Having a day to digest the scope of this trade with Philadelphia has left me with this queasy feeling deep in my gut. I woke up with it and it has persisted. After half a century of life, I have come to respect that feeling for whatever reason it comes about, be it about my job, family, or whatever I am doing with my life. It means something is not quite right.
So I have been trying to figure out where it came from and why I have it. Was Webber THAT important to my team?
It turns out that he was. It goes back to the day when the Kings were the NBA's version of today's Bobcats; only without the excuse for being an expansion team full of players other teams felt was not good enough to be part of their core teams. Back then, players did not want to come to Sacramento.
Then, one day, we had a slew of quality players who maybe at first did not buy into starting something new here, but who quickly did. Signing Vlade Divac was huge, in that a quality free agent player actually CHOSE the Kings. We drafted Jason Williams, who some of you might recall was so flashy and ESPN-worthy that first year or two, his jersey was outselling everyone's in the League outside of Kobe Bryant back then.
Bobby Jackson was signed, then Doug Christie came in a trade. And Kings fans a year or two earlier had booed Petrie for drafting a 19 year old Yugoslavian kid who was still under contract in the Greek League. Then suddenly we learned that the kid was coming to Sacramento also, and with Peja, our core group was in place.
It never won a championship, however, and not for lack of trying. The entertaining style of offense installed by Adelman and Pete Carill inspired not only the fans watching it, but Sacramento was getting national attention as a fun place to play the game; players on other teams opined that they would love to play that style of ball; announcers were saying the Kings made them optimistic about the future of the NBA, hoping other teams would copy it. They did.
It lasted a short five years. Then the reality of it all set in. While entertaining, it became obvious that a little defense and rebounding could have made a huge difference at times; that this wild offense could use some players who could calmly hit key free throws when playoff games were on the line. The friendly commentators turned on the team as being all flash with no championship fire or substance.
And Chris Webber was in the center of every single moment. His name was given the superstar status; he was called the King' best player, and he soon became the highest paid player not only on the team, but one of the highest in the League. Along with all of that, came the expectations always associated with the label. But no matter how dedicated he was to achieving that lofty goal of winning a championship for the city of Sacramento, no matter what he said (or how he said it), through all the injuries he suffered and his constant rehabs and his swearing they will and must get tougher and better, it eluded him and his core teammates every year.
Jason was traded away early for a better point guard, who was not as flashy, but clearly a better fit for success. Vlade got old trying to help Chris and the Kings win that elusive championship, and eventually left. Christie was traded away finally. And now the real heart of the team, the de facto leader for the last five years, regardless of how people perceived Vlade as being in that role, has been traded away as well, leaving just Peja to continue the quest.
Something is not right in all of this. There is unfinished business left. While people have been quoting the King's record with and without Chris on the floor, they forget that his teammates always knew that Webber would be greeting them behind the bench, smiling his megawatt smile at the inside jokes, laughing it up and cheering them on, as they knew they were just holding the fort while he healed from his latest injury and they will once again defer to him. Odd that this did not mean they played better, but the mental side of the game is the hardest to figure out. I think they eased up knowing that Webber would be responsible for all the success or failures they had as a team, and they could maybe slide a bit themselves as a result.
That Webber fallback position is now history; gone to Philadelphia and, hopefully for Chris, another chance at that elusive championship he tried so hard to get in for us in Sacramento. People should not forget what it was like before this last five year era. That legitimacy that Webber helped install here cannot be ignored.
You do not get a legitimate superstar every day, and you should pause and contemplate what it means when he no longer plays for your team.
Ergo, I have this dull ache in my stomach today.
