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Who cares? Booker misses game 3, you bring Zion back and win it at home, you're up 2-1. Even if Booker is back, he may not be 100% and you've just added Zion and you're up a game. The potential reward is still large even if Booker only misses one game.Originally Posted by AUSSIE_PELICAN
Basketball.
I agree, i'm just trying to see it from the Pel's as to why they wouldn't.....that's all I got.
It seems a no brainer, but what do we really know?
lol see i knew you would come around it felt good typing that huh
This is exactly what I believed was the wrong reason to sit him. If he wants to play, LET HIM TAKE OWNERSHIP OF HIS OWN HEALTH! So, instead of getting Zion on the court to start getting used to playing with his teammates, we're going to "protect him from himself" and further fracture the trust and relationship he has with the team. Not only cowardly, just incredibly self-destructive.
And to be clear, I don't care if they bring him back and he's the reason we lose the series. It's time to make him part of this team, especially if he's dying to do it.
Last edited by DarkHornet; 04-20-2022 at 08:58 AM.
Agreed. This is the first time I’m hearing something that makes me think Griff isn’t placing enough of an emphasis on rebuilding the relationship with Zion and his family.
I think now the mindset is that Zion coming in now will be a net negative to this team. He's going to be clueless on defensive rotations, he's going to suck wind after going up the court one or two times, and he's not going to have his quick first step to get by defenders. We'll see a sieve on defense and a six foot six guy getting his shot blocked in his face because he's not used to the speed of NBA play. They might have to give him a quick yank.
Now if you are resigned to losing the series and just want to start integrating Zion with the team and build for next year fine. But my guess is right now the team probably thinks they can steal this series and don't want anything to upset that.
Another possibility is that Griffin has already decided to part ways with Zion, and doesn't want Zion's trade potential hurt by another injury, or Zion going out there and looking like ******.
I am sorry but that is just insane
If he is taking away minutes from key guys, sure. But he takes all of the Naji, Graham minutes and like 2-4 each from Jaxson and Val…you are a way better team
Always flip it. Go ask Suns fans if they want to see a Woj bomb that Zion will be back for Game 3
@mcnamara247
Agree. Heck, just the effect he would have on the Suns having to adjust their defense for him may pay dividends for BI, CJ and Trey.
Who cares what the fans think? If they've (the coaching staff) observed from practice that Zion's not in game shape, then odds are they aren't going to play him. Naji at least has played ok defense. I joked earlier that you could give him Graham's minutes, and you might get more consistent three point shooting, but from the coach's perspective at least Graham knows the team's defensive rotations (even if his defender still blows by him).
Personally, I'd like to see them give Zion a try because at the very least it would give them something to build on for next year. But if the team thinks that he's in such ******** poor shape that he's going to embarass himself out there and screw up the team's chemistry, then maybe the risk isn't worth the reward.
But if the team has already decided to move on from Zion, then you really don't have any motivation to play him.
Our fan base would lose their mind if Zion came back. Hell, some people would be talking championship. If we still get knocked out early, it at least still gives the fans, Zion, and the organization, a taste of how good things can be next year. Ticket sales would be bonkers. I know you said Griff would never do it, but, if Zion is fine and Griff denies him the playoffs, gotta imagine the bridge is officially on fire at that point. What odds are you giving Zion of playing in this series?
Zion was between the legs dunking WEEKS ago. He isnt some cripple. He can play. Maybe not 40 mins but Willis Reed could play 15 on a broken leg.
People are overthinking this IMO
what i've been echoing for a while now. People arguing he needed a long ramp up after essentially a year rehabbing are and always were dead wrong. I've developed a level of respect for griff and the front office, but this whole debacle has been beyond silly. We're not making basketball-oriented decisions at a certain point when we simply won't play a superstar guy when he's healthy. Ridiculous
He between the legs dunked A MONTH AGO
If he aint ready to play 15 mins now, why would people be so positive he can play 35 in October? The surgery was 10 months ago and the normal rehab is 2-3 months. Take the freaking bubble wrap off
That's such overated nonesense. Don't look at the dunk, look at the initial takeoff.
Zion's vertical is probably one of the lesser elements of his game. He thrives on super fast burst, unvelievable body control, touch around the basket, and quick second jump. The vertical just has to be enough to get his shot off at a certain level. Zion's body control has probably never left him. And his touch probably comes back without having to get in actual game condition. It's his second jump and more importantly his initial burst that's probably the most affected. Without it, Zion can be fairly easily guarded by length. It's Zion's suddeness that gives bigs trouble.
If he doesn't have it, he's not going to be terribly effective against the Sun's length. And on defense he's probably going to be a traffic cone.
If his burst has returned and they think they can get him in and out without his game conditioning being too big a factor, then maybe they'll risk it. On the flip side though, is you're asking a lot of Willie to try to integrate him (really a complete unknown for Willie) in the middle of a competitive play off series.
Point was that was a month ago. He has progressed all the way up to 5 on 5 almost two weeks ago. Ben Simmons hasnt even done 5 on 5's and they are gonna play him.
Is he in the best shape of his life? Nope. But according to those on the inside, he is in way better shape than he was in Summer League. Way better than the bubble games.
This whole mentality of waiting until he is absolutely perfect and then, maybe we might play him. BS in my opinion
If you're David Griffin, the best course of action is probably to leave the decision up to Willie Green and the coaching staff. If they feel that Zion is at a point that he can come in for limited minutes and help the team win, then play him. If they feel that he's not ready to make a positive contribution to the team's success then don't play him.
I think it would be a mistake to force Willie to play a guy just to massage the guy's ego in the hopes that he will want to resign with us in the future. You've finally found the right coach who has created a good atmosphere around your ball club. Don't f that up now.
If Zion can’t help the team more than Devonte Graham and Naji Marshall, then maybe you just cut him this summer.
This is the most efficient iso scorer of all time. Playing against a Phoenix team giving no resistance in the paint. What are we talking about here?!??!
Should I feel frustrated now?
I agree 100% that Zion should play, but let’s not act like he is a savior at this point and forget that this team is pretty DAMN good without him.
my take on the zion thing is this....
the org is in the driver seat right now with the best course of action taken when it come to zion injuries....yes the org is looking out for their investment as they should but the course they have taken has worked out in favor of the org because zion has not had set backs following the org orders and this is a fact as of today april 20, 2022......now you can say when the choice was in zion camps hands and he said/thought however it went, that he can play then thats when he had a set back doing it his camp way.......so you cant fault the org for best course of action when it come to dealing with zion injuries on how to bring him back because they are on point....zion camp takes an L on this ...
you cant fault zion for wanting to play because all players would think like that...if he feel some type of way about the way he is being handle and use it to go somewhere else then so be it and we deal with it...thats how i feel about that part...
the crazy part is, i also believe its some petty ego stuff going on in this on both sides with griff and zion dad.....correct me if im wrong but the zion is playing this season got louder when the team was at a point that the play-in was reachable....zion having video of him dunking leaked...the dad saying it loud zion is playing in interview.....so i do think griff had a moment in his mind where he said im going to stick it to yall lol by standing firm on his square by not playing zion.......griff thinking he is in the drivers seat and saying to himself that this pelicans team will make the play-in without zion because i have CJ,,ingram and baby Siakam with hopes of it happening and that part came true in very good fashion.......now griff saying to himself this pelicans team will win a game against the suns without zion with hopes of it happening and us winning a game also came true......now griff can beat his chest at zion camp taking Ls because the team achieved two things that majority of people didnt think would happen and thats winning the play-in and winning a game against the suns without zion.....griff has the peacock chest right now lol because zion camp cant say that if zion would have played then the pelicans would have won the play-in then if zion would have played then the pelicans would have won a game against the suns......that narrative is out the window now.........now the goalpost will be move for fans because the narrative is going to be, if zion would have played after the pelicans won game 2, the pelicans would have beat the suns in that series.........now this a lil jokey jokey after a huge win last night lol...but this might do have a lil something to whats going on...
100%. I don't want Zion to come in to be the savior. I want him in there to be part of this team, to build the relationship that will hopefully convince him to sign his extension.
I'd be down if he comes in and just bascially does a Big man version of Instant Grits Crawford. Come in with the second unit and and go get buckets. Play whatever defense you can, but go get buckets.
Keep him away from the starters though. No way he can gel with starter rotations and schemes that quickly.
The issue with Zion is- does he disrupt the flow and momentum of the team when he comes in? Personally I think these guys are above it and would welcome him back regardless of what is going on behind the scenes (which may be nothing to begin with). If he is ready and hasn’t burnt bridges, play him limited minutes to work his way up to fitness.
When people ask that question, it takes everything possible from blowing my lid.
So, yes, I guess it technically is a question. It’s just a very, very, very bad one
Agreed. But, I also think that injuries to Paul George and Devin Booker has this team looking a lot better than it would look without Zion.
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