Injury Status Updates

[rd79]

19 hours ago, AUhawksfan said:

Honestly I'm fine with the Millsap thing.  I'd much rather they do a preventative procedure now to prep for the season.

I feel like sometimes with things like that the player and coach agree to fight through it and midway through the season it becomes a bigger problem.  Nip it in the Bud!

For weeks earlier would have been even better... Or didn't they know about it then?

[Thomas]

17 hours ago, Spud2Nique said:

Riley the snake...smh..

 

if you don't cheat, you don't win. Riley's motto

That philosophy goes well with his mafioso look. Back a ways I liked him when he coached the Showtime era but when he went to New York it was too much about thug ball. Have not been a fan from that point on. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, rd79 said:

For weeks earlier would have been even better... Or didn't they know about it then?

It said the swelling started when they started playing 5 on 5 which sounded like it just started.

[hazer]

Swelling can be a sign of a tear. I tore my meniscus and my knee stayed swollen until I had it scoped. Hopefully Sap has something less than a tear, although I did recover quickly after the 'scopy.

[AHF]

On 9/23/2016 at 0:41 PM, kg01 said:

For those interested, on the 1-year anniversary of Bosh's last game (2/9/17), MIA has the option to request an independent doc to clear/not-clear Bosh.  If uncleared, they can wipe his salary from cap.  If he ever plays again, the salary will be reflected on MIA's cap once he plays his 25th game.

Per this guy (MIA reporter) on the radio.

If that is right then there is no big advantage to Miami by jerking him around. If any reasonable doctor will clear him, than the independent doctor will pass him and Miami will be forced to put him back in midseason or release him and they won't get the benefit of the cap clearing long-term.  

I'd think that his contract isn't so bad that they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't think his medical condition presented serious risk.  I am sure they don't want to reset the clock on the 1 year anniversary just so he can play a few games before getting disqualified again.

[Guest]

Portland did something similar wirh Darius Miles, declared his knee injury career ending.  Then he later signed and played with another team and his salary went back on Portland's books forcing them to psy a luxury tax.

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Miles triggers $18M salary hit, cap tax

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Jan 17, 2009

• ESPN.com news services

It came and went without fanfare -- and presumably fear of retribution.

Just more than a week had passed since the Portland Trail Blazers threatened their 29 fellow NBA teams with a lawsuit if someone signed Darius Miles.

Miles had already played in two regular-season games for the Grizzlies under a 10-day contract and six preseason games. Two more games from the small forward this season would cause a breach to the Blazers' salary cap, costing them $18 million in salary plus luxury taxes.

But Friday night, there he was, making his second appearance under his latest 10-day contract and fourth of the season for the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 10 points with seven rebounds in 14 minutes of a 101-91 loss to the visiting Utah Jazz.

The loss dropped the Grizzlies to 11-28 as they sunk farther in the cellar of the Southwest Division.

Miles' appearance cost the Blazers much more, however.

It placed the remaining $18 million of his salary back on Portland's payroll and counts against the Blazers' salary cap, forcing them to pay luxury tax.

The Blazers had sent out an e-mail earlier this month warning of possible legal action against any team signing the free-agent Miles.

"Persons or entities involved in such conduct may be individually liable to the Portland Trail Blazers for tortuously interfering with the Portland Trail Blazers contract rights and perspective economic opportunities," team president Larry Miller's e-mail read.

"Our purpose here was not in any way to keep Darius from being able to play," Miller said. "If he can come back and help a team to win and play at a level on the court that helps the team, we have no problem with that at all."

Miles set up the milepost by scoring 13 points in 14 minutes of a 102-87 to theCleveland Cavaliers in Memphis on Tuesday after signing the 10-day deal Saturday.

"Please be aware that if a team engages in such conduct, the Portland Trail Blazers will take all necessary steps to safeguard its rights, including, without limitation, litigation," said Miller in the e-mail.

Miller's e-mail prompted the threat of a grievance from the players' union, and Miles' signing by the Grizzlies quickly followed.

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

If that is right then there is no big advantage to Miami by jerking him around. If any reasonable doctor will clear him, than the independent doctor will pass him and Miami will be forced to put him back in midseason or release him and they won't get the benefit of the cap clearing long-term.  

I'd think that his contract isn't so bad that they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't think his medical condition presented serious risk.  I am sure they don't want to reset the clock on the 1 year anniversary just so he can play a few games before getting disqualified again.

You're not wrong but I think there's no "reasonable" (i.e. league "approved") doctor that will go against the Heat's guy.

Also agree his contract's not bad.  However, if you're the Heat and you don't see a future in Bosh, you want capspace more than that contract.

I'll direct the next comment to @JayBirdHawk since it kinda disputes my argument against AHF (and of course nobody wants to lose an argument to AHF) ...

 I think Brandoy Roy is another example of a guy that came back against another team doctor's wishes.  He was supposedly told he risked never walking pain-free if he played again and dumbarse Kahn at MN signed him.  I seem to recall a lot of people here wanting to sign that version of Roy instead of JoeJohn.  

[SalvorMallow]

19 minutes ago, kg01 said:

You're not wrong but I think there's no "reasonable" (i.e. league "approved") doctor that will go against the Heat's guy.

Also agree his contract's not bad.  However, if you're the Heat and you don't see a future in Bosh, you want capspace more than that contract.

I'll direct the next comment to @JayBirdHawk since it kinda disputes my argument against AHF (and of course nobody wants to lose an argument to AHF) ...

 I think Brandoy Roy is another example of a guy that came back against another team doctor's wishes.  He was supposedly told he risked never walking pain-free if he played again and dumbarse Kahn at MN signed him.  I seem to recall a lot of people here wanting to sign that version of Roy instead of JoeJohn.  

Yikes talk about the hindsight mistake of the century.  Joe Johnson dragged our franchise into "relevance" by getting us to the playoffs every year.  Imagine where we'd be had we taken Roy instead.

[AHF]

I remember that with Miles.  Was a big fu to Portland.  Big difference is that a healthy Bosh is still a potential All-Star while a healthy Miles by the time he returned was barely rosterable and never played again after less than half a season as a reserve for Memphis.  

Roy was also a big fu to Portland, coming back to play 5 total games.  Roy and Miles went on to play ~120 minutes and a little less than 300 minutes in their comebacks respectively.

Between those guys, Sam Bowie, Sabonis, Oden, etc. Portland has had more than their share of injury woes with big profile guys over the years.

[Vol4ever]

On 9/23/2016 at 11:29 AM, kg01 said:

Some people think the Heat want him gone in a manner that will allow them to recoup their capspace.  That's probably part of why he doesn't appear to trust the team docs.  I hope they're not that nefarious but I wouldn't put it past Riley.

This is a big deal too.  If he is cleared with other doctors, becomes a free agent, and signs with another team that salary goes against the Heat.  I bet the Heat is putting pressure on the other teams not to sign him.

[AHF]

27 minutes ago, Vol4ever said:

This is a big deal too.  If he is cleared with other doctors, becomes a free agent, and signs with another team that salary goes against the Heat.  I bet the Heat is putting pressure on the other teams not to sign him.

If you see above, the Trailblazers threatened legal action against other teams but that didn't stop them from signing these guys and none of them were as good as Bosh.  If he is healthy enough to pass someone's physical, he'll be on the cap sheet for the Heat one way or another.

[Guest]

Millsap's Absence Gives Deep Frontcourt A Chance To Shine

Quote

There is never a good time to lose a player who has made three consecutive All-Star appearances.

Forward Paul Millsap recently underwent a procedure to reduce swelling in his right knee. The Hawks hope to gradually work him back into form and hope to have him back to full basketball activities in about three weeks. He will miss at least the first two preseason games.

The Hawks have the next three weeks to test out their options for replacing Millsap, who fits the team perfectly and brings a ridiculous number of skills to the court.  And while nobody can truly replace a player of his caliber, the Hawks have proven depth in the frontcourt.

Here is a list of the best potential candidates to fill Millsap's big shoes as he heals.

Mike Scott

Scott could get some time filling Millsap's spot in the preseason. In addition to being Millsap's primary backup last season, Scott has skills which nicely complement the paint-dominating talent that Dwight Howard brings to Atlanta for his debut season.

It helps Scott's case that he put together the most efficient season of his four-year career in 2015-16. He converted 52.3 percent of his two-point shot attempts and 39.2 percent of his three-point attempts in the regular season (and those hefty numbers went up in the playoffs).

The top three things that Scott brings to bear on an NBA game are his ability to score inside, his accurate stroke on three-point shots, and his uncanny knack for finding open teammates with passes as he drives to the rim. In fact, it's his passing proficiency that may give him the nod as the starting power forward. 

 

 

Scott's passing best helps the Hawks on the plays where he sets screens. If the Schröder-Howard two-man game gets bogged down, a fine second option is the Schröder-Scott pick-and-pop. When defenses overplay Scott's outside shot, he is perfectly capable of making a play driving to the rim. If the help defense then slides over to get in his way, Scott is the best power forward option for tossing the ball to Howard as Dwight ducks in behind the help from the side.

To put it another way, the Hawks have two elite offensive weapons who take maximally-efficient shots: Howard working on the inside and Kyle Korver doing his thing behind the arc. To get those shots, though, both players need someone to get them the ball. Scott is the kind of player who can ensure that it gets there – while turning the ball over at one of the lowest rates on the team.

What would make the choice for Scott easier is if he maintains the defensive fervor he worked up in 2015-16. The Hawks' defensive rating with Scott on the floor – 95.3 points allowed per 100 possessions – was among the NBA's best for any single player. He played physically and did a good job denying opponents from getting to their favorite spots on the floor.

Kris Humphries

It is difficult to be both a great rebounder and an accurate three-point shooter. One skill involves leverage and jostling and raw physical force while the other requires gentle dexterity and the use of fine motor skills. There are few big men in the NBA who do both. Kris Humphries has become one of them.

Take the 2015-16 Playoffs, for instance. Humphries was one of two players (Kevin Love was the other) to make five or more three-point shots while collecting more than 25% of the available defensive rebounds when he was on the floor.

Even though Humphries is 31 years old, it is not unreasonable to think that he will improve this season. He only played with the Hawks for two months, so a full training camp and preseason should afford him the chance to get more familiar with Atlanta's offensive and defensive schemes. 

Another reason for optimism is that 2016-17 will only be Humphries' second season using the three-point shot. He has always been a good outside shooter, but last season he took his range out beyond the three-point line for the first time in his 12-year career. A new campaign should only help him get even more comfortable with that important shot.

Mike Muscala

Muscala represents an interesting choice in the search for temporary minutes at power forward. He is long. He shoots well. He is a versatile defender. He has a great feel for the game. It wasn't long ago that Muscala was an impact player in the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals win over the Washington Wizards.

The high points have come in glimpses. He hasn't ever nailed down a regular allocation of playing time, but the one chance in his career at extended minutes also came on a Millsap injury. When Millsap injured his shoulder late in the 2014-15 season, Muscala slid into a rotation spot and did well.

When he has been given the chance to play substantial minutes, Muscala has produced. In career games where he has played more than 24 minutes, Muscala has averaged 11.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting better than 60 percent from the field.

Putting Muscala into heavy minutes could also help the Hawks leave the rest of their rotation in place while seeing once and for all whether Muscala can be a reliable contributor.

Thabo Sefolosha (featuring Taurean Prince) 

If Humphries is the player who gets a bump in minutes against bigger power forwards, then Thabo Sefolosha may be the one who gets a boost against the smaller ones. Sefolosha's 7-foot-2 wingspan effectively makes him the longest of the Hawks perimeter players, so he is a natural choice for guarding small-ball power forwards. Sefolosha is also the best rebounder from among the Hawks' wings, and stationing him closer to the basket guarding power forwards would only magnify that skill.

Using Sefolosha to replace some of Millsap's minutes would also keep a solid amount of shooting and playmaking in the lineup.

Another nice aspect of trying Sefolosha at power forward is that it would make room for rookie Taurean Prince at the backup small forward position. In fact, lineups featuring Sefolosha, Prince and one other wing would have immense defensive flexibility – including the ability to switch on a large percentage of pick-and-roll plays – and Prince could easily be the one drawing the nominal power forward assignment in those situations.

Another alternative would be to just insert Prince into the role. It would be a lot to ask of a fresh-faced rookie, even though small-ball power forward might be the role that best matches Prince's talents at this early stage of his NBA career.

 

_____________

No one player is going to be able to replace Millsap, who averaged 32.7 minutes per game last season. It is going to take a collective effort from multiple players, and the principal replacements could change from game to game depending on the opponent. The good news for the Hawks is that their deep cast of bench big men, one which faced a potential logjam, can now be used to bridge the absence of Millsap.

The other good news is that Millsap's absence will take place in October and not April or May – and that the experience that his replacements get now could also help them make positive contributions come springtime.

Coach Bud said in a statement Thursday that he expects Millsap to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Story by KL Chouinard
Twitter: @KLChouinar

http://www.nba.com/hawks/features/millsaps-absence-gives-deep-frontcourt-chance-shine?cid=16features_web_social_092316_twitter_frontcourtdepthstory

[lethalweapon3]

... this is fine...

~lw3

[macdaddy]

25 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

... this is fine...

~lw3

well that sucks. 

[Watchman]

27 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

... this is fine...

~lw3

http://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/Schröder-sits-out-practice-with-ankle-injury/0Vmkjn05LnyzUk5rrSGTIO/

Looks like he'll miss about 3 days, including the free open practice. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Watchman said:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/Schröder-sits-out-practice-with-ankle-injury/0Vmkjn05LnyzUk5rrSGTIO/

Looks like he'll miss about 3 days, including the free open practice. 

Bummer .

What's up with our PGs and their ankles.

[Thomas]

Hope all this kind of stuff is done and over with by the season opener. Two starters out of practice for the moment. Very ready to see Dennis and D8 on some pick and roll play.

[Guest]

 

1.  

   Chris Vivlamore 

    

   ✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

   Splitter ruled out for Hawks first exhibition game http://on-ajc.com/2cTknym 

   Right hamstring strain.

   

   2h

    

[Guest]

Scott sits out practice for treatment

 

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• Chris Vivlamore
•   The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

3:11 p.m Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016  Atlanta Hawks

HAWKS

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Hawks forward Mike Scott did not take part in practice on Wednesday, a day before the team’s preseason opener at the Grizzlies. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Scott was receiving treatment during the practice session but did not elaborate on an area of possible concern. When asked if there was a potential issue, Budenholzer said “hopefully not.”

Scott had his knee iced before several training camp practices in Athens last week.

Scott played 14:40 of the team’s scrimmage on Saturday. He had one rebound and three assists.

The Hawks will be without Paul Millsap and Jarrett Jack for exhibition games at the Grizzlies on Thursday and at the Spurs on Saturday as they return from knee issues. Budenholzer would not say whether any other players would miss one or both games.

[Guest]

Chris Vivlamore 

 

✔ @CVivlamoreAJC

Millsap increasing workload following knee procedure.http://on-ajc.com/2dw1iQp