Sorry Thomas Robinson, but you’re mad at the wrong people

Oct 20, 2013; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers power forward Thomas Robinson (41) shoots against the Sacramento Kings in the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday night, Thomas Robinson of the Portland Trail Blazers took on the Sacramento Kings, a vastly different organization than the one who drafted him fifth overall in in the 2012 NBA Draft, who then traded him just months later.

But that didn’t stop Robinson from feeling slighted by his former team:

"“It got to a point where I had to calm myself down before the game and remind myself that it’s just a game,” Thomas told CSNNW.com. “I just needed to relax and tell myself that it’s just business. It’s not personal. But at the end of the day, if I get the chance to go up against them, I’m not going to hesitate to give it to them.”"

So, let me get this straight – it’s nothing personal, but he had to calm himself down before the game as he was too ramped up? Riggght.

Robinson’s ‘not personal’ thoughts continued:

"“I use that trade and the negative articles that I got saved from last year where people were writing me off. I use that as motivation,” he said. “It’s all good, though. It’s not how fast you do your business, it’s how long.  And as long as I’m still here 10 years from now, I couldn’t care less what anybody thinks about my first year.”"

For the most part, I don’t remember many (outside of a rogue few) who were happy with Thomas being traded. Yes, there were some people (namely Grant Napear) with a loud voice that were more than thrilled with the deal, but for the vast majority, it was disappointment. Disappointment that Robinson was traded, disappointed that the return was ‘only’ Patrick Patterson – and that’s nothing against Paterson, it’s just that you’d hope the value of a fifth pick, just a few months from being drafted would bring more in return.

But back to Robinson’s point that he felt he needed to prove something against the Kings. Geoff Petrie, the man who traded you, no longer works for the organization. The Maloofs, owners who essentially requested Petrie trade you as a last minute cash grab, have been replaced. Frankly put, you’re mad at the wrong people.

If you want to hold animosity, that’s fine, but hold it towards the right crowd. It wasn’t we the fans who wanted you traded. It wasn’t we the fans who pulled the trigger. And it’s not the current Kings organization that sent you packing. We were the unfortunite party who had to watch the promise of a talented player be traded away. You thankfully got away from an awful situation.

It was a marriage that didn’t work out due to a group of money hungry people who valued Robinson as an exchangeable cash asset, yet we as fans get blamed for that?

I like T-Rob. I know T-Rob has read the site plenty of times before, but he’s wrong on this one.

I understand players need motivation, but channel that into what the Maloofs did to you – not what Sacramento didn’t do to you.