For some reason, there are a handful of players in the NBA who no matter how successful they are just don?t receive the respect they deserve.

 One of those players would be Philadelphia?s new-found whipping boy Chris Webber.  

 Here?s a player who single-handedly put Sacramento on the NBA map and helped transform that franchise into a perennial Western Conference power, yet was deemed expendable earlier this season with the Kings likely on their last legs as far as serious title aspirations are concerned.

 Upon dealing Webber to the Sixers last February in what was considered one of the trade deadline?s biggest shockers, Kings general manager Geoff Petrie felt Webber?s departure would actually improve his team?s fortunes.  With an apparent power play at hand between Webber and Peja Stojakovic, it was clear Petrie was looking to unload Webber and build the team around Stojakovic.

 Biggest mistake Petrie could have made.

 While Webber surely has some knocks against him ? he?s an aging superstar with a bad wheel and huge contract - there are not many big men in the league who are viable triple-double threats on any given night.  And though Webber has had to reinvent his game since returning from major knee surgery last season, he nevertheless was having an outstanding year statistically before he was dealt.  

 Granted, with Sacramento not as deep as they have been in recent years, Petrie was able to add some quality depth for Webber in the form of Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner and Corliss Williamson, but in the end he gave up his one truly go-to player in Webber.  

 If Stojakovic has proven anything in his career, it?s that he can stroke silky-smooth jump shots during the regular season ? when the games mean very little ? but choke in crunch time when his team needs him the most.  Stojakovic?s playoff disappearing act continued in the opening round versus Seattle.

 The biggest playoff disappointment thus far has to be Sacramento?s quick first-round exit at the hands of the Sonics ? the first time the Kings have failed to advance past the opening round since 2000.   And Stojakovic?s poor play - on both ends of the floor - was a major reason why the Kings? playoff journey lasted a grand total of five games.

 Stojakovic, despite his 38-point performance in the series finale Tuesday night (he did miss his first six attempts in the fourth quarter, however), was inconsistent throughout the series (including 3-10 and 3-11 shooting efforts in Game Two and Three respectively), and when Peja isn?t stroking jump shots, he isn?t contributing in a whole lot of other areas, particularly on the defensive end.  

 The Peja apologists ? and there are a lot of you out there ? will point to an injured groin as a primary reason for his inconsistent effort versus Seattle, but Stojakovic has been a playoff disappointment the last two seasons as well.    

 Long-term, Webber would have been a liability for the Kings.  But at the same time, Petrie gambled and lost by figuring his team could make a legitimate run this season without their All-Star power forward.    With Sacramento?s title window all but closed, Petrie would have been well-served to take his chances by keeping Webber around and seeing if that nucleus had one last run in them.  

 But hey, at least Peja appears content on staying in Sactown for the foreseeable future?

 While Ray Allen, on the other hand, was simply terrific versus the Kings in round one, averaging over 32 points and 51% shooting from the field, he continues to make headlines for his nonsensical off-the-court comments.

 All season long, Allen made a mockery of his impending free agent status by openly campaigning to play for seemingly every NBA team while his Sonics were tearing up the league, and this past week suggested U.S. players should be paid to represent their country in the Olympics.

 ?You?re dealing with a different animal than the other sports,? Allen said.  ?You?ve got people selling out buildings and if you want these particular players (NBA players) there, how do you get them there??

 ?Most athletes, they hunger for the Olympics every four years... But we?re different.  We just finished an 82-game season and we want to chill out.  People put so much pressure on NBA players, that you should be playing for your country, but you don?t realize that many of us just want to do nothing in the summer.?

 I?ll tell you what I do realize, Ray ? that you should just go ahead and enjoy your summers off and not worry about playing for your country, because your country wouldn?t want selfish players like you representing them anyway.

 If USA Basketball has learned anything over the last several international competitions, it?s that the star route is not the way to go when building a world champion.  Sending All-Star teams doesn?t work anymore.  And sending prima donnas who are playing not for the privilege of honoring their country but for a pay check is most certainly not the solution, either.

 And even if Allen?s cockamamie idea were applied, what would it cost to have superstars take part?   Furthermore, are you going to tell me that Shaq would take the same money as, let?s say, a Carlos Boozer would to attend the Games?  Of course not.  Under such a ?proposed? system, you wouldn?t be able to pay everyone equally because NBA stars have big egos, and players want to be paid according to their worth.   Before you know it, you?d have players holding out for more money to play in the Olympics, and that is just plain ridiculous.

 Ray, you?re a terrific talent, but please save your talking for on the court.  You?re so much more effective hitting jump shots than you are in front of a microphone.  

Kostas.Bolos@realgm.com