LeBron Injured During Team USA Scrimmage
Written By: Rick | Category: Cleveland Cavaliers | Comments: 9The reports say it is a mild ankle sprain. LeBron has had a few of those, and with rest he is able to shake them off. So this shouldn’t worry Cavs fans too much, as long as we’re hearing the truth, and it is a mild sprain. With little time before the Olympic team plays their first exhibition game, here’s hoping LeBron doesn’t try to play before the ankle is ready.
Injury is always a danger when a team allows a player to represent his country in the games. The Cavaliers were thought of as hypocrites for allowing James to play but not Zydrunas Ilgauskas. The Cavaliers were afraid with Z’s injury history that it was too much of a risk to let their best big man play in China. Perhaps allowing James to play for the USA is a bigger risk considering the role he plays for the Cavs? Maybe there is less outrage about denying Zydrunas the opportunity because he wouldn’t be playing for America?
Author: Rick
Rick is a co-founder and editor of WFNY. His love of Cleveland sports is surpassed only by his faith and love of his family. Follow him on Twitter- @rickwfny.Rick has written 743 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
Precisely what I mentioned during the Z post a while back. Ferry denied Z (because he could, and) because he said the big man was an “important part” of the team. If that’s the case, what’s LeBron?
This is why I’m not a fan of Int’l hoops with our NBA stars. 82 games, then non-stop summer ball, then preseason and 82 games again? It’s even worse for the younger guys. Portland not having Oden play last year due to injury may have been a blessing in disguise.
I guess all we have to do is watch the injury updates… and hope that the China/Nike/LBJ connection doesn’t force unnecessary play too soon.
With great power comes great responsibility. It sucks that we have to share LeBron with the whole country, but you know what, LeBron doesn’t HAVE to agree to play for Team USA…he does it because he wants to. If LeBron wants to play for Team USA, then so be it.
But you can’t compare the Cavs letting LeBron play vs not letting Z play. I mean, come on, OF COURSE they’re going to let LeBron do whatever he wants. The Cavs want LeBron to be happy with them and re-sign. They don’t care if they piss off Z (which, Z has made no indication of). Furthermore, the Cavs couldn’t stop LeBron even if they wanted to, from what I understand. The only reason they could stop Z was because his contract was not insurable because of his injury concerns, meaning he had to be granted permission by the Cavs to play. Surely LeBron’s contract is full insurable, though, thus meaning the Cavs were powerless to stop him.
Injuries are always a concern, but to be perfectly honest, I take a lot of pride in seeing a member of the Cavaliers out there representing Team USA. Here’s to hoping for a healthy tournament for LeBron and a safe return to Akron.
Way to quote Aunt Mae spiderman, Rock.
geez this headline almost sent me into shock…thank goodness that “mild ankle sprain” was right below it.
And I second Rock. Its great to have (one of) the leader(s) of what will hopefully be a gold medal team be from good ol’ C-town
@ Ron Burgundy
Aunt Mae? That is totally Uncle Ben’s quote from Spider-Man. You gotta get it right.
It’s a little unfair to let one guy represent but deny another. At the same time, LeBron playing for the USA gives the Cavs (and LeBron) more publicity than Z playing for his country since US fans will be watching Team USA. Cleveland actually benefits more from LeBron playing.
Plus, if a guy has an injury history, he does have to be handled treated differently — with kiddie gloves — as far as his off-season goes.
This is why Mark Cuban is vociferously on record stating that he doesn’t think these guys with their GINORMOUS NBA contracts should be playing international ball. He doesn’t want to be selfish, but what is in it for the people who pay these guys their salaries?
Absolutely nothing.
To me it’s an age thing. Z just can’t hang for full games, so why encourage him to play in the offseason instead of resting? If LeBron wore down during the stretch next season we’ll be saying how terrible him playing in the olympics was. (I don’t think it will happen)
In a vacuum I would love to see Z representing his country. One because he’s a cav (is that correct singular for cavs? Never really thought about that). And two because it would mean so much to him to represent his country.
its all a moot point: as rock said, it’s in z’s contract that the cavs could stop him. it’s NOT in lebron’s. nothing the cavs could have done about it. i recall reading something a couple months ago about how very few players actually have it in their contract that their team can stop them, z just happens to be one of them.
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