Robert Swift

[wiff]

I do have some evidence to back it up. Did you not watch the 05/06 season? This was the Swifts second year in the league and he was still a bean pole. Like I said before there was a stretch of games that the kid played really well. Then Reggie Evans busted up Swift's nose in practice and he had to wear the wind shield and he didn't play very well with it. Then he got the sheild off and the season wrapped up and next thing you know he blows out his knee preseason. But he is some evidence that he can play. Here are a few box scores from Swift during 2006

Jan 13th 2006 22min 8pts on 4-8 shooting 8rebs and 1 block

Jan 16th 2006 22min 12pts on 6-10 shooting 7rebs and 2 blocks

Jan 22nd 2006 38min 15pts on 5-9 shooting 7rebs and 1 block

Jan 25th 2006 25min 6pts on 3-7 shooting 12rebs and 2 blocks

Jan 28th 2006 28min 14pts on 6-8 shooting 12rebs and 2 blocks

Feb 1st 2006 27min 10pts on 4-7 shooting 9rebs and 1 block

Feb 3rd 2006 33min 6pts on 3-3 shooting 7rebs but 3 blocks

Feb 4th 2006 38min 12pts on 5-7 shooting 9rebs and 3 blocks

Feb 10th 2006 31min 6pts on 1-4 shooting 13rebs and 3 blocks

Feb 12th 2006 32min 8pts on 3-5 shooting 6rebs and 3 blocks

Feb 14th 2006 24min 6pts on 3-6 shooting 8rebs and 3 blocks

Feb 15th 2006 33min 14pts on 5-9 shooting 7rebs and 3 blocks

This is when Reggie Evans broke his nose and these other coule of games came after he got the windshield off his face.

March 21st 2006 23min 13pts on 6-7shooting 9rebs and 0blocks

March 24th 2006 32min 17pts on 7-9shooting 11rebs and 4 blocks


Now I fully understand the kids knee is not right and it may never be. And I also get there is a decent chance he'll never step ono an NBA court again when it matters. But to claim that the kid hasn't shown a damn thing and anyone who says other wise is BS is quite simply wrong.

I know the kid has seen his bumps in the road but to discredit the one bright spot of the kids career and to simply wipe the board clean and to say he never played a decent game in his life, now that is BS.

No the kid wasn't an All-Star, but did he show he could play in the league? Yes.

And for a second year pimpled face 7' 1" bean pole those are very incouraging numbers.

So if the kid is able to get his knee right and if ha can play wthout pain and keep his quickness and mobility. he should be a decent player in the league.

[djthesonicsfan]

I was at that 28 January 2006 game. Swift was electric. If he was able to play again it'd be as good, if not better, than the Sonics getting another 1st round pick.

[DoctorEvil]

I'm still a Swift fan but I suspect Presti will be ordered to go into full-cheapskate-mode in about a week or so. I'd love to see him get healthy and play (for US) at a lighter weight (than last year).

[BBen]

Was never a Swift fan and you guys are kidding yourselves if you think a guy with a history of injuries like his can make a miraculous recovery and never hurt himself again. Big guys that get hurt don't stop getting hurt.

[pr0wler]

Was never a Swift fan and you guys are kidding yourselves if you think a guy with a history of injuries like his can make a miraculous recovery and never hurt himself again. Big guys that get hurt don't stop getting hurt.

Don't ruin a good topic with a straw man like that. Where did any of us say that if he comes back he will "never hurt himself again"? While everyone here knows there's no guarantee he comes back healthy, it's not unrealistic to be optimistic about things and hope for a comeback for next season. There have been many big men that have had injury problems but eventually healed up and were productive again: Marcus Camby, Shaq, and Leon Powe off the top of my head. And nowhere did anyone mention that he will "never get hurt again" because anyone can get injured again, even the healthiest of people.

[BBen]

Agreed. I just think that a lot of the deal about Swift has been hope from the beginning. We hoped he'd live up to our expectations and he hasn't. I don't mind resigning him if the front office thinks he can stay healthy but I don't think he's showed enough to even gauge his talent so the deal wouldn't be because we love his game.

[djthesonicsfan]

Excepts from a recent PI interview with Presti.

Q: Give us a health report on Swift, Sene & Gelabale.
Presti: Robert was in today. He looks good and continues to work toward getting back on the floor. He’s made steady progress. Mo (Sene) is the same thing. He’s worked hard on his rehab. He’s been very diligent and has been in the weight room every day, which has been kind of interesting as we bring all of these draft prospects in and he’s in there working out. … But he looks good and his strong. Gelly (Gelabale) is obviously overseas, but things have progressed for him as well and he’s rehabbing over there.

Q: Have you made a decision in terms of addressing Swift’s future?
Presti: We’re going to continue to evaluate it. We’ll have some time in terms of making a final decision... We’re going to have to evaluate how we look after the draft and make decisions from there.

[Patches Pal]

Presti, was on TV tonight talking about Robert Swift. He says, Robert is in the weight room every day along with Mo Sene. Robert is looking good and working hard. Gelabale is rehabing in Europe.

I don't think Presti would be praising the kids work ethic and rehab if he wasn't planning on resigning him. He should be ready for training camp. A meniscus tear usually only takes 3 months to heal. Hopefully his ACL is stronger too.

[sonictecture]

Was never a Swift fan and you guys are kidding yourselves if you think a guy with a history of injuries like his can make a miraculous recovery and never hurt himself again. Big guys that get hurt don't stop getting hurt.

I can't say Swift is in the same class, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas spent the majority of his first few years in the league on the injured list and he has been healthy since recovering.

Swift still has a good shot at becoming a productive player, the Sonics have already invested a significant amount in his development, the cost of another year could be worth the return.

[slick_watts]

whether or not swift can return and play in the nba again will hinge on what's left of his mobility after these injuries. personally, i don't see it happening. ilgauskas is a pretty extraordinary case (he broke both his feet in a 4-5 year span early in his career) of a big man coming back from early injuries to his knees/feet to become just as effective as he was pre-injury.

IMO if the sonics draft a center that isn't going to be put in europe then rob's a goner. if they don't draft a center they'll keep him.

[sonictecture]

Swift's history with the Sonics has been one of potential. If he comes back and stays healthy we may always ask what he might have been if not for the injuries early on. The sample size of playing time is so small it will be nearly impossible to conclude.

[djthesonicsfan]

I agree with slick. Presti & the guys have been watching Swift. They know the issue is his mobility & quickness. They should be able to judge that. We haven't heard much on how Swift is doing. Don't know if that's just standard operating procedure now to alienate Seattle fans or if it's part of Presti's famed secrete squirrel act. But if the Sonics draft Brook Lopez it's see ya Robert.

I'm really hoping they don't draft Lopez.