Rastapopoulos
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Why is it that some players with knee problems just completely shrivel (Michael Redd, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady) while Jason Kidd, one of the first guards to get microfracture surgery, continues to play at a high level long after most of his draft class is out of the league? It's not as if Kidd didn't use to be athletic - he was one of the fastest end-to-end players in the league. Is it that he, like Nash, is mainly a passer, and that's a skill that doesn't diminish?
(And why is Andre still so great when he never jumps over a piece of paper?)
What I'm getting at, is, is there hope for a diminished Brandon Roy? I mean, even Ron Harper, who ran like an old man when he was on the Bulls, let alone the Lakers, still managed to be a productive player by playing smart. Or is Roy going to decline as sharply as Penny? I know we don't think of Roy as athletic, but he always was quick - relying on sudden bursts of speed to get past players, and that's something that does go away as legs get old. Whereas Nash, for example, is more crafty than quick. But some of Brandon's skills, like his step-back, would seem to be doable with older knees.
And then there's Chris Paul, who has also had nasty knee problems, and is also short, who is currently a contender for league MVP.
(And why is Andre still so great when he never jumps over a piece of paper?)
What I'm getting at, is, is there hope for a diminished Brandon Roy? I mean, even Ron Harper, who ran like an old man when he was on the Bulls, let alone the Lakers, still managed to be a productive player by playing smart. Or is Roy going to decline as sharply as Penny? I know we don't think of Roy as athletic, but he always was quick - relying on sudden bursts of speed to get past players, and that's something that does go away as legs get old. Whereas Nash, for example, is more crafty than quick. But some of Brandon's skills, like his step-back, would seem to be doable with older knees.
And then there's Chris Paul, who has also had nasty knee problems, and is also short, who is currently a contender for league MVP.
