Not surprisingly, Robin Lopez still not 100%

by Pick1Team on Sep 7, 2010 9:02 PM MDT

From Seth's recently posted article and interview with Jared Dudley....The last sentence of the paragraph wasn't surprising, but definitely disappointing.

"Our second unit is strong. Our first unit chemistry has to get there. J-Rich will play a bigger role and Robin (Lopez). Robin now has to become someone who was a role player to a borderline All-Star for us to take that next step. If we ever want to get back there, it's going to be on his shoulders."

Jared had his first chance to work out with Robin today. He said the big man looked good, but still didn't seem to be 100%.

I wrote some time ago about Robin's debilitating back condition and while I hoped I was wrong about some of the things I had written and been told, all signs are pointing to a big problem on the horizon.

Bottom line is that training camp starts here in a few weeks and our big man, who, according to Dudley, needs to jump from role player to all-star is STILL not recovered from the same injury that happened 1 month prior to the end of LAST regular season. I could go on and on about how much this bothers me and makes me say, "DAMN!", but I won't because I've already done that, and its obvious to me that "borderline all star" expectations for a project big man with back woes aren't realistic. Above average center, yes, borderline all star, no.

Based off of Dudley's observations, how worried about Robin's health and development as a player is everyone else headed into this season??

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I think any of us would be lying if we said we weren't worried.

But still, all we can do is watch and hope. I don’t really know what else can be said about it at this point.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 7, 2010 9:12 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

I'm reserving my right to worry for October 26th.

by waxmonkey on Sep 7, 2010 9:24 PM MDT up reply actions

True. I don't even know why I keep talking about it...

  Suns luck is the worst. So much heart ache and pain over the years. I keep bringing it up because its my way of venting I think. I was really excited when Robin started to come into his own at the start of his second season. Now I’ve tempered my expectations, but I wish so badly that this lingering back issue that he’s got never reared it’s head.
   I was raving about the guy’s potential as a true center (physical presence on defense, good rebounder, capable offensive player with great work ethic and drive/will to improve on that end of the floor) to some of my friends and family members about 11 months ago, and now all that excitement and hope I had then has been deflated. Don’t get me wrong I still think he’s going to become a good player, even a difference maker at times. However, my expectations 11 months ago, for what I thought was a healthy 7 footer, with no lingering health issues, or weird characteristics like legs that are different lengths (Oden) were quite lofty.
   We will see what sort of legacy Robin cultivates for himself. My only hope is that his back doesn’t hold him back from beconing the player he strives to become and the player I had in mind when I raved about him all season long, until this injury occurred/became public 1 month before last season’s playoffs.

by Pick1Team on Sep 7, 2010 11:07 PM MDT up reply actions

Fingers crossed

by waxmonkey on Sep 7, 2010 11:17 PM MDT up reply actions

Without a healthy robin suAFROman will not be effective.

by Christian_33 on Sep 7, 2010 11:29 PM MDT reply actions

Okay...my brow is officially dampened.

I hope JD is just talking about BB Conditioning and not Robin’s Spinal Discombobulation.

by saint13 on Sep 8, 2010 1:06 AM MDT reply actions

I'm wringing my hands as we speak

Soon I’ll be rubbing a lucky rabbit’s foot.

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little to no influence on society."
~Mark Twain

by East Bay Ray on Sep 8, 2010 10:21 AM MDT reply actions

Also it's needs to be noted

that any concerns we have over Robin shouldn’t stem from a quote by Jared Dudley. I love Duds, but the guy is a chronic chatterbox. Remember the LeBron-to-NY rumor that he started? If he told me it would be hot and dry in Phoenix tomorrow, I’d find a sweater to wear.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 8, 2010 10:34 AM MDT reply actions

True

The quote would hold more weight if it were by Aaron Nelson, or Lopez himself.

by waxmonkey on Sep 8, 2010 11:06 AM MDT up reply actions

Or even Steve Nash and Alvin Gentry.

Don't trade Dudley!

by Beavis 25 on Sep 8, 2010 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions

a longer quote from JD on Lopez

“He (Lopez) didn’t seem like he was 100 percent to me (in Tuesday’s pickup games). He seems like he’s getting there. His conditioning looked good. He’s fouling a lot less. And that’s good because, when Robin’s out of the game, we have Channing who’s a two-guard out there 6-10 messing around. We need him and we need him on the floor. Whatever that temper, we got to bottle it all up and get him out there. He has to play major minutes for us.”

I see where Pick1Team is coming from, and Lopez may very likely be in and out for his entire career. But it sure sounds like Lopez isn’t holding back at this point, which is a good sign.

(from coro blog: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/97928)

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 8, 2010 11:36 AM MDT up reply actions

Nash has back problems too, but in Lopez’s case it’s worse since he’s a big guy playing in the paint against other big-men. I also believe he will be in and out for his career. The training staff is going to have quite a challenge keeping this guy healthy. That is why I hope that Channing can improve on the boards and hopefully a miracle can happen and we find a pretty darn good rebounding PF/C.

Don't trade Dudley!

by Beavis 25 on Sep 8, 2010 11:53 AM MDT up reply actions