http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12054063p-12924171c.html
Fans give Mobley the royal treatment
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 16, 2005
As soon as Cuttino Mobley was spotted by Kings fans the other night, he was in their circle.
They accepted him, full-fledged love soon to follow, provided he continues to average 16 or so points a game.
No more Doug Christie jerseys in the building or imitation hand signals to their own wives. Bring in the new guy and move on.
Asusual when a popular and productive player is traded, there is apprehension from all fronts - management, coaches, players and fans.
When Geoff Petrie shipped franchise centerpiece Mitch Richmond to Washington for Chris Webber in the spring of 1998, Kings fans bemoaned the move, not at all wanting to take on the scowling Webber and his baggage. Then the fans grew enamored by Webber's smile, his charm, his skills and the victories that followed. Fans lined up by the thousands when he was re-signed in the summer of 2001, the echoes of Shaquille O'Neal - a real voice of reason, sure - saying the Kings would crumple back to "expansionism" if Webber didn't stick around.
Kings followers grumbled when Corliss Williamson was moved to Toronto in place of Christie just before the 2000-01 season, a reliable cog suddenly swapped for an unknown commodity.
"It wasn't well-received because Corliss was so well-liked, and he was a good player," Kings director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds said. "The Webber trade wasn't terribly popular at first, either. But clearly, we had a home-run trade there. People may not know who Mobley is just yet, but the fans know Petrie and his track record."
What the Kings can't replace with just a fresh body is Christie's leadership. Webber was especially close to Christie, confiding in him about anything and everything. With Vlade Divac nursing that bad back in Los Angeles, the Kings have peeled away two of the best character guys in their history.
And coaches become attached to their leaders, as Rick Adelman was to Divac and Christie.
"It was a tough one for me," Adelman said. "Since Doug has been here, we've won 65 percent of our games, and he has been a huge part of that. He's a coach's dream. Every day, I knew what I was going to get from him. Game, practice, meeting, tape, it didn't matter, so it was really hard to make that decision to move him."
More trade fallout
Maurice Evans helped usher the green light to the Christie deal with his superb play with more to come. But because contract issues are a daily grind now, consider this coming summer. Evans will be a free agent, and teams are finding out what he can offer, from the hops to the defense to the ever-improving shot and dribble.The Kings likely will try to re-sign him, but will they pony up the sort of six-year, $36 million deal the Dallas Mavericks handed Marquis Daniels this summer after he went from undrafted rookie to starter? Evans, also undrafted, is being paid $620,000 this season. A lot could tie into what Mobley does. He could opt out of his deal after this season.
Utah bruising
If Peja Stojakovic shed any of that "soft" label that sticks to so many European players against Utah on Thursday, then good.The Kings forward took umbrage when he was fouled hard by Matt Harpring and had to be restrained. And the Kings bristled when Carlos Boozer hammered Evans, leaving the Kings swingman in a heap.
"When they grab and hold you for 30 minutes," Stojakovic explained later, "you get mad. I was just letting the referee know, If you are going to call it by the rules, you should do it and not let them get away with it. (Utah) will grab and hold if they can't guard you."
Greg Ostertag knows. He used to be one of those grabbin' and holdin' as a nine-year member of the Jazz before signing with the Kings this summer.
"That's just Jerry (Sloan)," he said. "I don't think (the Boozer foul) was intentional. Jerry's hands on - 'Stick your nose in there, and if it gets busted, stick it back in.' That's the way he coaches." Sloan wasn't about to apologize for any physicality, saying: "This is the NBA, and you're allowed to foul guys. There's no rule against it, as long as you don't do anything malicious. There were a couple of things that appeared to be malicious, but I really don't think they were. You have to make guys try to earn it at the free-throw line."
Fans give Mobley the royal treatment
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 16, 2005
As soon as Cuttino Mobley was spotted by Kings fans the other night, he was in their circle.
They accepted him, full-fledged love soon to follow, provided he continues to average 16 or so points a game.
No more Doug Christie jerseys in the building or imitation hand signals to their own wives. Bring in the new guy and move on.
Asusual when a popular and productive player is traded, there is apprehension from all fronts - management, coaches, players and fans.
When Geoff Petrie shipped franchise centerpiece Mitch Richmond to Washington for Chris Webber in the spring of 1998, Kings fans bemoaned the move, not at all wanting to take on the scowling Webber and his baggage. Then the fans grew enamored by Webber's smile, his charm, his skills and the victories that followed. Fans lined up by the thousands when he was re-signed in the summer of 2001, the echoes of Shaquille O'Neal - a real voice of reason, sure - saying the Kings would crumple back to "expansionism" if Webber didn't stick around.
Kings followers grumbled when Corliss Williamson was moved to Toronto in place of Christie just before the 2000-01 season, a reliable cog suddenly swapped for an unknown commodity.
"It wasn't well-received because Corliss was so well-liked, and he was a good player," Kings director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds said. "The Webber trade wasn't terribly popular at first, either. But clearly, we had a home-run trade there. People may not know who Mobley is just yet, but the fans know Petrie and his track record."
What the Kings can't replace with just a fresh body is Christie's leadership. Webber was especially close to Christie, confiding in him about anything and everything. With Vlade Divac nursing that bad back in Los Angeles, the Kings have peeled away two of the best character guys in their history.
And coaches become attached to their leaders, as Rick Adelman was to Divac and Christie.
"It was a tough one for me," Adelman said. "Since Doug has been here, we've won 65 percent of our games, and he has been a huge part of that. He's a coach's dream. Every day, I knew what I was going to get from him. Game, practice, meeting, tape, it didn't matter, so it was really hard to make that decision to move him."
More trade fallout
Maurice Evans helped usher the green light to the Christie deal with his superb play with more to come. But because contract issues are a daily grind now, consider this coming summer. Evans will be a free agent, and teams are finding out what he can offer, from the hops to the defense to the ever-improving shot and dribble.The Kings likely will try to re-sign him, but will they pony up the sort of six-year, $36 million deal the Dallas Mavericks handed Marquis Daniels this summer after he went from undrafted rookie to starter? Evans, also undrafted, is being paid $620,000 this season. A lot could tie into what Mobley does. He could opt out of his deal after this season.
Utah bruising
If Peja Stojakovic shed any of that "soft" label that sticks to so many European players against Utah on Thursday, then good.The Kings forward took umbrage when he was fouled hard by Matt Harpring and had to be restrained. And the Kings bristled when Carlos Boozer hammered Evans, leaving the Kings swingman in a heap.
"When they grab and hold you for 30 minutes," Stojakovic explained later, "you get mad. I was just letting the referee know, If you are going to call it by the rules, you should do it and not let them get away with it. (Utah) will grab and hold if they can't guard you."
Greg Ostertag knows. He used to be one of those grabbin' and holdin' as a nine-year member of the Jazz before signing with the Kings this summer.
"That's just Jerry (Sloan)," he said. "I don't think (the Boozer foul) was intentional. Jerry's hands on - 'Stick your nose in there, and if it gets busted, stick it back in.' That's the way he coaches." Sloan wasn't about to apologize for any physicality, saying: "This is the NBA, and you're allowed to foul guys. There's no rule against it, as long as you don't do anything malicious. There were a couple of things that appeared to be malicious, but I really don't think they were. You have to make guys try to earn it at the free-throw line."