Joakim Noah, who recently signed with the Clippers for the rest of the season, might have joined the team earlier if not for an accident in September, writes Garrett Chorpenning of Sports Illustrated. Noah had a workout scheduled, but was forced to cancel after getting hurt.
“In September, I had a freak accident and cut my Achilles, and you know, I told myself that that’s just not how I wanted to end my career,” Noah told reporters today. “So you know, the day after the surgery, I was in the gym working out with the hope of making this team. I knew that if I didn’t keep training and if I got a call from the Clippers and I wasn’t ready, I knew I would have regrets for the rest of my life. … Being in a position to win a championship, it’s not something that I take for granted.”
The 35-year-old center finally joined the team on a 10-day contract in March, just two days before the hiatus began. Late last month, he signed a deal that covers the remainder of this season and is non-guaranteed for 2020/21.
There’s more regarding the L.A. teams:
- Clippers guard Lou Williams was “50-50” about coming to Orlando, but respected the results of a team vote, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “We decided our decision was going to be everybody or nobody,” Williams said. “… We decided to come as a group. I’m part of the group. I have a lot of thoughts, ideas I felt strongly about personally, but I represent a group.”
- After not traveling with the Clippers to Orlando, Kawhi Leonard joined the team last night, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Coach Doc Rivers said he hasn’t decided what to do with Leonard’s minutes yet, but having a fully healthy team will make it easier to rest him, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
- Lakers star LeBron James will wear his name on the back of his jersey rather than one of the league-approved messages regarding social justice, according to ESPN. James said the available options “didn’t seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal.” He adds that he never feared that the NBA wouldn’t finish its season. “No, never crossed my mind that we did not need to play this beautiful game of basketball that brings so many people together,” James said. “That brings happiness. That brings joy to the households of so many families.”
Finally King James not getting political!!
I
He wanted to use Taco Tuesday or some other form of self-promotion, but the league wouldn’t let him. Gotta look out for the LBJ brand.
Absolutely agree LBJ is only worried about the $$. If it don’t make dollars it don’t make sense.
Correct
Since he couldn’t have his own unique name/jersey…
he didn’t want to have the same jersey that says, “ENOUGH” that other players have, because then it couldn’t be sold as a LeBron James jersey.
That’s dumb.
It would still be different because his team and Jersey number
Its not dumb. And, saying its dumb (and someone actually gave a thumbs up to your comment) instead of merely saying you disagree is dumb. But, I know you guys that played jv as juniors have a permanent chip on your shoulders. Anyway…
Lakers jersey.
Number 24.
Jackson (Jim).
Bryant.
Which one is worth more?
Two Lakers jerseys that both say ENOUGH on the back but one has a 23 is nothing.
The JAMES name is his brand – or if he had another name on the back that nobody has.
Pretty simple.
Played JV as juniors…, Hilarious. Love it.
Correct
yeah he should just shut up and dribble. how dare a citizen of this country express their political opinion?
Funny how many on the right says that unless it support their leader than the person has a voice that needs to be heard. The good old double standard.
?? Jerseys don’t support any leader. The norm is name, number, team, and an increasing clutter of ads. Too bad for “many on the right”.
Last I read, all jerseys will have the usual planned-for designs… some for the first 4 games will have a political message.
The MLS jerseys last night seemed to favor the message “adidas”… the numbers were unreadable from a distance, the message unreadable even close in. Ironically this forces a viewer to look for their skin color to tell them apart.
The backdrop was filled with ads, clear to see.
this is the most incoherent comment. you’ve made us all dumber. using 2 ellipses, wtf?
I’m sure he’ll get political, but the subtext of his comments suggest that it’s really about his brand (which he calls his mission and goal).
Can you believe this stuff?
The available options “didn’t seriously resonate with MY mission, with MY goal.”
He’s so often outspoken and even called the president of the United States a fool or dumbass or buffoon.., something like that. And when it comes time to alienate his sponsors with a statement, he caves to the dollar. As to be expected I guess.
When Daryl Morey started a controversy after criticizing China brainy LeBron said how Morey needed to educate himself on the subject.
On the court it’s obvious that King James would mop the floor with Morey, but when it comes to running an NBA team I’d take Morey over LBJ any day.
Morey was right in the ethical giving a hoot about humans sense. Bron has a great business sense so I think that’s where he was coming from.
Ironic that Bron calls out Trump for not acting the way Morey did, but called out Morey in the same mentality Trump has
Well, he also caved to China. Let’s not forget that. Not good, not good at all.
I believe it was a forced cave by Morey by the NBA
Rumor is that Noah got hurt boarding the Ark.
LBJ always does the right thing! Guy’s a legend!
If doing anything to make a buck is the right thing then yes, LBJ does always do the right thing.
James is a basketball player. Period. High school education. He wants to own a team…stays in his lane.
hmmm, what’s your level of education? middle school?
do you have an iphone and idolize apple products? Steve Jobs high school education. while it limits most individuals who are incapable of critical and abstract thought, LBJ has not demonstrated this limitation in any of his social commentary.
It’s actually going to be sort of funny, and I can’t wait to see the very first picture of this, when all the guys are lined up and someone takes a photo of the team from the back.
You’ll see the jerseys with all the different messages available…, “enough, I can’t breathe, BLM,” whatever the options are, and then you’ll see the Lebron jersey.., “James.”
HE HATE ME
Simmons should play off ball. Makes them better team. I like Horford. But he is not a goof mix with such big contract. For now he should back Embiid. There are times you can play them. It takes good coaching and gm management. Simmons is also ball dominant at times. He’s too good all around to think that way. He can literally play 4 positions. Bird ran team from SF. Team offense doesn’t always have to come from ball dominant guards. Sixers still haven’t recovered from Fultz. They still can finish this season strong. Then they should shop Harris and Horford. Embiids window is getting smaller. You know they could of signed Butler and DRussell. Instead of Horford and Harris. That team would be serious and have 5-6 yr window.
Wow my phone is wild when charging. Thought I posted on Sixers post. Oh well ….
Bron don’t need money. Money comes to him. He will get his point across and get political. All the way to West Finals. Not beating Clippers. The NBA is a player friendly league. Doesn’t try and mussel players like NFL or other leagues. They have always been ahead of the curve. They should be. Considering it’s 70% a Black American League. Bron is one of the good guys. Jordan never spoke up or got political. Real money will make you shut up and stand on sidelines. For most.
It’s always weird when people turn on Lebron; even when the critiques contradict and play both sides of something.
On The Athletic there was an article by a local writer about how it was good that Lebron left in 2010. Sure was, because we claim we are a free country, not that the Cavs had to get lousy to get good (with high picks). “Let people breathe”