The uncomfortable tone of Eric Gordon's situation

[Saints Fan in A]

he Eric Gordon situation is frustrating for everybody involved, but the turn it's starting to take is making me uncomfortable.

When the trade of Chris Paul away from the Hornets was first announced and we found out that Eric Gordon was in the deal, many Clippers fans were wondering if it was smart to make that deal with the potential of acquiring such an injury-prone guard. Considering Gordon missed seven more games between 2009 and 2011 than Paul did, I can only assume Clippers fans were worried about the Hornets at the time.

Eric Gordon has been an up-and-coming shooting guard in this league for a few years now. People marvel at his talent and athleticism. They get dazzled by the tenacity and physical nature he displays when attacking his opponents. It feels like he's knocking on the door of stardom.

Because of his considerable talents, you hate to see him sidelined with various injuries and that's all we've seen with him recently. Back in January, he was sidelined with a knee contusion for weeks. After playing for the Hornets on January 4th, he didn't return to the Hornets' lineup until April 4th that year. In between those times, he had orthoscopic knee surgery to clean out his injured knee.

Gordon played in seven of the final 13 games of last season and played well. He showed the fans exactly what everybody had been missing. Once the Hornets won the lottery and we found out Anthony Davis would be heading to the New Orleans, it seemed like the organization was finally taking a turn in the right direction. They had a new owner, they had the best player in college joining them, and they had the restricted free agency rights to Gordon.

And that's where this seemed to take its first dark turn.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ey...dons-situation

Zach Harper seems to feel that the Hornets organization is doing Gordon wrong...

[new city champ]

It's a confluence of events. Gordon, the "big piece" we got out of the Chris Paul trade (after Stern vetoed the club's first deal) has really yet to suit up for the organization. His condition, as Jeff Duncan pointed out today, has continually been portrayed as a minor injury that just needed a little time to heal. Frustration built as Gordon broadcast his desire to play for another team (possibly feeling "disrespected" by the Hornet's delay in offering him a max deal) and tried out for the Olympic team after he couldn't play for his NBA squad. After he got his deal, fans finally thought they'd get to see the player that was touted as the cornerstone of the franchise, only to have this "minor" knee injury appear once again, benching him for the start of another season. Frustration boiled over and I think that is understandable. The longterm situation can still be fixed if Gordon can get back out on the floor in the next few months--and stay there.

[Luke's Pelicans]

Lame article. Assuming stuff when he has no idea what's going on. I won't even get into quoting Jeff Duncan.

[AD23nEG10]

nobody just wants to sit out... nobody enjoys watching basketball from the sideline whether you like your current situation or not. These guys play every day since they're in elementary school. He wants to play, every basketball player wants to play basketball. Even seeing how games unfold and knowing you could make a difference is even tougher. He's signed for 4 years... i'd rather put this injury to bed and have him miss the beginning of this season than let it linger. We're rebuilding, young guys will get minutes while he's out. This isn't the worst thing in the world and I understand it's frustrating and hard to believe him but you have no proof behind it. You can argue the other way as well, but we have nothing to gain from bashing him. Support him because thats who we are.

"I understand the frustration, but I'm not sure the uncomfortable nature of the things being said is the best path to take during his recovery."

[FlyGirl]

Lame article. Assuming stuff when he has no idea what's going on. I won't even get into quoting Jeff Duncan.

The same Jeff Duncan that hears it from Saints fans every chance they get?

[jawznola]

The same Jeff Duncan that hears it from Saints fans every chance they get?

People can hate Jeff all they want, but he is the BEST sports write at the TP and I agree with him on his last article. The guy is impartial, that's why some Saints fans get pissed at him.

[Unknown Poster]

Duncan is a mixed bag but people at SR.com hate him because he has the audacity to use critical thought. Some fans just want to read 'rah rah everything is peachy' fluff articles.

[DroopyDawg]

"He probably does feel pain; that would be the only reason why a guy can't play," Williams said. "For me to try to read an MRI ... I'll find out more as we go forward. I try to not get into all that because that would just make me upset."

Williams said on Monday he would check with team physician Scott Montgomery to ascertain if playing Gordon would cause additional damage.

"I've checked with Doc," Williams said, "but for him to explain to me what's going on with his body and then have Eric feel a certain way doesn't matter. You know what I'm saying? If Doc says one thing and the guy is feeling another, then you have to . . . what am I supposed to say?

"I'm sure it's got to be medical. A guy just can't not play. It's got to be medical. At this point of the year, everybody is excited to play. I'm sure it's medical."

[Unknown Poster]

Translation: Man, why did we match the offer on this guy?

[cki3915]

It's one thing to be critical. It's another thing to be continually factually wrong. Mike Triplitt is critical. Larry Holder is critical. Jeff Duncan is continually factually wrong, and surprise surprise, the TP took him off of the beat and put him in a columnist's role where the facts really do not matter. Duncan would rather kiss up to the national press and regurgitate their talking points than actually be a journalist, because I doubt he wants to be the next Peter Finney.

Now, as to Gordon's knee, this is a problem throughout the NBA. There seems to be a disconnect between some players and the team doctors. My guess is that Gordon re-injured his knee sometime before he signed with the Suns and covered it up so that he'd still get his max deal, probably thinking that it would be good by the time the season started. So, that is the story that he told the Hornets and probably the story he told the Suns. Well, the season is here and it is not better, and I would guess that sometime in the last week the Hornets finally heard the truth and they are unhappy, and Gordon is probably unhappy that they are unhappy and he probably mad that he cannot play, so Monty seems irritated and Gordon seems irritated. But, so that neither side throws the other under the bus, the fans get the "he's out indefinately and don't ask about it again" line from both sides. But, then tension is evident and the writers throw out the random speculation.

[MonsterMash]

Duncan is a mixed bag but people at SR.com hate him because he has the audacity to use critical thought. Some fans just want to read 'rah rah everything is peachy' fluff articles.

Disagree. Duncan's stance essentially is even if the NFL doesn't have all of the goods on the team, the Saints still obviously did 'something' wrong and fans need to let it go. Which is ludicrous ... it's like saying someone should get the death penalty for jaywalking.

[Bongzilla]

As the previous two posters above stated,,,, how can anyone defend Jeff Duncan? It is clear that his only intent was to appease the national media/writers with the hope of launching a greater career. He attempted to do this while positioning himself against his home team. I am all for fair / non-biased journalism, and I welcome both positive and negative insight ----- but it must be factual. It must come from actual research, not regurgitation from other un-informed journalists.

[kidjock24]

Please just stop reading Jeff Duncan. He used to be a good read, but I like others believe he has gotten lazy and is just trying to position himself for his next job. The guys gets facts wrong routinely.

[NDHornet]

Disagree. Duncan's stance essentially is even if the NFL doesn't have all of the goods on the team, the Saints still obviously did 'something' wrong and fans need to let it go. Which is ludicrous ... it's like saying someone should get the death penalty for jaywalking.

Echo. How can anyone say that Duncan is capable of critical thought when he takes the NFL's evidence at its word and concludes that some of it is "damning" for the Saints?

On topic: at this point, Gordon is who we thought he is. We're delusion if we expect him to be able to play an entire season given his displeasure with out organization and his injury history.

Trade him for backups ASAP and let's wash our hands of this mess.

[Miss_318]

I honestly havent been this disgusted with a NOLA athlete since Aaron Brooks (If I ever see him in public its gone be a problem)....

[P Raff]

I honestly havent been this disgusted with a NOLA athlete since Aaron Brooks (If I ever see him in public its gone be a problem)....

Baron Davis was the alltime worst, at least since I've been alive. Eric Gordon is nowhere close to that right now. I'm gonna hold out for a little bit, try to restrain myself. Cause he's too damn good to throw under the bus right now.

[P Raff]

Sportcenter Text- "Eric Gordon will consult a specialist, may face microfracture surgery on his knee, sources tell ESPN.com"

[BallSoHard]

I honestly havent been this disgusted with a NOLA athlete since Aaron Brooks (If I ever see him in public its gone be a problem)....

Sportcenter Text- "Eric Gordon will consult a specialist, may face microfracture surgery on his knee, sources tell ESPN.com"

F

[nolaslim213]

Microfracture is bad news. Takes over a full year to truly recover, and if you come back too soon, then you have to do it again. I'd rather him just go to Germany and get that illegal, miracle surgery that worked wonders for several prominent athletes.

[BallSoHard]

Microfracture is bad news. Takes over a full year to truly recover, and if you come back too soon, then you have to do it again. I'd rather him just go to Germany and get that illegal, miracle surgery that worked wonders for several prominent athletes.

That's not a surgery. If there's structural damage you still have to get it fixed.

The procedure, known as Orthokine/Regenokine, will be performed by Dr. Peter Wehling. Bryant initially underwent the procedure to prevent the inevitable wearing down of his knee cartilage. The procedure is a derivation of platelet-rich plasma therapy, or PRP. The procedure, which is not yet performed in the United States, is less invasive than many, if not all, other forms of knee surgeries presently used.

According to the source, Bynum is not feeling any pain in his knees. However, the center wants to explore any options that will help to prolong the healthy status of his knees. According to the source, Bynum was so impressed with the results that Bryant experienced last season that he agreed that exploring the procedure was a viable option.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ey...tball/19789626

[Biasvasospasm]

Most guys don't return to previous form after microfracture. If this happens, Eric Gordon will be an albatross around the neck of this franchise which will prevent us from surrounding Anthony Davis with an adequate supporting cast. Matching is looking increasingly stupid.

[Miss_318]

One important part out of that article that stood out to me:

The idea of microfracture surgery was broached with Gordon last season, sources told ESPN.com, but Gordon was resistant to such serious surgery heading into his free-agent summer. Gordon, 23, did end up having arthroscopic surgery -- a lesser procedure -- in February.

Basically he should have gotten it done earlier....but instead he was worried about the money


CP3 refused the extension and stayed on the original contract. Got the microfracture surgery KNOWING he wasn't going to stay but needed the time to heal and at least get back on the court for part of the season. Played well...got us into playoffs thus upping his resume...gets traded before the next season that set us up nicely and moved him to a bigger market where he wanted to be. This was basically what CP3 did. And Gordon should have done if he really was thinking about his overall BASKETBALL future and NOT the money.
Gordon tried to have his cake and eat it too....now both him and the Hornets are stuck in a situation they don't want to be in.....nice.

[Unknown Poster]

Disagree. Duncan's stance essentially is even if the NFL doesn't have all of the goods on the team, the Saints still obviously did 'something' wrong and fans need to let it go. Which is ludicrous ... it's like saying someone should get the death penalty for jaywalking.

The Saints biggest crime was stupidity. After being warned by the NFL to stop whatever it was they were doing they continued. And, yes, fans need to let it go because nothing is going to change. It is time to move on.

[CarnbY]

Sportcenter Text- "Eric Gordon will consult a specialist, may face microfracture surgery on his knee, sources tell ESPN.com"

If this is the case it seems like they should have gotten a second and a third opinion on his knee condition a long time ago...

[Miss_318]

If this is the case it seems like they should have gotten a second and a third opinion on his knee condition a long time ago...

They asked him last season to get the surgery but he refused because he wanted to go thru FA. Read the whole article i highlighted it in my post above.