re: Shams: Zion unlikely to return before playoffs

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No player in NBA history as played his style of ball at his weight in relation to height.

Zion needs to realize that his current body makeup doesn't work and accept that he needs to change.

Dude could drop 40 pounds and still be the strongest player in the league.

He needs to look closer to Karl Malone than Big Baby.

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All of that is true. BUT it doesnt mean they should be holding him out right now.

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What would you like Griff to do? I’m genuinely asking.

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I just want honesty.

It’s been 95 days since Zion has played. I feel like there has to be some transparency. I get how a guy that can’t really condition for that period of time wouldn’t be in game shape, that’s logical. I also feel like a professional athlete would have to be incredibly careless to go downhill so far in such a short period of time to not be able to play himself into shape. It would be far from the first time a guy had to play himself into shape on the court.

But I would also like to know if Zion was in shape to the point that he could play himself into shape and they’re just being extremely cautious with him. I wouldn’t quite understand it, because clearly that approach hasn’t worked in the past, but transparency would be better.

I guess there’s still the chance he somehow has still not healed. But regardless…transparency. And just like last year, we haven’t heard a word from Zion, when Griff went on record saying he should have let Zion have a voice.

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I just want honesty.

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That's not the Benson teams' way. I like Payton but I think his stupid mind games shite with injuries has become the go to playbook for all of the Benson teams.

I'm not saying Gayle is involved at that level. She's not.

But Loomis and Lauscha go with that playbook and I'm sure they've told Griff how to operate as to not lose season ticket sales. It's backfiring spectacularly though.

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It has to be something related to Zion, his personal diet, preparation, or some combination of these things. He has a history of multiple injuries that take longer than average recuperation time to heal. I hope that someone is able to figure it out, and that he does what is necessary to fix the problem. If this is something inherent to him or his unique physical size and abilities, we are in for a long purgatory as Pels fans.

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I think it's a combination of the training staff and Zion.

I've said this numerous times, but I take so much away from when it came out that B.I. and Zion were making fun of CJ for... stretching. Zion making fun of someone for taking care of his body.

Stretching sucks, it's not fun. But if you have ever gone to physical therapy for a back or hamstring issue, it's basically just two hours of stretching. Stretching is so huge for athletes like these dudes, not just for healing, but for preventing injuries.

If Zion doesn't care, here comes the issue with the training staff. MAKE HIM DO IT. That is your freaking job. Make him do it. Make him take care of his body.

Then when he is healthy enough to play, here is a thought... LET HIM PLAY. Clearly the conservative route isn't the route to go. My god I never thought that Stan Van Gundy would be the guy to take physical health advice from but he is right, stop with the conservative and load management approach. That can be a negative for certain guys, and that is clearly the case with Zion.

Fire the training staff. They have done absolutely nothing good since they've been here.

I said in the other thread (before this Shams news) that I think that they made a decision to hold Zion out until the playoffs to maximize the chance that he can successfully play well in those playoffs.

We should still be able to make the playoffs without Zion. If we can't, then we aren't good enough to make a deep run anyway.

But this gives the team at least another week to work with Zion to get him ready. It completely makes sense to me that holding Zion out for this next week could give us the best chance to make a deeper playoff run.

I simply fail to understand how any of this means that I'm supposed to hate Zion or wish for Griff to be fired.

I’m asking you to think for yourself and not what ppl’s team leak to reporters to gain leverage.

Why would an organization keep their best player (whom they are also paying the max amount of money possible) out of an opportunity to play when they need him the most?!?! Why would the organization lose out of MILLIONS of dollars from playoff game attendance and TV money, eventual spike in season tickets, and ultimately for them to look like genius for building a young talented roster in a small market.

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sidelined since Jan. 2 with a hamstring strain

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A fricking strain. Dudes have had actual hamstring tears and surgery and made it back in 3 months. Pathetic at this point

The Easiest explanation is when Grif took over. He set defined responsibilities for the medical staff and training staff. Just like BI and his toe. He was released from the medical staff and took forever to be release to play by the training staff. The staff wants the player at 100%. Lower body injurys require both the medical staff and trainers to sign off. Then the player is given the option. problem does not take into account our standings or in season needs. This is the exact philosophy Griff brought in and Gayle signed off on.

Trade him

Clearly he's had a setback.