Latest news with #PejaStojakovic
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Peja Stojakovic on honest reason Lakers defeated Kings in 2002 WCF
Peja Stojakovic on honest reason Lakers defeated Kings in 2002 WCF Perhaps the most classic series that the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers ever played was the 2002 Western Conference finals. In that series, they went up against a very talented Sacramento Kings team that had spent the past few years building a squad that could topple them at the most important time of year. The Kings weren't just talented — they were ahead of their time. They were one of the first NBA teams to play modern-day "pace and space" basketball at a time when the league was hopelessly infected with stagnant, slowdown basketball. The 2002 West finals went back and forth, and in the end, the Lakers prevailed in Game 7 in overtime by six points. To this day, the Sacramento area still hasn't gotten over that loss, and of course, they still blame the referees who officiated Game 6 at Staples Center for allegedly manipulating the results in L.A.'s favor. But Peja Stojakovic, the sharpshooting starting small forward on that Sacramento team, has a simpler explanation for why his team lost. He said it was Sacramento's own fault it fell short in that series. Via Basketball Network: "In 2002, we definitely had our chances," he said. "We even had Game 7 at home. But if we're being honest and fair as athletes, we missed a lot of shots, a lot of free throws. We didn't secure defensive rebounds when we needed to… So without going too deep into anything else — because sports always have those moments we look back on, like Game 6 — those moments leave a mark on our careers. But I truly believe that, as a team, we played better basketball the following year. We were more complete and more mature." In that seventh game, the Kings shot an embarrassing 16-of-30 from the free throw line. Stojakovic, who was arguably the NBA's best pure shooter back then, went just 3-of-12 from the field, and with time running down in the fourth quarter, he choked. With under 15 seconds to go and Los Angeles leading by one point, Hedo Türkoğlu fed a wide-open Stojakovic in the corner. The latter released a 3-pointer, but it hit nothing but air and went straight into O'Neal's arms. Referee conspiracy or no referee conspiracy, the Kings only have themselves to blame for losing that game and not winning the NBA championship.
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Peja Stojakovic Accuses Rich Paul of Blackmail in De'Aaron Fox Trade From Sacramento Kings to San Antonio Spurs
(Image Source- Getty Images) What began as an exciting three-team trade has now turned into a scandal. Peja Stojakovic, the former Sacramento Kings star and executive, has made a shocking claim — he says that agent Rich Paul essentially "blackmailed" the Kings into trading De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, not for the best deal, but to push Klutch Sports' interests. Peja Stojakovic claims Rich Paul controlled De'Aaron Fox trade destination to the San Antonio Spurs On the NBA Out of Bounds and NBA Mozzart podcasts, Peja Stojakovic mentioned that Rich Paul gave a "directive" about where De'Aaron Fox should go, essentially "blackmailing the Kings" into sealing the deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Consequently, Sacramento Kings was said to have missed out on the chance to consider offers from other teams, which Peja Stojakovic thinks restricted their negotiation options. At the center of the deal was a three-team swap in February 2025 that sent De'Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin to the San Antonio Spurs, while Zach LaVine, another Rich Paul client, landed in Sacramento King from the Chicago Bulls, along with multiple future draft selections. The Kings received three first-round picks (for 2025, 2027 and 2031) plus three seconds, and flipped prospect Sidy Cissoko for center Jonas Valanciunas. Statistically, De'Aaron Fox had impressive stats in his 17 games with the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 19.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds before a finger injury at the end of the season put him out of action. On the other hand, Zach LaVine joined Sacramento's backcourt, but the team ended up with a 40–42 record and didn't make the playoffs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Wrinkle Cream Keeps Selling Out At Costco (Find Out Why) The Skincare Magazine Undo Peja Stojakovic believes that if the Kings had explored more options for trading De'Aaron Fox, they could have gotten a better return than just draft picks and one standout player. This isn't the first time Rich Paul has faced accusations of manipulating things behind the scenes: critics were quick to blame him during the Anthony Davis trade to the Lakers back in 2019. Now, the growing claims from a well-respected former executive highlight how influential agents, particularly those representing several high-profile clients, can sway trade dynamics and impact franchise decisions. Peja Stojakovic's statements make us rethink if NBA trades are just a front-office thing or if agents like Rich Paul actually have a say in the matter. If teams are limited by what their clients want, especially with the risk of losing star players, it seems like the power dynamics in trade discussions could be changing. For Kings fans, the lingering question is: was De'Aaron Fox really worth the price they paid?
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Peja Stojakovic says Rich Paul blackmailed the Kings so De'Aaron Fox could end up with the Spurs: "He limited Sacramento from a business standpoint"
Peja Stojakovic says Rich Paul blackmailed the Kings so De'Aaron Fox could end up with the Spurs: "He limited Sacramento from a business standpoint" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Former Sacramento Kings assistant general manager Peja Stojakovic believes that the Kings could have gotten a better package for point guard De'Aaron Fox if they were able to shop him around the league. Advertisement Stojakovic claims the Kings were unable to get the best deal for De'Aaron because Fox's manager, Klutch Sports founder Rich Paul, coerced the team to surrender Fox to the San Antonio Spurs while also making sure that his other client, Zach LaVine, would end up taking Fox's spot in Sacramento. "I still believe Sacramento has good players despite them trading Fox," Peja said confidently. "It seems there was a directive from his agent, Rich Paul, who played a key role and blackmailed the teams on which player was supposed to get traded where. He brought Fox to the Spurs and Zach LaVine, who is his player, brought him to Sacramento. By doing this, he limited Sacramento from a business standpoint, stating that they get a bit more from this trade with Fox if they had the same discussion with some other teams in the NBA," Stojakovic detailed behind-the-scenes events around this trade. Kings landed LaVine in a three-team trade Fox was looking like the Kings' next franchise player. But last year, he turned down a three-year $165 million contract extension from the Kings because he wanted to make sure the Kings had enough to contend for a title before committing to them. However, the motive was likely financial as Fox stood to get a five-year, $345 million super-max deal if he made an All-NBA team this season. Advertisement But rather than risk losing Fox without getting anything, the Kings ended up shopping Fox before the trade deadline. Several teams were linked to the former Kentucky Wildcat, but in the end, he went to the Spurs in a move that many, including Stojakovic, believe was orchestrated by Paul. In the three-team trade, the Kings got LaVine from the Chicago Bulls, plus three first-round picks and three second-round picks. Meanwhile, the Bulls received Zach Collins, Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter while regaining their 2025 first-round pick via the Spurs. San Antonio ended up with the jackpot prize of the deal: Fox. Related: "To put it mildly, every night you had to go against a legend" - Dominique Wilkins makes a case he should be in the GOAT debate Fox admitted that it was he who wanted to play for the Spurs Stojakovic's accusation may have some truth in it. Last March, Fox admitted that he told the Kings that he only wanted to play for the Spurs. And so if this was the case, then it's possible that Paul worked his connections to make that happen, and they ended up strong-arming the Kings into sending Fox to San Antonio. Advertisement "There was no fuc*ing list," Fox emphatically said. "There was one team. I wanted to go to San Antonio. So, a lot of people are mad at me, saying I handcuffed the team by giving them a destination. Well, this is my career. If anybody else is in my position, you'd do the same thing. It's not my job to help build your team. I'm not about to just go where they want me to go. I wanted to have a destination," he concluded. But as Peja said, the Kings still have good players left, regardless of whether they were short-changed in the deal. They also received a haul of draft picks, which they can use in whichever direction they choose. Related: 'Has he transformed Sacramento into an NBA champion?' - Chris Russo doesn't believe De'Aaron Fox will elevate Spurs into contenders This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
