Geoff Petrie on the radio...
- Thread starter ReinadelosReys
- Start date
Here it is. Actually I found it one of GP's more "candid" interviews. I actually came away with something
....Disregard any spelling and grammar errors and "...." means omitted and/or pauses.
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Grant: Have you had dialogue with Peja since July when he came out demanding a trade and are you confident that everything will be ok with Peja and the Kings?
GP: Well, I'm glad we started out with an easy question. Yeah I talked to Peja in August and probably about a week or two ago just to see how things were. I can't say that there's any real in his longer term feelings about things at the moment. Its one of those things to start with, I think everyone with us is proud of what Peja had done as a player. And having known him for nine years, see him grow and continue to get better and have the kind of career, make the kind of contributions to the team and franchise...There's not just a professional aspect to this thing but a personal that you feel towards a lot of our players than you feel because of the amount of time they've been here and the overall success that the have had. He said that he's coming to camp, he's going to play going to be professional. Its one of those things you'd rather talk to him than about him...Hopefully once we get started they'll be some chance for reconsideration, reevaluation. But, I can't sit here today and say that he's changed his mind.
Lam: When you talk about how professional he is, did it surprise you when you got the news?
GP: I think historically when these things come up, the main sources of things like this usually revolve around playing time, salary issues, lack of success of the team none of which is the case here. So, in that sense and that he has flourished here and has a great support system still in place...in that sense its a little unusual. But its professional sports and we need to keep on working to try and solve it.
Grant: For the first time there is no Vlade....does this team have to find a new identity?
GP: I don't know about a new identity. I think we may have to make some modifications within the way we play. Rick and the rest of the coaches are talking and working a lot on that. It may be something that the type of line up we have out there plays a little different that other line ups, that type of thing. I do think we have had an unprecedented amount of team unity, collective sense of purpose over the last 5 -6 years. I think that the core group that we have back, the top 6 plus Daruis and Greg that the team really needs to reunite and recommit, try and maintain the same kind of level of this is how we play and this is how we are going to be successful...I think that is an important thing coming into the season....The preseason will be important. We have players we are trying to integrate and we have players Chris, Bobby and Doug who are still working back from injuries, they need to be there and get ready.
Lam: How hard were the negotiations getting back Songaila?
GP: There was some real trepidation, in the sense that we were real limited under the salary cap...he was highly pursued by some teams in Europe along with some NBA teams. He came here last year was productive off the bat...We're glad to have him back...he hasn't had much of a break over the summer but he's excited to be back and we're excited to have him back.
Grant: You mentioned three players coming back....Have you seen him?
GP: Yeah, he's scrimmaged some over at the practice facility along with some other players, I think he certainly is moving better. His mobility laterally appears to be better, he looks leaner and generally in talking to Chris over the summer, and this isn' t just true with him but with all players, and when you have injuries which is his case...one really key thing for him, he's plenty strong enough, but speed mobility and quickness and keeping his weight under control, there isn't the margin of error when you are 23 and than true for everyone. Those are really key things for him...
Lam: From my inferences of the Mcneal interview, in his mind Chris wants the team to be more physical...the things that he wants for the team, do those jive with what you want for the team, what RA wants for the team and what the Maloofs want for the team?
GP: Well I not going to sit in judgment of your inferences...I think...to the extent on everyone, Chris included want to set a higher standard, to help improve the team and the whole team and I don't think anyone has a problem with that. To set a higher standard, you have to be a higher standard. Again, I think if you look at the history of this team, and he's been a big part of it--a huge part of it, all the guys that have come here and basically blossomed playing together...Bobby has blossomed here, Doug has blossomed here, Chris has really blossomed here, Peja developed here, even Vlade with the disappointment of leaving said that this was the best 6 years of his career, so they've done it together. And they have to continue to do that. To have more positive leadership is a good thing.
Grant: Right now, for the first time in while, do you look at the season...is this a lot different than the past 6 years, because you just don't know how it will fit together?
GP: I think we all feel it can fit together real well. Our top 8 is very very solid. I think Greg give us a different type of C that Vlade did....defense and rebound size that will be real valuable at times..and he's another good spirit as a guy. Again, a lot of it comes back to we got a group of guys who have been here a long time, They have been though a lot of wars together, they know what they've had good chemistry, they know that they've been extremely successful. I told this to Marty Mcneal the other day, we had this car that has been running at 100 MPH for a long time now, most teams have been at 80. There have been times that we've need it to be at 110, but it didn't quite happen. But we can foster all of that, but in then end that have to give it themselves too. I have a lot of respect for what this team has done....and we're going to try keep pushing them to do that.
Lam: What is the time table for DC?
GP: We've had a fair amount of success with this type of procedure with other players. Hopefully 4-5 weeks....I can't say that with 100% certainty...
Grant: Are you at all concerned about the preseason schedule?
GP: Any time you are taking a trip as long as we are to China, you have to monitor that in terms of some of the min. and the amount of energy that we commit in the early time...in the same time we got a really solid week of practice before the trip where a lot of our work is going to have be done...I'm really excited in going....
....Disregard any spelling and grammar errors and "...." means omitted and/or pauses. ---------------------------
Grant: Have you had dialogue with Peja since July when he came out demanding a trade and are you confident that everything will be ok with Peja and the Kings?
GP: Well, I'm glad we started out with an easy question. Yeah I talked to Peja in August and probably about a week or two ago just to see how things were. I can't say that there's any real in his longer term feelings about things at the moment. Its one of those things to start with, I think everyone with us is proud of what Peja had done as a player. And having known him for nine years, see him grow and continue to get better and have the kind of career, make the kind of contributions to the team and franchise...There's not just a professional aspect to this thing but a personal that you feel towards a lot of our players than you feel because of the amount of time they've been here and the overall success that the have had. He said that he's coming to camp, he's going to play going to be professional. Its one of those things you'd rather talk to him than about him...Hopefully once we get started they'll be some chance for reconsideration, reevaluation. But, I can't sit here today and say that he's changed his mind.
Lam: When you talk about how professional he is, did it surprise you when you got the news?
GP: I think historically when these things come up, the main sources of things like this usually revolve around playing time, salary issues, lack of success of the team none of which is the case here. So, in that sense and that he has flourished here and has a great support system still in place...in that sense its a little unusual. But its professional sports and we need to keep on working to try and solve it.
Grant: For the first time there is no Vlade....does this team have to find a new identity?
GP: I don't know about a new identity. I think we may have to make some modifications within the way we play. Rick and the rest of the coaches are talking and working a lot on that. It may be something that the type of line up we have out there plays a little different that other line ups, that type of thing. I do think we have had an unprecedented amount of team unity, collective sense of purpose over the last 5 -6 years. I think that the core group that we have back, the top 6 plus Daruis and Greg that the team really needs to reunite and recommit, try and maintain the same kind of level of this is how we play and this is how we are going to be successful...I think that is an important thing coming into the season....The preseason will be important. We have players we are trying to integrate and we have players Chris, Bobby and Doug who are still working back from injuries, they need to be there and get ready.
Lam: How hard were the negotiations getting back Songaila?
GP: There was some real trepidation, in the sense that we were real limited under the salary cap...he was highly pursued by some teams in Europe along with some NBA teams. He came here last year was productive off the bat...We're glad to have him back...he hasn't had much of a break over the summer but he's excited to be back and we're excited to have him back.
Grant: You mentioned three players coming back....Have you seen him?
GP: Yeah, he's scrimmaged some over at the practice facility along with some other players, I think he certainly is moving better. His mobility laterally appears to be better, he looks leaner and generally in talking to Chris over the summer, and this isn' t just true with him but with all players, and when you have injuries which is his case...one really key thing for him, he's plenty strong enough, but speed mobility and quickness and keeping his weight under control, there isn't the margin of error when you are 23 and than true for everyone. Those are really key things for him...
Lam: From my inferences of the Mcneal interview, in his mind Chris wants the team to be more physical...the things that he wants for the team, do those jive with what you want for the team, what RA wants for the team and what the Maloofs want for the team?
GP: Well I not going to sit in judgment of your inferences...I think...to the extent on everyone, Chris included want to set a higher standard, to help improve the team and the whole team and I don't think anyone has a problem with that. To set a higher standard, you have to be a higher standard. Again, I think if you look at the history of this team, and he's been a big part of it--a huge part of it, all the guys that have come here and basically blossomed playing together...Bobby has blossomed here, Doug has blossomed here, Chris has really blossomed here, Peja developed here, even Vlade with the disappointment of leaving said that this was the best 6 years of his career, so they've done it together. And they have to continue to do that. To have more positive leadership is a good thing.
Grant: Right now, for the first time in while, do you look at the season...is this a lot different than the past 6 years, because you just don't know how it will fit together?
GP: I think we all feel it can fit together real well. Our top 8 is very very solid. I think Greg give us a different type of C that Vlade did....defense and rebound size that will be real valuable at times..and he's another good spirit as a guy. Again, a lot of it comes back to we got a group of guys who have been here a long time, They have been though a lot of wars together, they know what they've had good chemistry, they know that they've been extremely successful. I told this to Marty Mcneal the other day, we had this car that has been running at 100 MPH for a long time now, most teams have been at 80. There have been times that we've need it to be at 110, but it didn't quite happen. But we can foster all of that, but in then end that have to give it themselves too. I have a lot of respect for what this team has done....and we're going to try keep pushing them to do that.
Lam: What is the time table for DC?
GP: We've had a fair amount of success with this type of procedure with other players. Hopefully 4-5 weeks....I can't say that with 100% certainty...
Grant: Are you at all concerned about the preseason schedule?
GP: Any time you are taking a trip as long as we are to China, you have to monitor that in terms of some of the min. and the amount of energy that we commit in the early time...in the same time we got a really solid week of practice before the trip where a lot of our work is going to have be done...I'm really excited in going....
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Im not sure "Swapping-out Vlade" is quite accurate. Vlade was offered a reduced role and a much reduced salery which he rejected in favor of a larger role and larger salery in LA. Tag accepted the reduced role and reduced sallery, but does seem to bring some things to the court Vlade lacked. This is a needs fit issue. Let face it LA would have been crazy to sign Tag over Vlade as a starting center, as would almost any team. But is Tag a better fit for the Kings in the role he will play? Probably.
