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The New Orleans Hornets will continue to be cautious before putting shooting guard Eric Gordon back on the floor in the weeks preceding the Oct. 31 regular-season opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
Gordon did not participate in any contact work during the first week of training camp, and Coach Monty Williams said Monday it's unlikely Gordon will see the floor much this week as well. The Hornets play three exhibition games in four days this week, beginning Tuesday night when New Orleans' hosts the Charlotte Bobcats in New Orleans Arena.
Gordon has missed practices with a sore right knee, the same knee that was arthroscopically repaired Feb. 14, an injury that caused Gordon to miss all but nine of the team's 66 games last season.
"We're going to limit him still," Williams said Monday. "I think we'll know more about Eric next week when we start to ramp him up a little bit on the floor. He's been involved in our walk-throughs. He's participated in a lot of our exercises. But I think we're erring on the side of caution right now."
http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ss...d_eric_28.html
I'm cool with it. Let him get as close to 100% as possible. He needs the least practice of everyone. Yall saw how he just completely dominated the 7 or so games that he played toward the end of the season. That was with no practice at all, out of shape, etc... Just let him heal.
As long as he starts and plays 30+ minutes on opening night, I don't think there's any cause for concerns. I think the young guys needs reps right now any ways.
When you have an entire offseason to get ready, you should be ready. It's not like he's coming off a major knee operation. I don't know what happened here to make his knee "sore", but to me... I'm starting to believe he doesn't care that much.
In the end, if he plays the majority of the season and plays well, it won't matter. But it's a terrible way to start.
I predict he starts seeing the floor in pre-season game 5. More in 6 and 7, and sits 8. He needs to see the floor with this new lineup and hopefully that china hold up for 10/31.
This isn't a big deal long term and considering we just paid him a max contract it's the right call. However short term this is huge. This team has so little on court time together this preseason is important for success this season especially early on. It's hard to imagine all this down time won't have a negative effect on EJ if not only the 1st 4-6weeks.
I assume they think he is healthy enough to have kept him on the team. But his knee is sore, so they are being as careful as they can. They had to keep him for a good team this year. I hope he is healthy for as many games as possible.
Torn ACL out for the year
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I wish I knew Gordon enough to know if he was upset about this.
In vid's he seems indifferent.
Contributor
"Hornets means nothing." - Tom Benson
Those of you who know EG better than I do: What is his reputation as to his work ethic? I am wondering if he is not staying in shape and Dell Monty are concerned he may hurt himself in game situations. My understanding is that his knee problems were minor at the end of the season.
at some point i have to question if he's so unhappy that he's milking the hell out of this "injury"
Originally Posted by RaisingTheBar
I'm loving him sitting out right now. We are finding out a lot about our new pieces.
Agreed. Kid needs to get healthy and have his knees at full strength.
Contributor
When do we get concerned? They are paying him a lot of money for gaudy that is never healthy. If he doesn't play in at least 70 games this year, we screwed up signing him. I think we made a mistake.
Contributor 
We get concerned if he doesn't play on the 31st. And no matter what he does this year, you can't deem the signing a good move or a screw up. Just like you can't deem a rook a bust after only one year.
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Definitely NOT in the first half of training camp.
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Didn't he dress for the rockets game? That's a good sign. Personally, I want the kid to succeed, succeed with the hornets. I wish he can start going hard in time before the season starts. I know its killing him not to be out there playing.
Eric Gordon will start to increase his work in camp this week. Monty wants to make sure he is in good enough condition for actual games. My guess is he plays in three of the final four preseason games.
IDK
I find this believable, but he will have to follow this up by staying healthy enough to contribute in the way he is capable of...
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I think there was reason for concern well before he sat down at the start of training camp. That said, I think its very possible that they are just playing it safe and giving him time to get his body ready for the season. Remember, last Summer was a lockout (and I think he finished his last Clippers season on the bench with an injury), then he goes down with the knee and hardly plays during the season. This Summer, he plays a few weeks in team USA camp, and then starts the informal pre-season workouts. So the guy is not used to actual pounding on that knee 6-7 days a week for 30-60 days in a row. He got his first taste of it for over a year, and his knee got sore. I can understand that.
The question now is how hard he is going to work and how much pain he is willing to endure to be able to play through it. Plenty of NBA players have passed that test, and plenty have failed. With EG's talent and the chance he has to lead this young exciting team with a bunch of bigs eager to do the dirty work inside, you would expect a guy rise to the occasion. The fact that he had not already worked his way back through this type of rehab plateau is disappointing. But it is clear from looking at this kid that he is not a workout monster. He needs that external push.
We will know what Dell/Monty really think in December or January when they can trade him.
Last edited by Big Fan; 10-14-2012 at 11:26 AM.
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New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams hoping guard Eric Gordon plays before preseason ends
With two weeks remaining before the New Orleans Hornets open the regular season against the San Antonio Spurs, Coach Monty Williams is hoping injured shooting guard Eric Gordon will be able to play in a couple of preseason games.
Gordon has missed the Hornets’ first four games because of a sore right knee. He dressed for Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets but did not play because he continues to do rehabilitation work.
`` I’m not sure when we’re going to amp up the rehab and get him on the floor, it may happen this week or next week,’’ Williams said after Sunday's practice. ``But it’s like he’s out there, he’s in every drill or standing by the guys talking with them.
``I put a lot on Eric as far as stepping up as a leader. It’s a position he’s never really been in before. I think he’s going to make some strides in that area.’’
Contributor
Even if it's just one game, he's gotta get some PT with the group or we'll have to go through another set of growing pains. Cuz the team right now? They're getting used to each other in game situations. A player of Gordon's caliber is gonna change up the whole way teams defend us.
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