kings and me right now,'' Stojakovic said. ''It's nothing against the team, the organization or the city. They all have been good to me. I just think I've done as much as I can do for the Kings, the window of opportunity is closing down, this team needs changes and I would be perhaps the easiest player to trade.''

Other options Paxson is considering to add size and scoring skills to his backcourt are Bobby Sura, Eric Piatkowski and Calbert Cheaney.

Meantime, although former New York Knicks teammates Othella Harrington and Frank Williams say they want to play for the Bulls, Paxson must wait until centers Dekembe Mutombo and Cezary Trabanski return from abroad to know if they want to stay and play.

[Hitman]

It might be a good fit for both teams.

Personally I would love to see Indiana with Peja and JO. That would be fun and I think Indiana would be better.

And Sacramento would be looking pretty good with Miller, Webber, Artest, Christie and Bibby.

[Dirkenstien]

I agree with the notion that the trade would be beneficial to both teams involved

[endtroducing]

what about Peja/Jackson/2nd round pick for Artest/Tinsley/Jones?

if Jackson's involved in the trade, Tinsley becomes total dead weight that Indy wouldn't be interested in anymore (with Brewer and Johnson there), and since Jackson wants to start, it'd be ideal for him. Tinsley gives Sacto some backcourt depth.

Peja finally gives Indy the scoring threat to put them over the top. Jones provides Sacto some depth, but I think including him might be a little too much to offer...even though Peja was the 2nd leading scorer in the league last year.

Kings:

PG - Bibby
SG - Christie
SF - Artest
PF - Webber
C - Miller

Pacers:

PG - Jackson
SG - Miller
SF - Peja
PF - O'Neal
C - Foster/Pollard/Croshere platoon

eh? I'd love to find a way for this to work without Freddie, but I can't find one.

[fin4life]

Originally posted by: endtroducing
what about Peja/Jackson/2nd round pick for Artest/Tinsley/Jones?

if Jackson's involved in the trade, Tinsley becomes total dead weight that Indy wouldn't be interested in anymore (with Brewer and Johnson there), and since Jackson wants to start, it'd be ideal for him. Tinsley gives Sacto some backcourt depth.

Peja finally gives Indy the scoring threat to put them over the top. Jones provides Sacto some depth, but I think including him might be a little too much to offer...even though Peja was the 2nd leading scorer in the league last year.

Kings:

PG - Bibby
SG - Christie
SF - Artest
PF - Webber
C - Miller

Pacers:

PG - Jackson
SG - Miller
SF - Peja
PF - O'Neal
C - Foster/Pollard/Croshere platoon

eh? I'd love to find a way for this to work without Freddie, but I can't find one.

Damnit... i think this is a very logical trade that would make both teams better (i dont want sac to get better). If the maloofs were presented with this, they would have to pull the trigger and it would make sense for the Pacers as well.

Sacremento will be able to shut teams down now considering most team's scoring comes from the 2-3 positions.