Hoops

Dear Casey Prather

With Casey Prather - 8 wins 6 losses No third import - 2 wins 0 losses With Carrick Felix - 9 wins 1 loss Grand Total 19 wins 7 losses.

Just found this on twitter.

If Prather doesnt play, how will that affect the Sixers?

From the Herald Sun.
"“I can’t fully straighten it (elbow) right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get that fully straightened, they say I will, but right now it’s real stiff.”
Game over. Next time don't tell the truth!

Adelaide paying drmic 140k isn’t using the budget very well.

"I am sure I read that right now Prather still can't straighten his elbow. Maybe someone can find that article please?"
ROFL
yeah, that would be the article where Prather says he's reay to play.

Prather won't be back.
LK didn't buy the league so he could let a little thing like the rules get in the way of buying a championship.

Much as I think Joey Wright is a grade A dickhead, Adelaide have done a great job assembling a star line-up on a limited budget. They deserve a decent and fair crack at the championship.

What the Salary Tax fiasco has proven is that the vast majority of fans don't know the rules, don't understand them, and wouldn't care even if they did.
Melbourne is the biggest audience for Basketball in this country, and they want a championship.

It's not just Basketball, its a truism in most sports. When all is said and done, the controversies blow away, and all you remember is who won.

The People's Elbow!

The most talked-about elbow in the country

I am sure I read that right now Prather still can't straighten his elbow. Maybe someone can find that article please?

How Felix plays is irrelevant.

Is Casey no longer injured is the question.

It was an elbow injury, so it's not like he has been unable to do any cardio & strength work.
If they're planning on him playing in the GF, then the sooner they get him back on the court the better, surely. (once the doc is sure he has sufficiently healed, obviously, which is presumably the case now if he's cleared for full training)
He's a significant player to be putting back into the main rotation. If I'm the coach I want to see how that goes in advance of the playoffs.

Prather may be back.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/basketball/prather-fitness-test-could-see-red-hot-felix-pushed-out-of-united-side-20180213-p4z06h.html
Personally I would have thought that one hard training session isn't anywhere match fit. That takes time and Prather hasn't done enough IMO to be tipping out an red hot Felix.

Perth did not low-ball Prather.
After two outstanding seasons he was never expected to return. He did try chasing the NBA dream (which was probably always a long-shot) and was then focussed on securing a Euro deal. Not only was that expected to be a solid career move but the expected money was a lot more than Perth could offer. Then MU stepped in with one of their trademark stupendous offers, essentially matching what he was chasing in Europe.
Careerwise, its not the big step-up he was ready for, but it also doesn't have the risk.

If Melbourne are going to bring him back, now's the time to do it. A couple of meaningless games to get his legs back and get in sync with the rest of the team, and then semis.

The Doc has been there with the Tigers and United for a long time and he will call it as he sees fit to do.
He isnt working under Seamus, so a lot more freedom.

MELBOURNE United import Casey Prather is ready to return.

But first he must convince coach Dean Vickerman and, most importantly, medical staff with another week on the practice court.

United must release in-form replacement Carrick Felix when Prather is medically cleared, under NBL rules limiting the number of imports (three) on active rosters.

Vickerman is adamant Prather must be as close as possible to fully fit to earn a recall.

It's not just talk NBL commentators have said the same thing. Perth asked Prather to take a pay cut this season so he signed with Melbourne and he's on less there than he was at Perth.

Presumably he was asked to take a pay cut so they could afford Cotton for a full season.

Prather leaves Perth and says he still loves the club and the town and the fans, if he somehow gets screwed out of winning a 3rd championship in 3 years, could he be so polite about Melbourne and their club?

Prather if anything is well rested and if he gets to play I think him with batteries fully recharged is scarier and more prominent a factor than his form and how rusty he may be.

Wouldn't be the first time a team had pulled a "he's not fit" scam and won't be the last... The only difference is that there will be a little asterisk on the championship if they win it all and if they don't, other fans will be "they couldn't even win it by pulling a shifty with Prather" so it's damned if they do, damned if they don't...

As for Prather's value after this season, I'm sure things could get reasoned away by his agent wen talking with teams...

No they wouldn't. That's not what an injury replacement is.

a player saying he's healthy or ready dosent mean anything haha

So it's all just a bit of speculation at this point.

What FM said

Is it actually becoming an issue or is he still genuinely injured? Looked pretty horrible when he did it. I'm sure his agent would be taking it further if it was a dodgy situation.

Prathers agent would be well aware, if he doesn’t play in the finals he isn’t worth as much money this off season and any resigning. That = the agent and Prather with less money.

What does the first post even mean?

Sincerely yours,
Non-United fan who knows that disrupting United's chemistry is a long shot but it's the only hope of them not winning the title this season