[Commercialappeal.com] Not so Swift

[Deuce]

Not so Swift
The Stro Show taking long time to return after ankle injury
By Ronald Tillery, Memphis, commercialappeal.com
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/...640836,00.html
March 22, 2005

Here's hoping Stromile Swift never left his bed Monday.

Rest, Stro, rest.

By Thursday it should be time for Stro to run.

Run, Stro, run.

In trying to figure out which was more embarrassing -- Swift missing his 13th game last Sunday because of a moderately sprained left ankle or sitting in a uniform not prepared to play -- one had to wonder what really is on the fifth-year forward's mind.

Pau Gasol rushed back from a stress reaction in his left foot.

Shane Battier played two games with a 101-degree temperature that should have rendered him bedridden.

Jason Williams rolled his ankle and performed after two games.

Earl Watson has a busted left hand, a tender shoulder and would have missing teeth if not for cosmetic surgery. Yet the 6-1 reserve guard is, yep, playing.

So where is Stromile Swift?

He's back, all right.

He's back to being the butt of a joke heard during the Grizzlies' inaugural season in Memphis.

Whenever the team bus hit a bump in the road and players were slightly discharged from their seats, a teammate would sarcastically check on Swift.

The remarks would go something like this: Somebody check on Stro. He may have separated his shoulder.

Right now it appears Swift's view on his future is separated from reality.

Sure, he played well when Gasol first went down because of an injury. Sure, Swift can jump to Pluto if he wants, and he operates as the team's only legitimate shot-blocker.

But those credits he earned with fine performances before the Feb. 16 ankle injury at Boston have been spent on unexcused time off.

Swift has been cleared by doctors to play for more than two weeks.

He can play.

He should play.

He needs to play.

This is a guy fighting for a contract beyond this season, and he has shown no recuperative powers and little professional pride. For a team battling for a playoff berth, the Grizzlies are right to plan on excelling without Swift.

"I have never questioned a player in 14 years," Griz coach Mike Fratello said. "There's got to be a trust in all of us. If they say they can't go, then they can't go."

Something funny happened during Lorenzen Wright's exit from practice last week.

Wright, a sturdy veteran, repeatedly asked Swift if he would play the next night against New Orleans.

Swift ignored the ribbing.

Repeatedly.

When asked about needing to prove that he can play through pain, Swift downplayed the situation.

"I don't think it's a factor because the whole year I've played through injury and didn't talk about it. Everybody plays through injuries," Swift said, responding to a notion that he needs to dispel a career-long notion that he's fragile.

Swift has also talked about not getting enough "lift" to deliver the aerial assault he's accustomed to.

Still, one has to wonder if Swift's ankle is all that's weak.

Could he be receiving bad advice from representatives?

Swift never budged from a six-year, $60 million proposal to the Griz last summer. The Grizzlies' counter was to pay him an average of $8 million per season if he met incentives.

The two parties could have met at a reasonable six-year deal worth $42 million to $45 million.

Now Swift is making the Grizzlies' sticking point seem like Krazy Glue.

How can you invest so much guaranteed money in a guy who has played in no more than 67 games during three of four seasons in Memphis?

What is Swift made of?

Potential.

But who knows beyond that?

[littlefish_220]

Interesting!

Seems like he is too expensive for rox.

[littlefish_220]

And too fragile for JVG......

[gucci888]

Swift's value is going down and he is definitely not worth a
6yr-60M deal. Looks like the Grizz just need to stop babying him and joking around with him, a little tough love never hurt nobody.

A 6yr-42M deal seems very reasonable for a guy who really hasn't shown that much except ridiculous ups. If I had my pick, my list would go:

1. Chandler- Big defender, good rebounder.
2. Marshall- Good shooter, good rebounder.
3. Swift- Athletic defender, decent shooter, questionable toughness.
4. SAR- Look at Marshall.

[solid]

Swift is officially off my list.

[CriscoKidd]

I am leary of any sign and trade for Swift, because I think his value is exactly at the MLE. He's had his chance to make his mark, but hasn't taken it. Overpaying for guys based on potential got us into problems that we are just now getting over(MoT, Cato, Griffin, and even Francis to some degree).

Unless he's willing to settle for the MLE early on, I think the rox should look to other options.

Donyell will settle for the MLE I think, he would be an ideal fit on this team, and has proven to be a gamer.

SAR would be a nice option. I think he'll be involved in a sign and trade to a winning team in need of a starting pf(he will have significant pull in where he goes). We have expiring contracts + picks + those euroleague prospects. Hopefully that's enough to get in the bidding if his contract demands aren't too high.

Other than that, unless I'm forgeting someone(sure I am), I'd rather roll with what we have and gamble on adding pieces through the draft than overpay.

[VesceySux]

Originally posted by gucci888 A 6yr-42M deal seems very reasonable for a guy who really hasn't shown that much except ridiculous ups.

Wow. For a minute, I thought it was the year 2000 all over again, and we were talking about Kelvin "Potential" Cato.

[JayZ750]

You certainly have to question his intelligence. The guy was actually playing his way into the contract he wanted, and now this. Those $ values should be heading south about now, though inevitably someone will overpay. My guess is he goes to a crappy team and doesn't really stand out (ala Al Harrington).

It's too bad. A athletic PF machine rebounding and defending machine next to Yao would be perfect.

[SamCassell]

Originally posted by VesceySux Wow. For a minute, I thought it was the year 2000 all over again, and we were talking about Kelvin "Potential" Cato.

The guy was overpaid, but you can bet the Rox would love to have him back right now. He's exactly what they need at the 4. Per 48, he's averaging 14 and 14 this year.

[Davidoff]

We need to find a 4 that can ball like Mike James and has his small price tag.... Sorry, I forgot that wont happen....

[droxford]

Originally posted by Deuce Whenever the team bus hit a bump in the road and players were slightly discharged from their seats, a teammate would sarcastically check on Swift. The remarks would go something like this: Somebody check on Stro. He may have separated his shoulder.

Hilarious!

-- droxford

[VesceySux]

Originally posted by SamCassell The guy was overpaid, but you can bet the Rox would love to have him back right now. He's exactly what they need at the 4. Per 48, he's averaging 14 and 14 this year.

... And how long did it take for him to become serviceable?

[wizkid83]

Just to look at it from the other side. Pau Gasol has already gotten his max. JWill got his before the new CBA and has 3 years left on that huge contract. Shane Battier has 6 years left on his nice contract. Stromile is on the rookie contract (haven't made real cash yet by NBA standards) with huge potential. Let the man not take the risks until he feels he can be financially secure living the life he's accustomed to (and yes, if that argument can be justified to give a women half of a rich man's fortune, it can be justified in this situation).

Look, Rashad sat out the entire playoffs of Seattle to rest an ankle because his contract year is up. Now if he played on it, injured it worse and not get the big contract he gotten, will any body have enough pity on him and give him the big contract anyways?

As long as there's this big of discrepancy between the rookie contract and the other contracts of the NBA, you're gonna have borderline star level young players not risking injuries near the end of the rookie contract to get to the real payday. Not to mention if the contracts get shorten down to 4 years like most here would want, you are gonna see a lot of players not risking injury at the end of their contract.

[Fegwu]

There is question about his durability but is it any possible that Commercialappeal could likely be down playing his value for selfish reasons?

[Random.]

Originally posted by wizkid83 As long as there's this big of discrepancy between the rookie contract and the other contracts of the NBA, you're gonna have borderline star level young players not risking injuries near the end of the rookie contract to get to the real payday. Not to mention if the contracts get shorten down to 4 years like most here would want, you are gonna see a lot of players not risking injury at the end of their contract.

If we use this logic, then college basketball players who have shown flashes of skill should refuse to play, for fear of career ending injuries that would hurt their draft prospects. Andrew Bogut should have shot it down months ago, Jameer Nelson too.

If he thinks he'll get more money by refusing to play when he's cleared to play then he's not too bright, because potential or no, it'll cost him money when teams size up what he has to bring. (Especially given he'll want a long term contract.)

[GATER]

Man, I can't tell you how much I hope 28 other NBA teams swallow this line of PR crap leaked out by Jerry West to keep Swift's open market value down. Am the only one who remembers the other Grizz PR leak in Swift's 3rd year where his teammates allegedly referred to him as "Slow-mile"? Yea, right....

[wizkid83]

Originally posted by Random. If we use this logic, then college basketball players who have shown flashes of skill should refuse to play, for fear of career ending injuries that would hurt their draft prospects. Andrew Bogut should have shot it down months ago, Jameer Nelson too. If he thinks he'll get more money by refusing to play when he's cleared to play then he's not too bright, because potential or no, it'll cost him money when teams size up what he has to bring. (Especially given he'll want a long term contract.)

They obviously want to weigh their decision to not play with their perceive risk of injury. Bogut and Nelson feels like they are able to play and playing would be their best option. You can't tell me that if they had an injury and they felt that they have proven that they are good enough for a good contract/high draft status that they'll all put that in risk (some what, some wont but that decision should be left to the individual).

Lastly, it might actually be better if a player decides to sit out, look at some one like Penny Hardaway or Grant Hill, they chose to play through injuries and still got a big contract, just look at what happened to their careers and the teams that chose to sign them.

[gucci888]

Originally posted by VesceySux ... And how long did it take for him to become serviceable?

Cato was a very serviceable player for us. We just didn't see it that way because we got Yao soon after and we had to deal with his contract. But Cato is a big body, can rebound, and can block shots, almost any team in the NBA could use that.

Wow. For a minute, I thought it was the year 2000 all over again, and we were talking about Kelvin "Potential" Cato.

Well, to be fair, Cato's contract was very reasonable at the time, there was HUGE shortage of big men during that time and big guys were given big contracts everywhere.

Also, I'm not sure Cato had "potential," not as much as Swift atleast.