COMMENTARY | With the lack of any real news coming from the New Orleans Hornets on injured G Eric Gordon, you'd think he was rehabbing in Siberia instead of Los Angeles. But Hornets' fans finally received a slight ray of light from Eric Gordon himself this week. He tweeted that he'd be returning to New Orleans next week.
Eric Gordon
Here is the exact tweet he sent out on Monday, December 17. "My last week of rehab before heading back to New Orleans. Excited about getting back with the team." Maybe Eric Gordon wants to return to New Orleans on Christmas Eve because he expects to receive a reception comparable to Santa Claus.
While most Hornets' fans are welcoming this news with open arms, I remain skeptical. First, nowhere in Gordon's tweet does he indicate that he will be playing for the Hornets next week. It is entirely possible this whatever advanced treatment he was receiving in Los Angeles has progressed to the point that he is now capable of normal rehab that can be performed by Hornets' doctors and trainers.
Also, I still firmly believe that Eric Gordon would rather play for about 100 other professional basketball teams around the world instead of the New Orleans Hornets. His return to New Orleans, and perhaps even to the Hornets, could be nothing more than a brief showcase for the other 29 NBA teams that Gordon is healthy and can be traded.
According to the NBA CBA, Eric Gordon became eligible to be traded on December 15. (I jokingly referred to this day as 'Armagordon' in an article you can read here.) It seems peculiar that he tweeted about his miraculous recovery and that he'd be marching in to New Orleans only two days after he became trade-eligible.
In fairness to Gordon, I have heard almost no chatter about an impending trade. The only rumor that I've heard is Eric Gordon to the Chicago Bulls for Luol Deng. If there is even a shred of hope that Gordon truly wants to play in New Orleans, then the Hornets front office will try to make it work here. Otherwise, Tom Benson, Mickey Loomis, and Dell Demps will have set the franchise back for years by matching his contract with the Phoenix Suns.
I still believe we are weeks away from seeing Eric Gordon playing in an NBA game. And even if he does return to New Orleans next week, I will not be holding my breath waiting to see Gordon playing in an actual Hornets game. If I did that, I may never breathe again.
Patrick Michael was born in New Orleans and currently resides in the Big Easy. A loyal New Orleans NBA fan, Patrick was a diehard New Orleans Jazz fan and now cheers for the Hornets. Patrick was in attendance the night the Hornets were one win away from the Western Conference Finals. Follow Patrick Michael on Twitter at patmichael84.
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