| Blue Days, Less Green Await Injured Sixer Authored by Brian Poliakoff - August 17, 2005 - 6:45 pm
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Green, who will be out six to nine months, not only potentially cost himself the entire season (one in which Green was expected to see more consistent playing time), but he also more than likely coughed up the $20 million contract Billy King was about to sign off on before the injury occurred.
What makes things worse is that Green is well liked by teammates and didn’t even utter a word of displeasure last season when Jim O’Brien consistently left him watching games from the bench.
But his likeability won’t get Green the money he was about to get.
He now has to rehab for months, and then come back next year or at the end of this upcoming season on a minimum contract, as long as he can prove he is healthy to the Sixers.
Don’t get me wrong. Green is not the only athlete to foolishly put himself at risk. Other pro athletes have also done the unthinkable.
Aaron Boone tore an ACL playing pick-up basketball and his contract was voided by the Yankees.
The Astros’ Lance Berkman missed half this season due to an off-season flag football injury.
And don’t get me started on motorcycle incidents with Jeff Kent, Jason Williams and Kellen Winslow II.
The morale of the story for pro athletes?
Your body is your most valuable tool to succeed in your job and taking care of it allows you to adhere to your contract.
You think this point would’ve struck a nerve (no pun intended) with Green, since he was not currently under a contract when he got hurt.
Fellow Sixer and restricted free agent Kyle Korver was quoted as saying that he was tentative to even just lift weights until he crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s on his new contract.
One thing is for sure. Green should not get his money no matter how good a guy he is.
On the bright side, this may have been a blessing in disguise, as it will provide some relief on the salary cap that Billy King has made a mess of.
True Philly guy cut loose
It was sad to see Philly native Aaron McKie waived this week. Billy King chose to cut ties with the 11-year veteran thanks to the new CBA’s amnesty provision.
The move will save the Sixers’ money on the luxury tax, but his leadership and professionalism will surely be missed.
McKie helped the Sixers transform into a winning organization when he was traded to Philly in 1997. Along the way, McKie scored over 4,000 points in a Sixers uniform, earned the 2001 NBA Sixth Man of the Year and helped the team reach the finals in that same season.
And his value went well beyond how he performed on the court. King noted that the release was perhaps the most difficult decision he’s made as the Sixer GM. McKie never missed practice and always was the guy who seemed to calm down Allen Iverson when he had a feud with an official or didn’t see eye-to-eye with the coach.
He will surely be missed.
New face (s)?
The Sixers added a nice piece to the front-court when they signed Steven Hunter last week. The athletic 7 footer will help spell the aging Chris Webber and Sammy Dalembert, filling the role vacated by the recently traded Marc Jackson.
But is Billy King done?
With McKie cut and Green injured, the Sixers could use another wing man off the bench. After Iverson, Korver and Iguodala, there’s not much to be optimistic about.
King noted that a substantial portion of the Sixers’ mid-level exception was used to sign Hunter. However, Jackson’s trade to the Nets did open up some cap space. Look for one more veteran to be added in the next few weeks. |
