When I first heard that Hedo Turkoglu, a one-time integral member of the glorious Kings' teams of the early 2000's, wanted to return to Sacramento, I couldn't help but feel a temporary sense of nostalgia. Fearless on the court and not intimidated by facing Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the rival Los Angeles Lakers in the Playoffs, he showed early flashes of his All-Star potential and play-making ability in limited minutes.
But now on the downside of his career, the 31-year-old Turkoglu is a solid complimentary player whose defined skillset, questionable motivation, and hefty contract no longer fit in with the Kings' long-term rebuilding plan.
After a quiet rookie campaign, Turkoglu received votes for the Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year Awards in his second season, putting up 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He truly opened my eyes when he made a rare start in place of the injured Peja Stojakovic and responded with 31 points (12-15 FG, 3-5 3PT), nine rebounds, and 10 assists in an easy win over the Denver Nuggets. After his numbers declined in his third year, during which his defensive deficiencies kept him on the bench in favor of in-season signee Jim Jackson, he was included in a trade that brought Brad Miller to Sacramento.
When Turkoglu signed with the Orlando Magic, he blossomed into a go-to player, averaging career-highs of 19.5 points (46% FG, 40% 3PT), 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 2007-08. Although his numbers dipped to 11.3 points (41% FG, 37% 3PT), 4.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists last season with the Toronto Raptors, Turkoglu remains a savvy and effective veteran who never shies away from taking big shots in crunch time and would certainly help the Kings win more games in the immediate future.
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Article comments
1 - lin
I think Hedo is a great man, I mean he is actually a national hero back in his home country(Turkey).
Regarding the salary, I just saw that he gets a whopping $10,215,850 in salary. That is quite a lot and a very good achievement by Hedo.
He is also doing great in Orlando, I mean he have a very high assist rating too.