#32 wrote:Did you ever see Latrell Sprewell play...?
The guy put up amazing numbers, but he was clearly having off-court issues that hindered the team. We don't want Ike to become that. If Ike gets 35 minutes a night his sophomore year and is allowed to complain and moap on his teammates, than Nelson's doing the kid an injustice by letting him think that sort of behavior is OK in the NBA.
Nelson knows talent. Let the man work. We got the W, didn't we?
32, that's a red herring. Latrell Sprewell? please - other than 1 comment from Nelson, there has been zero indication of any bad attitude by Ike. I would like to see some evidence before labeling Ike a malcontent. If anyone has displayed bitchy and moany personality it has been Dung, and I don't see him being analogized to Spree. (Btw, there were numerous reports as to Spree's vagrant psyche as early as his rookie year.)
What we do know is that nelson has had a series of conflicts with various personalities over the years, including being the only coach who had anything bad to say about Ewing (a cast that included Riley, Hubie Brown and jeff Van Gundy). I think it highly likely that Ike's "moping and complaining" would have surfaced before, whereas from marciulonis through Ewing, not to mention his holding Cohan up for millions, Nelson has a history of irascibility, putting players in the doghouse, playing favorites, and not liking big men who play a low post game (see manute and ewing shooting 3s).
I have watched Ike like a hawk, cause I think he is talented, plays with great spirit and has gotten a raw deal. As opposed to Dung, from whom I have witnessed petulant behavior on numerous occasions, I have
never seen it from Ike on the court.
The fundamental reality is, Ike was rewarded for 2 games of excellent play (13 in 17 and 16 in 18 minutes) with a DNP. This is illogical unless he was injured or told Nelson he fuked his Mama. Diogu is our second leading scorer per 48 mins, leading rebounder per 48 minutes and 2nd leading fg% leader period. these #s are staggering, considering the sporadic and illogical and often rare minutes he gets. I would just like to see this gifted young man get consistent minutes at his natural position (4), say 25 minutes a game for 20 games. I don't think there is any secret that he would excel.
I have seen this again and again in this league(unappreciated talent prospering elsewhere), including with playoff mvp Chauncey Billups and most recently with Matt Barnes, and the last thing we need is another talented ex-warrior with a grudge lighting up the league in some other uniform. Like I said, perhaps Ike is a private "blamer" but I would just say it will take more than one Don nelson temper tantrum public shaming to convince me that Ike is a malcontent. With all the rumors on the internet, you think SOMETHING would have surfaced to confirm that by now. Nothing. There are several articles expressing mystification at why Diogu is in Nelson's doghouse, though. Btw, publicly calling out your players, ala Larry Brown, is a classless and dispiriting power play, whether it's Ike or Dung or Murphy whom Nelson is calling out. At least in the case of Dung and Murphy they also bitched publicly, so you could argue fair is fair.
I am glad the Ws are 17-16. I would like to see them do well, maybe even win a couple of games as an 8th seed. The playoffs are about 1/2 court and we need all the help we can get, and Ike is the ONLY W with a credible low post game. So
Free (i.e. play) Ike Diogu...or trade him, cause the kid deserves to play.
