Fired coaches, flawed rosters, frosty rapport with Zion

[PELSGIRL]

Was he making fun of Fletch too?

Zion gives @FletcherWDSU the "question of the day" award:

Asked about his relationship with the city and team pic.twitter.com/yocx1lgDby

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 27, 2021

You can tell he's annoyed. Honestly, this kid just wants to play ball and all the rumors (politics) of the game don't interest him that much. He had a issue w/ Griff and the way they used him the first year but we all did right? Clearly, he wants to win and he should want to win, I would hate to have someone on our team who didn't want that. Also, he's prob still influenced by his parents and they could be the ones not feeling New Orleans/the team as much and/or just concerned as parents are but as he grows he will get to make more of his own decisions so we shall see.

I do think it's not just Griff. I mean he has made some mistakes but he is trying to rectify those things. Zion has to do his part, keep that weight down and stay healthy. This injury concerns me a bit but hopefully he'll be ready by the season opener.

[luckyman]

You can tell he's annoyed. Honestly, this kid just wants to play ball and all the rumors (politics) of the game don't interest him that much. He had a issue w/ Griff and the way they used him the first year but we all did right? Clearly, he wants to win and he should want to win, I would hate to have someone on our team who didn't want that. Also, he's prob still influenced by his parents and they could be the ones not feeling New Orleans/the team as much and/or just concerned as parents are but as he grows he will get to make more of his own decisions so we shall see.

I do think it's not just Griff. I mean he has made some mistakes but he is trying to rectify those things. Zion has to do his part, keep that weight down and stay healthy. This injury concerns me a bit but hopefully he'll be ready by the season opener.

Issues with how he was used his first year? Like what? They should have played him in December instead of January?

I don't remember any problems with how he was used his first year.

[b_l_p]

Was he making fun of Fletch too?

Zion gives @FletcherWDSU the "question of the day" award:

Asked about his relationship with the city and team pic.twitter.com/yocx1lgDby

? New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 27, 2021

No, I think, he was honestly glad to get an open-ended question regarding the rumors, so he could address them and give his prepared response. That being said, his response (and the press conference, in general) make me believe he's not long for NOLA.

[Pelicanidae]

Issues with how he was used his first year? Like what? They should have played him in December instead of January?

I don't remember any problems with how he was used his first year.

He quite famously didn't like being used in bursts and wanted to play more sustained minutes. Which should surprise nobody, I expect most NBA players want to play, especially if they've been unable to for some time.

Many people on the board - me included - found the timing of his bursts pretty wonky and unhelpful. If he's only going to get to play 5 minutes at a time, you have to be selective with who he plays those minutes with and when they're placed in the quarters, and there was some concern over how those choices were being made.

[luckyman]

He quite famously didn't like being used in bursts and wanted to play more sustained minutes. Which should surprise nobody, I expect most NBA players want to play, especially if they've been unable to for some time.

Many people on the board - me included - found the timing of his bursts pretty wonky and unhelpful. If he's only going to get to play 5 minutes at a time, you have to be selective with who he plays those minutes with and when they're placed in the quarters, and there was some concern over how those choices were being made.

That thing?? This is another issue that never really came from his mouth. Maybe he didn't like it, but I never got that it was some major issue. Other than media, once again, trying to make it a major issue.

Especially since it only lasted a few games when he first came back. It's not like they had him on a minute "burst" restriction for half the games he played. We're talking maybe 5 games?

It also ended up with him having a pretty historic rookie season scoring wise.

[13 - 3]

Griffin showing up to Trey Murphy?s house after the draft pic.twitter.com/7woXgkQ406

— Quailman (Doug) (@IamQuailman) September 24, 2021

[Erose]

I think it is telling how tight-lipped this organization is, that no one leaked that Zion injured his foot and had surgery. You would think one of the supposal sources that Clark has would have leaked that fact to him.


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[PELICANSFAN]

No, I think, he was honestly glad to get an open-ended question regarding the rumors, so he could address them and give his prepared response. That being said, his response (and the press conference, in general) make me believe he's not long for NOLA.

Curious as to what about his response made you feel that way? It seems some just want to feel that way and even when the words come directly from the player's mouth, they do not want to believe it. What his response shows me is that he is not happy with the rumor spinning media we have that just likes to take any information they scrounge up and run with it without checking their facts first.

[Pelicanidae]

That thing?? This is another issue that never really came from his mouth. Maybe he didn't like it, but I never got that it was some major issue. Other than media, once again, trying to make it a major issue.

Especially since it only lasted a few games when he first came back. It's not like they had him on a minute "burst" restriction for half the games he played. We're talking maybe 5 games?

It also ended up with him having a pretty historic rookie season scoring wise.

I don't really think that's how most sports people think. Of course, I don't know him personally so I can't say this for sure, but I'd pretty surprised if Zion was thinking ''well, I did dislike those minute restrictions and my rotations at the time, but I did hit some historic scoring rates''. Much more likely, I feel, that he would see it as ''I was in historic company playing those minutes, imagine how many of those games we could have won if I had been allowed to play some more.'' People also tend to remember beginnings and endings more than what happens in the middle, and Zion's career began with a game against the Spurs where he pulled us within a handful of points towards the end of the game before being benched again, and his rookie season closed with 5 games in which he averaged 21 minutes per game and we went 1-4. That's probably what he remembers more than playing 33 minutes against Golden State in his 12th game.

[ml wave]

I think it is telling how tight-lipped this organization is, that no one leaked that Zion injured his foot and had surgery. You would think one of the supposal sources that Clark has would have leaked that fact to him.


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I would assume they're walking on eggshells around Zion, and if he (or his family/agent/people/whatever) didn't want that disclosed then they wouldn't say anything. Plus that's actually a HIPAA issue.

[Erose]

I would assume they're walking on eggshells around Zion, and if he (or his family/agent/people/whatever) didn't want that disclosed then they wouldn't say anything. Plus that's actually a HIPAA issue.

Quite honestly unofficial sources wouldn?t give a $$$$. What I?m saying is no body leaking this, is good testament that this organization runs a tight ship.


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[13 - 3]

Quite honestly unofficial sources wouldn?t give a $$$$. What I?m saying is no body leaking this, is good testament that this organization runs a tight ship.


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Congratulations you just won a one year premium membership to Nola.com

[13 - 3]

At least Griff. is not Dolan . Randle must have been drunk to like this ********

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCuQSbcrcDQ

[msusousaphone]

I think it is telling how tight-lipped this organization is, that no one leaked that Zion injured his foot and had surgery. You would think one of the supposal sources that Clark has would have leaked that fact to him.


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EXACTLY!

We go through this every time wannabe insiders show up here.

THERE ARE NO LOCAL INSIDERS IN NOLA

But still, the next time someone pops up shilling some pessimistic rumor, people will be drinking the kool-aid.

No one knew about the Boogie trade, they constantly whiff on the draft, didn't know about Zion's injury in the bubble, thought Boston were the front runners for AD.....the list goes on and on.

[Erose]

Congratulations you just won a one year premium membership to Nola.com

You can keep it. Don?t read tabloids.


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[13 - 3]

You can keep it. Don?t read tabloids.


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Jeff Duncan’s Super Duper Top Secret information added to the account make you change mind? A Zion poster?

[13 - 3]

A better article by Rod Walker

https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans...e23c12244.html

[Erose]

Jeff Duncan?s Super Duper Top Secret information added to the account make you change mind? A Zion poster?

It seems you are a little sore, because you were one of the fans, who accepted the gossip article as the gospel.


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[13 - 3]

It seems you are a little sore, because you were one of the fans, who accepted the gossip article as the gospel.


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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0

[13 - 3]

It could be worse. At least David Letterman is not one of our journalists

[b_l_p]

Curious as to what about his response made you feel that way? It seems some just want to feel that way and even when the words come directly from the player's mouth, they do not want to believe it. What his response shows me is that he is not happy with the rumor spinning media we have that just likes to take any information they scrounge up and run with it without checking their facts first.

Did you watch the video? He struggled to feign sincerity. It was very different from the rest of his press conference, and we know how little to believe the other stuff as well. I know the Clark article clearly has huge holes in it, but Zion's family not wanting NOLA is real. Zion doesn't get together in the summer with the team, or even talk to them, as we learned from BI's press conference. He avoided being around the team in Vegas. I don't know how many clear signs you need.

[Funcrusher]

Did you watch the video? He struggled to feign sincerity. It was very different from the rest of his press conference, and we know how little to believe the other stuff as well. I know the Clark article clearly has huge holes in it, but Zion's family not wanting NOLA is real. Zion doesn't get together in the summer with the team, or even talk to them, as we learned from BI's press conference. He avoided being around the team in Vegas. I don't know how many clear signs you need.

we do?

[PELICANSFAN]

Did you watch the video? He struggled to feign sincerity. It was very different from the rest of his press conference, and we know how little to believe the other stuff as well. I know the Clark article clearly has huge holes in it, but Zion's family not wanting NOLA is real. Zion doesn't get together in the summer with the team, or even talk to them, as we learned from BI's press conference. He avoided being around the team in Vegas. I don't know how many clear signs you need.

Yep, watched it and still do not get your, obviously, pre-determined conclusion. I think you are stretching to get to the conclusion you had before the press conference even occurred. Did you catch the part about him having surgery when the summer league started (which is around the time the team was in Vegas)?

[DarkHornet]

Did you watch the video? He struggled to feign sincerity. It was very different from the rest of his press conference, and we know how little to believe the other stuff as well. I know the Clark article clearly has huge holes in it, but Zion's family not wanting NOLA is real. Zion doesn't get together in the summer with the team, or even talk to them, as we learned from BI's press conference. He avoided being around the team in Vegas. I don't know how many clear signs you need.

I had tons of questions about him ghosting all the team activities myself, but I find the "rehabbing from injury" reason to be a compelling one.

[DroopyDawg]