Luol Deng has decided [for now] to gut out this season and play with a torn ligament in his left wrist. The surgery will require three to four months to heal. Deng had a similar operation on his right wrist when injured as a rookie, and it took around four months. If Deng has surgery when the playoffs end, he'll miss the Olympics
As such, he'll almost certainly put off the surgery until after the Olympics and miss the first two months or so of the 2012-2013 NBA season. On the surface, this seems pretty unfair for the Bulls. After all, they're paying him this massive salary in order to play basketball for them, and he's going to purposefully lose a big chunk of his NBA season in order to fulfill a personal dream.
It doesn't take much scratching to to get below the surface of the argument though.
Luol Deng injured himself on an NBA court. The best thing for his personal health is to get surgery right now rather than to wait until after the NBA season is over. He's choosing to forgo the best treatment option for himself personally in order to benefit the Chicago Bulls.
By making this sacrifice and playing through pain in order to help the Bulls win a title this year, he should not be penalized and forced to miss out on one of his life long dreams. Something for which he has spent years working and building towards.
Imagine you are in the midst of a critical time of year for your company, and you get injured on the job in such a way that will require you to miss work for a month if you have a surgery. If you delay that surgery to help your company get through that critical time should you then have to have the surgery done over your vacation when you were planning on taking your kids to Disney World?
We'd laugh at the hilarity of such an idea. You were injured on the job, you're entitled to continue to be compensated for your time off, and the idea that you should schedule your surgery on your personal time off goes well beyond what would be expected of any of us. Especially if you had a one time opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream. An opportunity that will not come again.
That's the situation with Luol Deng here. He was injured on NBA time, and he's doing the Bulls a huge favor by trying to play through this now and win a championship. Yes, postponing surgery might cost the Bulls two months next year, but does it really matter? The Bulls aren't going to be much worse off for missing a key guy for the first two months of the regular season.
This is a league, for elite teams like Chicago anyway, where only the playoffs really matter.
Thanks for gutting out this season for us Luol and good luck in the Olympics this summer.
Filed under: Players
Tags: Great Britain, Luol Deng, nba, olympics
Couldn't agree more. This isn't like he plays for a powerhouse like Spain or something (where he wouldn't be missed as much), and the games are in Germany. He's playing for Great Britain, in the London Olympics, and is the best player, and face of the team. He's been working towards this for a long ass time.
As a Bulls fan, I'd love to see him ready for the start of next year, but as a person I could care less if he's gonna be doing something like that, that obviously means so much to him, and his country. Sometimes you just have to look at the bigger picture, and this is one those times.
Since you put it the way you did Doug in common terms we can relate to I think Deng is a real stand up guy!
At least the Bulls can prepare for his missed time next season!
Do you think Deng will where a small cast or just a brace on his wrist on his non shooting hand?
Does Kobe currently have a similar injury on his shooting wrist?
Kobe tore a different ligament than Deng, and my impression is that Deng's was a worse one to tear. However, Kobe tore the ligament on his shooting hand which is obviously the worse hand to tear a ligament on.
I've wondered the same thing about Deng and a wrist guard of some type. I would imagine he would, but I guess we won't know until Sunday when [as of now] he's expected to play against Miami.
The Bulls have not really opened up on the injury or there is no detailed report on the injury in terms of basketball history. Does Kobe have the same injury? It says it is similar to Deng's previous injury on the wrist? Was he acting like a baby the first time if it took 5 months to heal and now he is playing through it. Have other right handed players had a similar injury and how did they perform?
We don't know how Deng will handle this obviously. Can he guard LeBron. Let's face it. Deng's injury basically impacts the Bulls(if all others get relatively healthy) when they play Miami because that's where he's most needed. He will impact other games and series but the Bulls can manage them.
Also, hoping that Thibs cuts out his minutes so that freaky things don't happen in blow-outs like some scrub from another team doing something bad
He missed about two months of the season the first time, where did you come up with 5 months from?
I've read it's a similar injury though it was on his shooting hand the first time.
I meant approximately 5 months if you consider the dates from the time of surgery to being in basketball rhythm.
Didn't he get operated a few months before the start of the season? I am not sure.
Two comments:
1) Regarding yesterday's overreaction to any criticism of Derrick Rose as a closer, while heaping praise on him, and acknowledging at times he has won games at the end. But closers get to the line, and they don't wilt in the playoffs against an ECF opponent. He sure as hell did not close against Maimi. OK, here come the excuses.
This immature, extreme insecurity is ridiculous. But sadly typical.
If posters, including Doug, really believe that players overcoming challenges and flaws isn't maybe the most satisfying and compelling reason to watch sports then you're just kidding yourselves. Derrick is a closer at times yes. it's great to watch. But he does have some key closer flaws he needs to overcome. He's not all the way there yet as closer. Those who really believe that either don't know the game in that respect or are in denial.
I have seen Derrick not only in the ECF but many times not get to the line whatsoever near the end of ballgames the way closers like Mike, Wade, Kobe etc. do. That's just a fact. I would say as for last second shots I wouldn't put him on the level of a Wade, Kobe, Dirk, Chris Paul, Billups etc. Sure, he scores a lot in fourth quarters. But though he's hit some last second shots they usually have to be some contortion around the basket. Not jump shots which is what it usually takes to win in those situations. That or getting to the line.
Seriously, Scottie had the toughness issue. Derrick especially after Maimi has soemthing to prove. Even if insecure, immature Chicago fans can't admit. That is what sports is about. Derrick is not a made man. he's not a Kobe, Wade, Dirk etc.
And guys who one post say, "I enjoy reading your commentary," and the next, "I hate your commentary, I hate you, wah, wah, wah." Really? If that isn't insecurity and immaturity I don't know what is. My comments were so complimentary and respectful to Derrick it wasn't even funny. I'm just not ready to worship him like some of you all. I even clarified and said yes he's been a late game closer at times, but he has a ways to go to be considered elite in that area.
As I said before, so everyone else in America is an idiot, right? There are plenty of ex-players, current players, and NBA analysts outside of Chicago who don't regard Derrick Rose as a late game, get to the line again and again, let alone once, or jumper to win the game closer. When you show all the respect and balance I did towards Derrick, and did say he's often an MVP stud and second half demolition, but can also fade at times. Yes he does.
All that hate? The insecurity and immaturity at times is the worst part about these sites. While often people can be down to earth and cool which is why I come here to discuss the Bulls. That and Doug gives great day to day topical coverage with down to earth view points.
Overcoming and reaching new heights is what sports is all about. Derrick Rose is not a championship class closer at this point. He's not Wade, Kobe, Dirk etc. And they had that rep for hitting game winners and getting to the line consistently at the end of games even before they won championships: Wade, Dirk, Kobe, even Billups, and Paul more have that rep.
It's possible Derrick get's there, but I do see some shelteredness, insecurity at times, and even an unhapiness almost muroseness to Derrick at times. Sadly, there are few Mikes, Wades, Kobes. Maybe Derrick will join that class. But ironically for everyone here to Defend Derrick from haters, yet I'm the only one who notices and undertsands his challenges and cares about them and him. All this bombast and brimstone flung at me? Wake up guys. Derrick is at times a little lost, unhappy whatever it is he is not the pure alpha at this point as some of these other guys are. He stays at home wathcing movies and hanging out with his mom. Which is fine, but not probably emblematic of an elite arena alpha. And like I said part of it is I see an unhappy guy often with Derrick.He needs a change in my view.
That doesn't make him a "puss." That makes him human. That makes him Derrick Rose. And I do wish he'd get a better offensive guru then Thibs and better offensive players around him. Then as the true champion he's shown he can be I think he could be the maybe best player in the league, and do his fair share of closing learning to to get to the line, and hitting those end of game jumpers.
Derrick has a ways to go. And there's ntohing wrong with that. Grow up and quit the worship. It's pathetic.
2) Luol Deng getting paid $70 to 80 MIl to play basketball is "doing the Bulls a favor by playing this season" Really? If he's any kind of winner he'd kill to continue playing with an upper echelon team that might win it all with no real Championship proven, defined powerhouse out there. Sure it's great that he plays with pain. many guys wouldn't. I admire him for that. But frankly I aslo expect it. He's doing it because he's a good guy, and it's the right thing to do. And it serves him personally as it is his joy to play the game and compete on a high level.
"He's doing the Bulls a favor" That's ridiculous.
Can't we all just agree to disagree on this one? It's obvious based on the comments yesterday that no one else on here agrees with you on this. There's no need to post a novel in defense of your viewpoint.
Wow, you must have absolutely no life what-so-ever....I think you have passed Mr Happy on the completely irrelevant list... (but you've known that for most of your life I'm sure)...at least your the best at something. Now go ask your Mom for a hug...
C'mon...Take it easy. RW didn't personally attack anyone. He just gave his opinion and you might completely disagree with it which doesn't mean comparing to MrHappy or making personal attacks.
What he is looking for is an honest debate on something which is probably very controversial and not many people agree on easily. I didn't agree with his view that Wade or Billups are better "so called closers" than Rose.
Well, well, well...
I decided to look up this stat. The first site I came to was something from 82games.com. An article from '09. Granted, it says nothing of Rose... but I had a specific name I wanted to look at -
More than anything, I wanted to address Chauncey freaking Billups.
RW - do you have a 8 day memory?
Article
Chauncey - 6/37 in the regular season. 2/9 in the playoffs.
He's the WORST ON THE LIST!
Somewhere a blog is missing it's idiot. Go home.
I have no problem criticizing Rose, and I think, overall, have been one of the first to do so when he deserves it.
However, your view that he's a lousy closer just seems to lack any realistic perspective. He didn't close well against Miami, I agree, but that was largely for easily identifiable reasons [no one else on the team could do anything to stop the Heat from double teaming him with two of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA at once].
That said, countless times Rose has now scored at the end in close situations. I feel extraordinarily confident when the game is on the line and Rose has the ball. He's not going to win them all, no one does, but I believe his percentage of winning them is very high.
I can't believe I'm feeding the troll but . . .
Damn RW YOU brought this crap over to a different thread that had nothing to do with the "closer" discussion, posted a screed that's longer than the rest of the thread combined, and then you accuse OTHERS of being insecure and immature 5 times in one post? Physician heal your f*cking self.
The question of Deng's availability for the Olympics raises the same question about Rose. He needs to rest the toe for a long period and that won't happen with a (hopefully) deep playoff run, and frankly, he isn't as pivotal to the US team as Deng is to GB. I don't care much for the Olympics so I wouldn't care if he sat out, but he probably has a gold medal on his bucket list and will want to play. Does the org have any say in it?
I really hope Derrick sits out this Olympics as well. We'll be talking about his toe all of next season if he doesn't rest it. I agree though, he'll probably play anyway.
No, organizations are not allowed to persuade players at all in that regard.
No, the organization has no say. Rose should get plenty of time to rest his toe between the end of the season and the Olympics and the Olympics and the start of the next season though.
Getting back to the topic at hand, I think it's great what Deng is doing for the team. Selfless acts like these are the reasons why I consider the Bulls the best overall team in the NBA right now. Sure we lost a disappointing game to Indiana, but keep in mind that Rose just returned from a toe injury, we were without Taj and Deng, and the team just had a poor shooting night overall. That's basketball sometimes you have those games but everyone knows at full strength the Bulls are superior to the Pacers.
I feel the Bulls have a strong chance to win a title this year and having Deng on the court is vital even if not at 100% his presence alone makes the Bulls a stronger team. Our only real threats in the east is Miami and Indiana and I believe as a team we can beat them both. We have all the right pieces it's just a matter of staying healthy and players playing into their roles.
Goodluck to Deng in the Olympics and thank you for you
lol hit comment by accident. What I was saying is good luck to Deng in the Olympics and thank you for your sacrifice.
I agree it is not a big sacrifice on part of Deng to delay/avoid surgery. Kobe is playing with his wrist injury and I am sure you can find multiple cases of guys playing with injuries when the team is contending. Off-course, he is not being a "wuss" like Boozer was supposedly with Utah.
That said, we don't know how much this injury will hurt Deng in terms of pain. Each person is different in terms of pain tolerance. I wouldn't begrudge him if he underwent surgery or took time off.
BTW, the funny thing is Boozer and Brewer are the two guys(injured at the beginning of last season) who have not been injured this season. CJ, Taj, Noah, Rose, Deng, Rip have all been hurt. Strange Karma:-)
Are we sure that he is going to still need surgery by then? That is about 7 months away. I'm no doctor, but I would think that ligament would have mostly healed on it's own by then, unless forcing it into high stress before it has completely healed might delay the healing.
If it happens though, I wonder if it will affect key offseason decisions on Ronnie Brewer & Kyle Korver.
My impression is there was a complete tear of the ligament, meaning it needs to be surgically reattached, meaning it can't heal without surgery, he could just learn to live without it being attached.
Ok, I'm starting to think that Deng's injury isn't that serious. I guess I will have to see how he looks after a couple of games to come to a definite conclusion. Could Deng and the Bulls be putting out a false injury report?... It's possible but we will never know.
Deng should just have the surgery done and take 3 months to heal. He should be ready by the playoffs. Better to have a healthy deng in the playoffs than a injured, one-handed deng. Its gonna be tough for deng to guard guys like lebron and melo with two hands let alone one.
It's a 3-4 month recovery time. 4 months puts you into late May, and if it goes longer you just missed the entire playoffs, and if not you're going into the ECF without having played for four months. If it was only three months, then I'd agree, but that's a big risk.
Good chance that the surgery ends his season.
1) Let's see if Luol even makes it through the season without further or severe reinjury. I'd still rather have him and Derrick fully fit for the playoffs, and take serious time off now... but they don't pay me to coach the Bulls, so my opinion is worth the same as yours... Just defending LBJ is going to be a monstrous task for Lu, with or without his left wrist.
2) RW, I've liked your writings and opinions in the past, especially the in depth analyses. I think you're on to SOMETHING with D... I hope he doesn't get chronic ulcers or a drinking habit from constant self-criticism... and I think he's still growing into a world where he's supposed to be like Mike,and he isn't like Mike... but I doubt you'll have these same concerns about him in, say, another three years. That said, I gotta say you're seeming a little obsessive with the point you ARE trying to make, and I hate seeing you labeled as a troll... what's up, man?
Unfortunately, it looks like our Bulls must play the rest of this season and the playoffs with their two best players playing injured. Not a comforting thought.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see how effectively Deng and Rose can compete while injured.