Paul George injury could cause NBA teams to object to FIBA play
By Mike Dyce
The basketball world has been reacting to the gruesome injury to Indiana Pacers superstar Paul George during a Team USA scrimmage on Friday night. His foot landed where the back board meets the court and snapped right in half.
The injury has reinforced the hesitance of teams to allow players to compete internationally, and according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, it could be the spark that gets NBA teams to voice their objections more frequently.
Emotional reaction leaguewide to Paul George's injury as you'd expect. For starters: PG very well respected by his fellow pros. Secondly ...
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2014
Secondly: It's the first major injury suffered by a Team USAer since original Dream Team changed course of international basketball in 1982
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2014
We've obviously seen injuries before in FIBA play but none involving Team USA stars. This will surely embolden NBA teams to voice objections
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2014
But there might not be a lot the NBA could do according to reports from Stein last night.
NBA deal w/FIBA states that its teams can't bar players from international comp unless there's "reasonable medical concern" going in. So ...
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2014
So that would suggest NBA teams won't be able to put up any more resistance to international play unless/until its deal with FIBA changes
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2014