Gordon rejoins Hornets Saturday/Interesting read on EG injury page 3 {merged}

[Eman5805]

AD has missed 13 of the 25 games I agree and no one could have predicted that. But he is back now and we are still 2-10 when AD plays. One player, even the caliber of Gordon, shouldn't make that much of a difference.

AD hasn't been given the ball to win us those close games but maybe once or twice? Either he'll learn how to win games in the clutch. I know Rivers can score clutch shots, but the ball is never in his hands. It's always in Vasquez's incapable hands.

A player of a certain caliber CAN make a huge difference. Especially when your team's best are so inexperienced. I mean there's only 5 guys on the court at any given time.

I mean think about how many times you've thought to yourself 'Game is close. If only we had a go to guy right there we didn't need to run through a dozen screens to get a good shot."

[PELICANSFAN]

Reading this makes me think Gordon is a little strange. First, I am no fan of the Hornets' medical staff, but he has yet to prove that rest will work, so let's reserve judgment. Second, I cannot believe that he fought over $500,000 a year for 5 years and then turned it down when the Hornets basically said they would give it to him is he played 75% of the season. Sounds like he is content taking money while he sits on the bench. His negotiating tactics are unprofessional it appears.

[BallSoHard]

He ended up getting 1.5 mill per year. Seems like a good business move for a business that has a very short expiration date. The whole heart in phx was dumb but I think he did well for himself.

Hornets said u can't get this elsewhere he said yes I can, and he was right. I've never been mad at him for that.

[Snarly]

Reading this makes me think Gordon is a little strange. First, I am no fan of the Hornets' medical staff, but he has yet to prove that rest will work, so let's reserve judgment. Second, I cannot believe that he fought over $500,000 a year for 5 years and then turned it down when the Hornets basically said they would give it to him is he played 75% of the season. Sounds like he is content taking money while he sits on the bench. His negotiating tactics are unprofessional it appears.

If he was going to agree with the team for an average of 13.5, He was doing it in good faith. We obviously had an opportunity to avoid the whole debacle but we decided to penny pinch over 500k per. I can see why I felt the team wasn't committed to him. You may see it as only 500k a year, his agent and him is looking at it like a 4-6 Million dollar lost for accepting a deal like that. Love him or hate it, there are still 2 sides to every story. The Hornets could have avoided this whole mess in the first place.

[groundpatty]

Monty asks Hornets fans to go easy on Gordon when he returns, and Gordon comments on contract negotiations -

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ho...193244372.html

New Orleans coach Monty Williams is asking Hornets fans for a favor regarding Eric Gordon, who plans to return to practice next week after rehabbing a knee injury: Give him a second chance.

"Our city has been a city of second chances," Williams told Yahoo! Sports. "This situation should be the same way. Eric said some things. But if you polled most of the people in our city about the things they said at [age] 23, I'm sure they had some regrets. We want our city to embrace him because that's who we are."

The words that caused such a stir for Gordon in New Orleans came in a statement he made after signing a maximum four-year, $55 million offer sheet with the Phoenix Suns this past summer. "I strongly feel they are the right franchise for me. Phoenix is just where my heart is now," Gordon stated.

Gordon told Yahoo! Sports he regretted those words, but there was a reason he was so cavalier.

"Of course I did [regret it]," Gordon said. "But that was the only way to push the table on the Hornets. To get a deal done I was willing to negotiate. My agent and I were going through negotiations with them. But they weren't leaning into really giving me one. So I had to ride with Phoenix and from Day 1 they weren't playing games."

Even when he's being sincere, his comments never seem to translate well in print.

[nolaslim213]

I love my head coach.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

“Part of his reasoning for turning it down,” the source said, “was he thought (the team) was jerking him around on the medical opinions so they could negotiate him down. The timing couldn’t have been worse. It created risks for everyone.”

This to me explains things a little.

[Mr. Mojo]

I love my head coach.

Me too. And i understand their angle, but Gordon haters make me embarrassed of our fanbase sometimes.

[Eman5805]

My own personal switch flip to animosity only really kicked itself off when he went from one practice where I heard they ran a special end of game play that he drilled to "Out indefinitely." Felt totally let down and frustrated. If Monty wants us to give him a second chance to prove himself on the court...then he'll get it.

It's to the area where, even though it might be incredibly unfair, he can't miss any more time for more injuries.

[kinglio21093]

Me too. And i understand their angle, but Gordon haters make me embarrassed of our fanbase sometimes.

Ditto. It's obscene how much hate the guy gets.

[Mr. Mojo]

He can't miss any more games though. Simply can't.

Fair enough. Actually, thats completely fair. But all of the extracurricular "hatin" activities (even the funny jokes - and they are funny) are indicitive of a certain BD CP3 complex. Players want to be a part of our team now, so get wit it fellas!

[The JNR]

He says the team is having a terrible year so far, but doesn't acknowledge that with him, they wouldn't be doing as terribly.

[RhythmNathan]

Coach: "Dear fans, I know it's been over a year and this is the first time the team or player has been candid about this situation. But we couldn't get equal value for him ya see. So we need him to come back to raise that trade value. He now understands this and is willing to quit sabotaging his career. We need you the fans to treat him like this never happened cuz he's super sensitive and might quit on himself again if people give him a hard time about being so greedy and selfish. And if he doesn't play we can't trade him. I never get involved in stuff like this but he's ruining my career."

Me: "Yeah coach I got you. Similar to EG I will feign sincerity until we can get someone in here worthy of actual sincerity from the fans. Continuing to be a jerk could turn the tables on us as the bad guys and we don't want that. I promise to quit tweeting him pics of the grinch with his face on it. My bad y'all."

[Hornetnojersey]

“Part of his reasoning for turning it down,” the source said, “was he thought (the team) was jerking him around on the medical opinions so they could negotiate him down. The timing couldn’t have been worse. It created risks for everyone.”

This to me explains things a little.

It makes so much sense. Any player would have reacted the way Gordon did. Hopefully the team will learn from their mistakes and hopefully Gordon will handle his words better next time

[luckyman]

It's just all too awkward. Thats what rubs fans the wrong way. You go from playing 9 games and only sitting out because the coach wants to play younger players (not due to injury), then you try out for the Olympic team which you would expect to have to play about 20 games over the summer....

...then when it's time to play for the team that pays you 14.5 mil, you're sore again? For 2 months? When, why, and how did that happen? What happened between July and October to cause this? Nobody knows or says a thing.

Do you really wonder why some fans are just fed up? Especially since most of that struggle is because your big money guy may or may not be BSing around?

[WhoDatPelican]

Great Quote from Monty on Puddin's return. I agree.

“Our city has been a city of second chances,” Williams told Yahoo! Sports. “This situation should be the same way. Eric said some things. But if you polled most of the people in our city about the things they said at [age] 23, I’m sure they had some regrets. We want our city to embrace him because that’s who we are.”
Read more at http://www.hoopsworld.com/will-fans-...eZEu8DzChTY.99

[RhythmNathan]

The guy (Stephen?) on Hornets Live just said he'd be surprised if EG plays "by February if you're lucky." Wait, what?! Does he have another source that we're not aware of? Do they have sources over there?!

[Ceedee M]

The guy (Stephen?) on Hornets Live just said he'd be surprised if EG plays "by February if you're lucky." Wait, what?! Does he have another source that we're not aware of? Do they have sources over there?!

I knew it. I said awhile ago I wouldn't expect a healthy lineup till after the All Star break. The org is becoming so predictable.

[Snarly]

You've already heard from the horses mouth predicting that he'll play by the end of the month. There's no better source than the man himself.

[Ceedee M]

It's just all too awkward. Thats what rubs fans the wrong way. You go from playing 9 games and only sitting out because the coach wants to play younger players (not due to injury), then you try out for the Olympic team which you would expect to have to play about 20 games over the summer....

...then when it's time to play for the team that pays you 14.5 mil, you're sore again? For 2 months? When, why, and how did that happen? What happened between July and October to cause this? Nobody knows or says a thing.

Do you really wonder why some fans are just fed up? Especially since most of that struggle is because your big money guy may or may not be BSing around?

Heh! No need for fans to apologize. Fans are not the bad guys here. He made his bed; he needs to lie in it.

[Vinny6420]

This whole situation is ugh

[Kyrios]

Eric Gordon ‏@TheofficialEG10

Back in NEW ORLEANS, finally I can sleep in my own bed.

The prodigal son returns.

[Bee-Fense]

Fans don't need to apologize over anything, but they need to get over it once he's back on the court. I really hope he doesn't get booed too bad (or at all) when (or if) he plays his first game this year. The team needs our full support.

[42]

You can't have salary or bonuses tied to number of games played.

I'm not sure where that's coming from, but that bit is a fabrication on someone's part.

[luckyman]

The prodigal son returns.

The question is...did he make a pit stop in Phoenix to pick up his...

okay I'll stop.