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<H1 class=red>Final buzzer set to go off for Mashburn</H1>
<DIV class=subhead><B></B></DIV>
<DIV class=byln>Saturday, September 25, 2004
<DIV>John DeShazier</DIV><B></B></DIV>
<P>The Jamal Mashburn-New Orleans Hornets saga is coming to an end, as Mashburn's troublesome right knee pushes him further out of the Hornets' plans and possibly into retirement. </P>
<P>That's a double blow to the Hornets because the franchise can't realistically hope to trade him for young talent and won't have his offense to count on every night, a problem for a team that struggled to score last season. </P>
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<P>Barring an exam that shows major improvement, Mashburn likely will be placed on the injured list next week, the precursor to sitting out the season and maybe the first step to his departure from the NBA. </P>
<P>Obviously, if Mashburn couldn't walk around Disney World without experiencing pain and swelling this summer, it's unlikely he can run and jump well enough to be a productive NBA player this winter and spring. </P>
<P>Mashburn says he has no cartilage in his knee, and there's no remedy for bone-on-bone, other than tolerating the pain. Anyone who has walked on such legs -- or knows someone who has -- wouldn't recommend it. </P>
<P>Good riddance, you say? Maybe. Depending on whom you ask, Mashburn is independent or standoffish, selfish or a go-to player. He isn't going to be the life of anyone's party; teammates he truly considers friends were few and far between. </P>
<P>But isolation, at best a misdemeanor, became a felony when applied to Mashburn. Last season, when he rehabbed in Miami away from the team, teammates complained and steamed behind his back. </P>
<P>The act that cast a shadow over the playoffs, and stained Mashburn's four-year playing career with the Hornets, came in Miami. Mashburn, who was not on the postseason roster but traveled with the team, was banished for detrimental conduct. His allegation, that the organization had misdiagnosed his injuries, was more than the team was willing to stomach. </P>
<P>Still, new head coach Byron Scott and new general manager Allan Bristow offered an olive branch upon their appointments: Mashburn was welcome to return, the slate would be wiped clean; he'd be given every opportunity to fit into Scott's uptempo attack and would be a valuable commodity in the half-court set. </P>
<P>After all, love him or hate him, 21 points a night, which is what Mashburn averaged with the Hornets, is 21 points a night. Most NBA players don't score that much in two or three games, let alone average it. </P>
<P>Those 21 points will have to be replaced. </P>
<P>He won't be around to kick or blame this season, and possibly never again. </P>
<P>The problem for the Hornets is that Mashburn's salary -- he is owed almost $20 million over the next two seasons, not including an option for a third year -- counts against the salary cap. If Mashburn cannot play, the Hornets have an insurance policy that will absorb most of the financial blow, but the team won't have that cap space to spend on other players unless majority owner George Shinn decides to exceed the cap and pay the NBA's stiff luxury tax in the process. </P>
<P>Mashburn, an All-Star forward, is scheduled to have another MRI exam next week. But unless the knee is substantially better, which seems unlikely, he will land on the injured list. He could stay there all year, he could return, he could be traded, he could retire. Who knows? </P>
<P>No one will close the door. Each side will talk about the importance of Mashburn healing and continue to raise the possibility of a comeback with the Hornets. </P>
<P>But the fact is, both sides know such a resurrection is unlikely. </P>
<P>. . . . . . . </P>
<P></P>
<P>John DeShazier can be reached at jdeshazier@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3410. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>다른 거 필요 없고, 이미 나온 얘기...</P>
<P>은퇴가 눈 앞인 듯 합니다. </P>
<P>부상만 아니면 정말 달릴 것 하나 없는 최고의 스포인데...</P>
<P> </P></DIV>
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첫댓글 흑흑..안되는데..
그놈의 부상......... ㅡㅜ
아..안타깝네요.. 그놈의 부상이 뭔지.. 그나저나 뉴올은 시즌 시작하기도전에 안좋은소식이 계속 나오는군요..
호네츠 역사상 정말 오프시즌에 이렇게 시끌벅적했던 때가 또 있었을까... 하필 다 안좋은 소식이라 열받지만요... 커트니 버리고, 모피 못잡고, 매글은 토론토 가겠다고 하고, 매쉬는 은퇴를 바라보고, 배런은 트레두 요청이라니...
아~~~~~~~~매쉬번~~~~~~~~~~ㅜㅜ
몬스터 매쉬...이대로 은퇴인지.. 안타깝네요.. 고놈의 부상..이번 서부의 가장 빡센 지구에 속해있는 호넷츠...정말 암울하다는.
몇십원형아~~~~~~~~몇만원이 되야하는데.............ㅠㅠ
매쉬번이 있어야 호넷츠가 살아남는데...
아.. 결국 이대로 최고의 선수가 허무하게 떠나버리는건가요 ㅠㅡㅠ
하필이면 스퍼스, 달라스, 맴피스랑 같은 조입니다. 밥 캣츠만 보면 으르렁 거리겠군.-_-;
해석좀....... -_-; 대략 매쉬번이 부상당해서 은퇴한다는 얘기인가요? 그렇다면 정말 안타까운일이 아닐수 없네요.
욕설이나 빨리 지우세요.-_-'
하..몇년전 플옵에서 자신을 버린 마이애미를 상대로 맹활약하던 모습이 떠오르네요...그때만 분명 리그 no.1 스포였는데........