Beno Udrih a Free Man

[mvblair]

Slovenia can compete at any tournament. They've got the personel to play with any team on the planet; they just need the coaching now. Would anybody really be shocked to see Slovenia get a Bronze in any tournament? I don't think so. The days of the American media being shocked ended in Indianapolis. Now it can happen anytime, anywhere.

Oh you can add me to the list in you sig, NBA steals enough euro latent as is.

Are you talking to me or JPF?

[Alyosha12]

Hehe was talking to JPF about adding me to his sig

[mvblair]

Hehe was talking to JPF about adding me to his sig

Would you like to join my club?

[Alyosha12]

Would you like to join my club?

That looks very dangerous crazy and wild, of course sign me up

[mvblair]

I found a lloonngg article from HoopsHype that was in Sacramento's paper today, mostly about Udrih.

Udrih Cashing In -- March 13, 2008, by Ailene Voisin, Sacramento Bee

...Assuming the free agent-to-be and his bosses reach agreement this summer on a long-term contract – and according to all the parties, this is a reasonable assumption – the job will be Udrih's for the foreseeable future.

"Everybody feels he has been a great acquisition," Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said. "But the free-agency thing … I can't talk about."

"It's certainly been a good fit," said Udrih's agent, Marc Cornstein. "When the season is over, I'll sit down with Beno and go over the priorities, but I would have to guess playing time and role are the most important."

In other words, this is the deal: Though the Kings exceed the salary cap, they can offer Udrih some (or all) of the midlevel exception that could stretch to five seasons and average approximately $5 million to $6 million annually. Add or subtract a few million, and Beno, who has been the next best thing to a freebie at $788,936, will earn a substantial raise.

His ascent on the court has been similarly dramatic and his once-lousy timing impeccable. The same player who was waived within hours of being traded from San Antonio to Minnesota this past exhibition season is emerging as the right point guard for the Kings at the right time...

...Udrih, in fact, has improved by the week, most notably since returning to the starting lineup following Bibby's swap to the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 16. Stronger and quicker than he appears at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Udrih is increasingly productive on pick-and-rolls, on curls into the lane for midrange jumpers, or knifing to the basket and eluding defenders with crafty, left-handed reverse layups. As much as anything, it's his European style of play – the ability to penetrate the lane, draw defenders and then find open teammates for dunks and jumpers – that draws the highest praise from Kings officials.

"Beno has earned the right to take control of the team," coach Reggie Theus said. "He goes deep into the paint, much better than I expected, and he takes hard hits. The last few weeks he has been really aggressive, which is what I want to see. … One night he came over to the huddle, and he complained that someone wasn't passing the ball. I said, 'Beno, why the hell are you telling me? You're the point guard. Go tell him.' I think he has a strong enough personality to demand that."

...Though not as acerbic as the Spurs' respected Gregg Popovich, Theus is just as quick with the critiques. He thinks Beno can defend better. He wants Beno to attack the rim more. Intrigued by his point guard's talent, he wants more and more from Beno. His most recent gripe concerns Udrih's tendency to give the ball up before initiating the offense, particularly when Ron Artest or John Salmons resort to deadly one-on-one games.

"Keep the ball in my hands, make decisions," Udrih said, nodding. "Reggie and I talked about that. (After the trade), I needed a few games of opportunity, to get my confidence back. Now I have that. I'm very happy here."

[elaj]

Beno Udrih confirmed that he talked with his agent and the options are: Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers.

In my opinion the best for him would be to stay in Sacramento.

[mvblair]

Beno Udrih confirmed that he talked with his agent and the options are: Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers.

In my opinion the best for him would be to stay in Sacramento.

....I don't know, Elaj. Sacramento would be great, but so would Orlando. In Orlando, he would come immediately to a play-off team that needs a good point guard. For whatever reasons, Arroyo and Nelson are not playing well and everybody is saying those two are not in the "good graces" of Orlando.

I think you're right that Sacramento would be best for him, but Orlando has got to look good too.

[elaj]

....I don't know, Elaj. Sacramento would be great, but so would Orlando. In Orlando, he would come immediately to a play-off team that needs a good point guard. For whatever reasons, Arroyo and Nelson are not playing well and everybody is saying those two are not in the "good graces" of Orlando.

I think you're right that Sacramento would be best for him, but Orlando has got to look good too.

Yeah, Orlando could be the deal. Arroyo's contract also expires this season. In my opinion Udrih would also suit them better. We'll see what will happen.

Lakers... he would be a backup to Derek Fisher due to his status in the NBA...

Knicks... stay far away from them Beno... nuff said.

Pacers, again, Jamaal Tinsley is there...

What about Clippers? Brevin Knight... Shaun Livingston (injured)... Dickau... Udrih would be quite an upgrade over them..

[mvblair]

Lakers... he would be a backup to Derek Fisher due to his status in the NBA...

And if LA brings Vujacic back, there will still be more competition.

Knicks... stay far away from them Beno... nuff said.

Everybody should stay away from the Knicks. Even with D'Antoni, I think that team is in a mess for a while. None of the point guards there are great (Marbury, Robinson, Crawford--who can score), but that team is a mess.

Pacers, again, Jamaal Tinsley is there...

As a Pacers fan, I'll be the first to say that Bno would be better than Tinsley or Diener. Tinsley will spend next year with a bad back again, but he's got a big contract, so Beno would always be #2.

What about Clippers? Brevin Knight... Shaun Livingston (injured)... Dickau... Udrih would be quite an upgrade over them..

Yes. I'm a big fan of Knight, because he's a great assist-man. For whatever reason, Livingston and Dickau (and Cassell) got the minutes in LA. Yes, Beno would be better than any of them.

Now, I just wish Cleveland could be a part of this discussion, but we don't have the money to attract Udrih...

[elaj]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3469582

Udrih and the Kings have verbally agreed to a five-year contract for the full mid-level exception, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com.

Assuming the full mid-level comes in at $5.5 million this year, Udrih would get a contract worth $33.3 million. The same source said Udrih would have a player option for the fifth year of his contract.

Not bad, not bad at all.

[elaj]

Beno Udrih is warming up.

Last night he had (38 minutes) 30 points (13/20 fgm-a), 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 TO when his Sacramento Kings beat Clippers 103:98.

[mvblair]

Udrih finally played a little like he did last year. He scored [b]29 points (11-14) with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in a three point loss to Oklahoma City. He's had some other good games this season, but he is not showing as much prowess as he did in the last half of the 07/08 season. He's averaging 11 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game.

Sacramento is simply a bad team. They've got very little depth and even their "stars," Salmons, Martin, and Udrih aren't playing very well.

[mvblair]

Udrih rocked the red-hot New York Knicks last night, scoring 20 points, 7 points, 7 rebounds.

[ip84]

http://www.sports1140.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=4057892

Very interesting interview with Beno Udrih.

His blames against the past year King's coaches are clear.

But it seems that he also blaming Zdovc and the bench players for all the injuries in the Slovenian national team.
It is frequently that coaches are blamed for injuries, but his explanation is something I hear for the first time.
What he says is that bench players should be told by the coach that their roll is to be bench players and that they should except that and not try to prove themselves in practice.

He uses the same word "roll" for tow different things IMO. One is position and duty on the court, and another thing is place in hierarchy of the team.
The first one is obviously should be clear and don't change too much.
The second one is better to be set on the real games, but in practices can't players try to improve and fight for getting more playing time?

[Lewis]

http://www.sports1140.com/topic/play...udioId=4057892

Very interesting interview with Beno Udrih.

His blames against the past year King's coaches are clear.

But it seems that he also blaming Zdovc and the bench players for all the injuries in the Slovenian national team.
It is frequently that coaches are blamed for injuries, but his explanation is something I hear for the first time.
What he says is that bench players should be told by the coach that their roll is to be bench players and that they should except that and not try to prove themselves in practice.

He uses the same word "roll" for tow different things IMO. One is position and duty on the court, and another thing is place in hierarchy of the team.
The first one is obviously should be clear and don't change too much.
The second one is better to be set on the real games, but in practices can't players try to improve and fight for getting more playing time?

why don't he blame it on his inability to pass the freaking ball !!!!!!