Peja is still waiting

Peja waits by phone, but the Maloofs aren't calling

Stojakovic, his demands still firm, has plenty on plate after his son's birth.

By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, August 18, 2004

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Just 10 minutes into his new-found status as a daddy Tuesday, Peja Stojakovic was feeling the love for his son, Andrej, he no longer has for the Kings.

"It was the best experience of my life," Stojakovic said from Salonika, Greece. "I can see already how everything means nothing once you have a child."

Kings owner Joe Maloof said he was excited to learn that Stojakovic and his fianc?e, Aleka Kamila, had their baby.

But on the subject of meeting Stojakovic's trade demand, Maloof said there was no change.

"We have no intentions of trading Peja," Maloof said Tuesday. "I just don't see us without Peja Stojakovic."

Stojakovic and his agent, David Bauman, say they haven't backed off their demand and would prefer it to be sooner than later.

Initially, though, Bauman hopes his client receives at least a telephone call from the Kings' ownership.

"They haven't talked with Peja, and I don't understand that," Bauman said Monday. "Peja called and left the number. He's getting really upset about that. I guess if he was (Tracy) McGrady or (Stephon) Marbury or (Chris) Webber, they would have called."

The Washington, D.C.-area based agent said he read in the Washington Post on Sunday about Gavin Maloof discussing hotel heiress Nicky Hilton and her stay at the family's Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.

"I guess they have more interest in things like that than talking to the star of their team," Bauman said.

Said Stojakovic: "I have been waiting for (the Maloofs) to call me back, but they haven't called. I don't know, I guess they are not taking me seriously.

"But I have not changed the way I've felt (about the trade) since the last time I talked to you."

Joe Maloof said Bauman's comment about his brother and Hilton did not deserve a response.

"I will say that, remember, Peja is under contract," Maloof said. "Gavin and I will talk to Peja when we think it's the right time. The guy is getting ready to have a baby. ... "

Maloof then was informed about Andrej's arrival.

"Well, that's the best news of the day," Maloof said.

"I know he was ticked off when he talked to Geoff (Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations), but sometimes it's better to let things calm down and people cool off.

"We're going to talk to him in the near future."

Bauman said the Maloofs will not know Stojakovic's true feelings until they talk to him.

"I keep reading that this is going to blow over," the agent said, "but until they talk to Peja, they are not going to know the real deal.

"I mean, we're talking about the owners of a team, hands-on owners, who haven't talked to their three-time All-Star. They don't want to trade him, but to really understand what is upsetting Peja, they need to talk to him."

Meanwhile, Stojakovic's outlook already has been adjusted.

"Eventually, Andrej was born through (Caesarean) section," the new father said. "But mentally I'm exhausted, so you know how (Aleka) is feeling."