Bathed in the Rapture of Mark Williams Thread

[Rich4114]

They obviously know what Mark's back injury is/was but they are choosing to not reveal it which is suspicious. They don't HAVE to tell us the details, but you have to assume if it was a matter of a strain or something they would just share that info. My guess has been it's disc related and likely pressing on a nerve which can lead to all kinds of issues like pain and numbness in places like your legs. I am going to assume if that is the case, they've just been treating it with physical therapy rather than removing the disc and fusing vertebrae together since that would be detrimental to his career.

We have two Hornets examples of players with back injuries. One is Larry Johnson, for anyone old enough it did not go well. He was an all-NBA player on the rise and future potential MVP candidate until he took a nasty fall and hurt his back. I never heard the specifics, but he was definitely never the same. He became more of a perimeter F and way less explosive. Still very good, but when we traded him for Anthony Mason I'd argue Mason was the better player from that point forward.

The other example is Baron Davis, who missed time in NOLA after having back issues that began in Charlotte. He changed his diet, focused on building his core like Mark is describing and was able to maintain his quickness and explosiveness. We can only hope Mark's situation is the Baron Davis one.

But damn, considering this is even a discussion you'd be insane to dismiss the idea of drafting Clingan or Edey in this draft. Especially when your only other rostered option is Nick Richards who is just about the worst starting C you can ask for and makes me actually miss Mason Plumlee.

[yosemiteben]

Read on Twitter

[fatlever]

Read on Twitter

cool. totally convinced.

[Diop]

That’s what I tell people too.

[amcoolio]

****, he’s cooked. we better hope Clingan falls lol

[JDR720]

I feel like they're really trying to prove he's healthy without actually saying exactly what his back issue is.

[Bassman]

****, he’s cooked. we better hope Clingan falls lol

Everything always seems to be coming along with these mystery illnesses, until he tries to actually play ball.

[GoBobs]

I hope everything is fine with his health. 60 games played would be a successful season though, and those other 20 game could be very important to our playoff chances.

[LofJ]

Coach K is hilarious.

Read on Twitter

[JMAC3]

I do find it interesting that we are starting to get some Mark Williams news pushed on us right before the draft.
1. Glad he is in good spirits and seems to be positive about his health.
2. Is this a show to the fans that we do not plan to take a center and that we should be supporting Mark as the center of future?
or is this a smoke screen to other teams that they shouldn't trade ahead of us for Clingan?

I feel like the first option is more realistic as there are far less trades in NBA vs NFL on draft day.

[JustBuzzin]

We shouldn't be making any big moves at center until we actually know if Mark will be healthy moving forward.

He's a big piece for our future. If he returns to 100% he takes our team to another level. Good to see him and Brandon at the Celtics game. They feel like the 2 young leaders of this team moving forward.

[KembaWalker]

Yeah he sounds like what Chandler Parsons or Brandon Roy sounded like when they were fully cooked but trying to just say what you have to say to pull one more contract. Absolutely bizarre

[JMAC3]

Mark is 2 years away from free agency, it is not like he is getting extended in the next 3 months. Especially if he doesn't play this year.

[Snidely FC]

Read on Twitter

[Snidely FC]

PS

Read on Twitter

[Chapelchilla]

This would be a lot more reassuring accompanied by videos of him yamming the ball thunder slam style or at least sprinting down the court. Chit chatting around Duke to his former coaches in a bulky sweat shirt is not exactly uber convincing evidence that he is game ready.

[fatlever]

PS

Read on Twitter

cool. we need more coverage.
added him to my list twitter hornets list
https://twitter.com/i/lists/925064605721923586

[lmcguir15]

Pretty much here to echo the lot of you; I'll believe the Mark optimism when I see him on the court and playing. Incredibly tenuous with a young big man and back issues.

[Snidely FC]

With less than a month to the draft, Charlotte has been connected to perimeter players, with the team said to be high on the long-term future of Mark Williams -- which might preclude drafting Donovan Clingan as an option here.

maybe this from ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo will begin to temper long term concerns about Williams

[JustBuzzin]

With less than a month to the draft, Charlotte has been connected to perimeter players, with the team said to be high on the long-term future of Mark Williams -- which might preclude drafting Donovan Clingan as an option here.

maybe this from ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo might begin to temper long term concerns about Williams

Yeah I was never high in drafting a center at #6. Maybe we get a project center in the 2nd Rd.


We must find out what we have in Mark. He was an emerging young center before the back injury. We owe him the right to prove himself and then we can go from there.