Mizzou/Arkansas hoops

[snagged in outlet 3]

23 minutes ago, joeD said:

He's not playing.

His mom won't let him 

Not sure I would play either.

[Quillback]

3 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

He didn't start out the season being a one and done, but the last part of the season he's been looking good enough the scouts are starting to take notice.  The NBA people still say it would be best if he had another year at Mizzou, but some are projecting him to be a late first round or early second round pick if he declares this year.  Mizzou faithful are keeping their fingers crossed.

Sounds to me like he would be better served to play another year and move up (hopefully for him) into the first half of the first round.  I think he has potential.  

[Quillback]

3 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

His mom won't let him 

Not sure I would play either.

NBA mock draft has him going at #3, I agree, why risk re-injuring your back, which if he did could really sink him in the draft.

[ozark trout fisher]

I'll be stunned if MPJ plays at this point, although he is sorely needed with CVL going down, and bodies simply running out. Arkansas was the perfect opportunity for him to return, he's been completely healthy for awhile, and it was a home crowd that would have been amped to see him. I made it to Columbia for the game, and based on everyone in town's anticipation level before the statement came out that he wouldn't play, the arena would have come down if he'd been announced in the starting line up. He decided not to play, and I''m fairly certain that was that, regardless of any rumors I'm hearing otherwise. 

Mizzou has had an excellent season, but I don't see them being able to advance deep in the SEC or NCAA tournament with essentially 0 depth. Jontay and/or Kassius Robertson would have to get insanely hot for them to have a shot at the second weekend. 

[Al Agnew]

I agree MPJ probably won't play, and I don't blame him.  But I wish he'd just announce it and stop stringing all the fans along if that's the case.

[ozark trout fisher]

12 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

I agree MPJ probably won't play, and I don't blame him.  But I wish he'd just announce it and stop stringing all the fans along if that's the case.

I agree completely. Don't mind him not playing, do sort of mind him trying to make everyone keep thinking he's coming back, if it's not the plan.

 

Even with the depth issues, I'm just not sure what the effect of him coming back at this point would be. I guess you'd do it if he's willing with only a 7 man rotation otherwise, but there is a non-zero chance adding a player that will inevitably change the way the team plays, in a massive way so soon before the NCAA tournament could cause the team to lose a game they otherwise might have a chance in. I'm also worried about whether giving his conditioning/previously not great defense what it might do on that end of the floor.

 

In short, if I were Cuonzo Martin, I'd probably  take it out of Mike's hands and just shut this down. But I understand he's under a ton of pressure from a ton of different people here. 

[Al Agnew]

Morality isn't always black and white, but the "moral" thing is, MPJ accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Missouri, and if he's able to play he should play.  And at the same time, the university gave him that scholarship and should allow him to play.  At least that's my opinion.  But there is also the fact that he's on the Mizzou basketball team, and everybody concerned should do what's best for the team.  Which means that if Cuonzo decides the team would suffer if he plays, don't play him.  Or if the team would benefit if he plays, play him.  And then there is the moral question of doing what's best for the young man, which is probably to not play him.

On the other other hand, if he's been cleared for all basketball activities, then presumably that means that his chances of re-injuring the back playing basketball are no greater than the average player's.  So why not play?  And if I was an NBA guy, I think I'd want to see him play before committing big bucks.

No easy answers for anybody here.

[ozark trout fisher]

15 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

Morality isn't always black and white, but the "moral" thing is, MPJ accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Missouri, and if he's able to play he should play.  And at the same time, the university gave him that scholarship and should allow him to play.  At least that's my opinion.  But there is also the fact that he's on the Mizzou basketball team, and everybody concerned should do what's best for the team.  Which means that if Cuonzo decides the team would suffer if he plays, don't play him.  Or if the team would benefit if he plays, play him.  And then there is the moral question of doing what's best for the young man, which is probably to not play him.

On the other other hand, if he's been cleared for all basketball activities, then presumably that means that his chances of re-injuring the back playing basketball are no greater than the average player's.  So why not play?  And if I was an NBA guy, I think I'd want to see him play before committing big bucks.

No easy answers for anybody here.

It's a complicated issue for me. At the heart of it, I really don't believe these guys should be basically forced to spend a year of college playing for free when they are completely ready to go to the NBA out of high school. And there are 10s if not 100s of millions at stake for him. I think it's completely arguable that he's costing himself money by not playing, and that it could keep him from getting back up to the 2nd/3rd pick where he was seen as going before the injury. But I also do kind of understand not wanting to risk all of that by participating in a college season that's basically already over. If he gets injured, whether it's the same injury or an unrelated one, he could fall all the way out of the lottery, when he's guaranteed at least that right now. Whereas, if he suffers a career ending injury the day after signing his rookie contract, that money is fully guaranteed. So playing now is a risk.

 And Mizzou doesn't exactly need him, at least to accomplish the goal at the beginning of the season to make the NCAAs. I just wish he'd announce that he wasn't going to play, or rather, that he'd just done so much earlier on, and stayed away from tantalizing everyone into believing he was coming back, when he never was. 

People close to the program, including Mizzou's radio color guy, are basically saying there's no chance that he comes back. I hope we can avoid the will he/won't he drama extending all the way to the NCAAs, because it's just not happening. The ball has been in  MPJ's court for awhile, and if he won't shut the speculation down, Cuonzo needs to do it for him. He's not willing to play, and he's not helping anyone by refusing to say so. 

[moguy1973]

2 hours ago, ozark trout fisher said:

It's a complicated issue for me. At the heart of it, I really don't believe these guys should be basically forced to spend a year of college playing for free when they are completely ready to go to the NBA out of high school. And there are 10s if not 100s of millions at stake for him. I think it's completely arguable that he's costing himself money by not playing, and that it could keep him from getting back up to the 2nd/3rd pick where he was seen as going before the injury. But I also do kind of understand not wanting to risk all of that by participating in a college season that's basically already over. If he gets injured, whether it's the same injury or an unrelated one, he could fall all the way out of the lottery, when he's guaranteed at least that right now. Whereas, if he suffers a career ending injury the day after signing his rookie contract, that money is fully guaranteed. So playing now is a risk.

 And Mizzou doesn't exactly need him, at least to accomplish the goal at the beginning of the season to make the NCAAs. I just wish he'd announce that he wasn't going to play, or rather, that he'd just done so much earlier on, and stayed away from tantalizing everyone into believing he was coming back, when he never was. 

People close to the program, including Mizzou's radio color guy, are basically saying there's no chance that he comes back. I hope we can avoid the will he/won't he drama extending all the way to the NCAAs, because it's just not happening. The ball has been in  MPJ's court for awhile, and if he won't shut the speculation down, Cuonzo needs to do it for him. He's not willing to play, and he's not helping anyone by refusing to say so. 

Personally I think he's an injury liability now and it will be until he proves he isn't.  If I was an NBA team owner I wouldn't want to touch him with a 10' pole if I don't know that he's 100% healthy.  One way to prove that is for him to play in the post season.  If he does re-injure himself, well, he saved an NBA team a draft pick and a lot of money.

[awhuber]

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/mizzou-s-wait-is-over-porter-jr-will-return-in/article_529a7c9f-46a0-533e-ac64-4bcf1d574c99.html?utm_content=buffer3724e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC

He's playin Thursday...