I am getting confused on where or what Rashard is doing... I need verification on this player. From what I heard last week is that he suffered an injured shoulder and might sit out the whole season due to the surgery. I then read an article of Rashard in the Sonics practice after the injury playing full contact... I dont get it.. does anyone know?
i know hoopsavenue is not a reliable source but this confuses me. ' http://www.hoopsavenue.com/nba/news.php#609 Lewis Back At Sonics Practice You could almost feel the relief as his shots swished from every side of the court. Forward Rashard Lewis returned to practice yesterday — back to help cure the Sonics' anemic offense. Lewis, the team's second-leading scorer last season (16.8), missed one week of practice after re-injuring his left shoulder in the team's first exhibition game. He first injured the shoulder last season in March, then reinjured it during the first round of the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs. Lewis participated in full-contact drills and added something the Sonics haven't received from many players outside of guard Gary Payton — made baskets. Seattle, 0-3 in the exhibition season, has shot under 40 percent in two of its games. "Having Rashard out puts pressure on everybody," Sonics Coach Nate McMillan said. "And right now we're really struggling because we only have one creator and that's Gary." The Sonics are especially having trouble inside, as its post players have been struggling with turnovers and foul trouble instead of establishing themselves in the paint. Second-year forward Vladimir Radmanovic and center Jerome James combined for eight turnovers in the double-overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Center Calvin Booth committed two turnovers and went scoreless in 13 minutes of play. That was against a wounded Clippers squad, which played journeyman free agents in place of Michael Olowokandi and Elton Brand, who are out with injuries. One Sonics player taking advantage of the poor post game is 6-foot-8 forward Reggie Evans, a non-roster invitee. Evans played 29 minutes Friday. "He's brought something to the floor that is missing," McMillan said. "Things like intensity, defense and rebounding. For that reason, I gave him more minutes. At camp, and in games, he's given us a lift.
this might clear some of the confusion http://www.tribnet.com/sports/story/1925618p-2037790c.html Lewis faces 'apprehension' in recovering from injury Frank Hughes; The News Tribune Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis rejoined his teammates Wednesday, a day after finding out the results of the magnetic resonance imaging scan on his injured left shoulder were negative. However, Lewis cannot resume practicing or playing with the Sonics until Friday at the earliest, which means he will miss Friday night's exhibition game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. Lewis said his goal is to practice over the weekend and play in Monday's home exhibition game against the Memphis Grizzlies - a welcome relief after he feared his season was in jeopardy because he felt his shoulder shift and pop in Sunday's game against Utah. "I was very relieved because I didn't want to go through surgery, this being my first year on my new contract and a lot of expectations on me," said Lewis, who signed a seven-year, $60 million contract last month. "I didn't want to sit out the year. I was a little nervous waiting in the room for the doctor to come back in. And when he told me everything looked fine, that it basically was normal, it brought a smile to my face." There still is an excellent chance that Lewis's shoulder will require surgery because most shoulder dislocations reoccur. However, Lewis said the team's doctors told him former Sonic forward Detlef Schrempf suffered a similar injury and never required surgery, which is why Lewis will continue to lift weights under the direction of strength and conditioning coach Dwight Daub. "The rehab I have been doing the whole summer, I am going to have to continue that now," Lewis said. "I am going to have to focus more on strengthening it and doing that every day. "If it (dislocates again), I will have to deal with it then. But now I am trying to get myself mentally ready to go out on the floor and play without thinking about my shoulder." Dr. Kevin Smith, an orthopedic surgeon at the bone and joint center of the UW Medical Center, said most athletes who sustain this injury and experience subsequent injuries suffer what he termed "apprehension." "When they start to raise their arm up," Smith said, "they start to think about it (dislocating), so they do it in a shyer and meeker way." Sonics coach Nate McMillan said he spoke with Lewis on Wednesday morning about getting over any apprehension. "I don't want him to be hesitant out on the floor," McMillan said. "I think he has to continue to work, to play the game as if that injury never occurred. When you are hesitant and tentative is when you normally injure yourself. He has to get around that fear ... and continue to play the game."
Thanks UTweezer i dont know if he'll be good for the fantasy league but ...im not going to take the chance on him.
