Suns News: The Offseason

[Ring_Wanted]

Tournaments every 4 years. That's all.

[carey]

Yep, I think that ankle needs a whole Summer off and there's a tourney every 2 years not 4, plus qualifying. Basically you play every Summer for some of these teams.

[virtual9mm]

The way he keeps on twisting his ankle, it's clear that his ATFL and CTFL ligaments are severely damaged if not completely torn. Rehab via strengthening the tendon can only go so far, and I was hoping that he'd get the thing fixed for good via the Brostrom procedure, which is close to 100% effective. That would have been a 8-month rehab for a pro athlete.

I suppose that he won't take this route. Expect the Dragon to miss 10+ games next year. This would have happened whether or not he played this summer, it's just that his ankle is shot. Maybe next summer.

[Superbone]

I can't imagine that he's agreed to play this summer on a "shot" ankle.

[INFORMER]

Dragic has agreed to play for Slovenia this Summer. That does not make me happy.

That's not good news, but I can't blame or criticize him for doing so.

[Superbone]

Dragic has agreed to play for Slovenia this Summer. That does not make me happy.

That's not good news, but I can't blame or criticize him for doing so.

Agreed. As much as we like the Suns and want them to do well, when your country calls on you, you can't turn your back on them.

[SwingMan]

Again - next deal Dragic gets needs to have a provision in there prohibiting non-olympic national team play. At this rate, he'll likely be done in 5 years or less.....

[SDC]

i don't blame him. That is his country and those are his teammates and friends. I would have done the same thing, if I was him.

Would you still do it if your employer that pays you $8 Million dollars a year asked you not to and made those wishes publicly known on numerous occasions thereby stressing the fact they don't want you to play....

maybe if the suns paid him 10-12 mil, he might consider not playing

As long as they are guaranteed, it doesn't matter if its 5 or 10 or 30. The only way to discourage it would be to make a NBA season ending injury susceptible to void his contract or at least that year's payment. Then you would truly know how much the players really love their country. They could buy their own insurance policies if they wish.

of course he wouldnt play if that is the arrangement. no player would play for their country if that is what is stipulated in their contract.

[virtual9mm]

I can't imagine that he's agreed to play this summer on a "shot" ankle.

I wish that were the case, but things aren't that simple with ankles. You can blow two ligaments and still be functional as long as you have strong tendons, the ankle just becomes prone to sprains. And that's exactly what we're seeing from Dragic. Doesn't mean that he can't play at a high level, it just becomes more and more injury prone.

I ripped one of the two ligaments doing an aerial kick when I was doing martial arts in high school, when I mis-landed on it. I did full-contact fighting all through college and a few years afterwards, played ultimate frisbee and did hard-core mountaineering. The sprains got worse and worse until one day, they just gave out of me at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Although advil and good hiking boots got me up, I started spraining that ankle once every couple of weeks just walking around, and finally had the surgery done.

Wish Singh were here to explain the details, but to make a long story short, I think that ankle's about 98% as good as new. Wish Dragic would just have the procedure done and stop being injury prone. The recovery time's about as long as one complete offseason plus a month or two.

[Superbone]

I can't imagine that he's agreed to play this summer on a "shot" ankle.

I wish that were the case, but things aren't that simple with ankles. You can blow two ligaments and still be functional as long as you have strong tendons, the ankle just becomes prone to sprains. And that's exactly what we're seeing from Dragic. Doesn't mean that he can't play at a high level, it just becomes more and more injury prone.

I ripped one of the two ligaments doing an aerial kick when I was doing martial arts in high school, when I mis-landed on it. I did full-contact fighting all through college and a few years afterwards, played ultimate frisbee and did hard-core mountaineering. The sprains got worse and worse until one day, they just gave out of me at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Although advil and good hiking boots got me up, I started spraining that ankle once every couple of weeks just walking around, and finally had the surgery done.

Wish Singh were here to explain the details, but to make a long story short, I think that ankle's about 98% as good as new. Wish Dragic would just have the procedure done and stop being injury prone. The recovery time's about as long as one complete offseason plus a month or two.

Interesting info. Thanks.

[Superbone]

Dragic seems to think he'll be in perfect shape for the World Cup:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... p/9617467/

Dragic said he has regained strength in his oft-injured ankles after a month of rest and will be in "perfect physical shape" for the World Cup, which is Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain.

[INFORMER]

And in mediocre shape for the 2014-15 season.

[Superbone]

And in mediocre shape for the 2014-15 season.

And breaking down during the final run for the playoffs.

[SwingMan]

No more non-olympic national team participation.....

[Shabazz]

No more non-olympic national team participation.....

International players tend to care a lot more about the World Championship than they do the Olympics.

[SwingMan]

No more non-olympic national team participation.....

International players tend to care a lot more about the World Championship than they do the Olympics.

I'm being nice - if it were up to me, there'd be NO national team participation. One you sign a contract, your responsibility is to that team & that team alone.

[SDC]

And in mediocre shape for the 2014-15 season.

would have been worse if the suns made the playoffs this year.

[Ring_Wanted]

No more non-olympic national team participation.....

International players tend to care a lot more about the World Championship than they do the Olympics.

I think they care about Olympics the most, like american players, but unlike them, the World and European tournaments are also of high interest. Which would be just fine if the schedule didn't make you play every summer.

[Mori Chu]

I'm being nice - if it were up to me, there'd be NO national team participation. One you sign a contract, your responsibility is to that team & that team alone.

Dragic's contract doesn't say such a thing. And it matters a lot to him. I'm bummed that he's going and putting miles on his body, but there's nothing we can really do about it.

[Sunsfan4life]

Not a fan of Dragic playing for the national team, but its his call.

I tend to side with Greg Popivich who has come out publicly before against his players participating in national team play. I think specifically when it came to Ginobili