From Seth's recently posted article and interview with Jared Dudley....The last sentence of the paragraph wasn't surprising, but definitely disappointing.

"Our second unit is strong. Our first unit chemistry has to get there. J-Rich will play a bigger role and Robin (Lopez). Robin now has to become someone who was a role player to a borderline All-Star for us to take that next step. If we ever want to get back there, it's going to be on his shoulders."

Jared had his first chance to work out with Robin today. He said the big man looked good, but still didn't seem to be 100%.

     I wrote some time ago about Robin's debilitating back condition and while I hoped I was wrong about some of the things I had written and been told, all signs are pointing to a big problem on the horizon.

     Bottom line is that training camp starts here in a few weeks and our big man, who, according to Dudley, needs to jump from role player to all-star is STILL not recovered from the same injury that happened 1 month prior to the end of LAST regular season. I could go on and on about how much this bothers me and makes me say, "DAMN!", but I won't because I've already done that, and its obvious to me that "borderline all star" expectations for a project big man with back woes aren't realistic. Above average center, yes, borderline all star, no.

     Based off of Dudley's observations, how worried about Robin's health and development as a player is everyone else headed into this season??

Suns center Robin Lopez will not play for Team USA this summer.

Lopez wants to continue rehabbing his injured back.

"I think it's just a precaution. His back is doing fine. Just precautionary," Robin's bother Brook told Chris Tomasson of FanHouse.

Precaution? Yes. Rehabbing? Yes. Is Lopez's back going to be a reoccuring problem for his ENTIRE career? Yes. Sorry to be the bearer of bad new Suns fans, but Robin Lopez's back is the elephant in the room. No one wants to acknowledge it. So I will. Brace for it Suns fans. Brace for Robin Lopez, err Robin Lopez's back to continually disappoint us for years to come. One round of disappointment has Lopez's back already served up. You remember. About 1 month prior to the playoffs commencing, the hottest team in the NBA (Phoenix Suns) put out word that their young, intimidating , defensive minded 7 footer(basically our first ever) would be out for the rest of the regular season. Well that timeframe extended until game 1 of the WCF. One could only imagine how much better we would have been in the WCF had Robin's back not disappointed us for that first time, had Robin never missed a game from the All Star break on thru to Nash being able to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy. And now comes the above information that Robin Lopez has left Team USA for precautionary measures to work on rehabbing his back.               "I think it's just a precaution", said Brook Lopez with Alvin Gentry apparently echoing the same sentiments. Of course his brother and the organization are going to say that. Robin's back is the elephant in the room after all.

As much as I hate to inform everyone on here, Robin Lopez’s back is going to ruin his career. Maybe not ruin per say, but it's a big enough problem where we should be tempering our enthusiasm for how much we can actually count on and expect from him. A man his size with a bulging disc is a HUGE problem. I mean HUGE!                                             

       Here’s an example that hits close to home…Any Cardinals fans in here? Gerald Hayes just had back surgery for a similar issue. The Cardinals organization has been saying all offseason that they were holding him out for precautionary reasons. Nope. His back is jacked up. And so is Robin’s. I know you don’t want to believe me. We have such high hopes for the guy, but this back issue is here to stay. Operating on a bulging disc is a last ditch scenario. The disc(s) sits perpinducular to each vertical vertebrae in the back. The discs act as a buffer/cushion between vertebrae. When you have a bulging disc it’s NOT CURABLE! Ask anyone who has similar back problems. They don’t go away. A buging disc is debilitating, but something that can be played with, albeit with lots of pain. His back is not fine, but he can play with it. Robin Lopez will never play a full 82 game schedule ever. Why doesn’t Robin go under the knife like Hayes did? Like I said it is a last ditch scenario. Surgery to repair a bulging disc involves removing the disc, in which case there is no cushion/buffer between vertebrae. Im not sure what they replace the original disc(s) with in that case, but surgery for such issues can prove to make the injury even worse. So for now, Robin Lopez will play with varying levels of debilitating pain EVERY time he is on the basketball court. That fact is unfortunate, because it will make sure that Robin is not able to be a gym rat. Every great player is a gym rat. They spend countless hours on the hardwood working on getting better. It will cut down the amount of time he can spend in the weight room getting stronger and more explosive. Robin will get better but the pain he will always be in will cut his practice time considerably over the course of a career. Therefore, Robin Lopez will never reach his full potential. It hurts to say that, it hurts bad. It's not like Robin Lopez doesn't want to reach his full potential that's what is so disappointing about the whole situation. A family friend who happens to be a prominent M.D. back specialist explained to me what I tried to explain above regarding the nuances of his back issues. He's a Suns fan/season ticket holder as well, and hearing it come from his mouth really sucked. Hopefully he's wrong but if I had to bet the house I would bet there is more disappointment to come in regards to Robin's injury problems.

Gani Lawal has been named a part of the Vegas Summer League All-Tournamnent Team along with the below 14 players...Of the 14 players, only 6 were recent draftees. The other 8 were rookies last season and had a major advantage in regards to NBA or DLeague experience. Lawal's inclusion on the team definitely bodes well for the Suns. Tivo allowed me to watch all the Suns VSL games and Lawal was certainly the teams most steady performer. He out-muscled all comers and showed a strong ability to score around the basket using his athleticism. His actual finishing ability needs much improvement, but is inate ability to draw fouls is something that typically can not be taught. His shooting form needs help but reworking a guys shooting stroke is something the Suns staff has done well in the past. Apparently there were some size concerns with Lawal that contributed to his falling to the Suns at #46. I found that weird because I caught several Georgia Tech games last season and have always been impressed with Lawal's strength and athleticism while Favors always struck me as the one who would end up having strength issues and competing down low. What was obvious from the first VSL game on, was that Lawal makes Lou Amundson immediately expendable. Lawal will be able to fill that energy guy role off the bench from day one. By All-Star break Lawal will be a fan favorite with his hard-nosed style of play and monster dunks.

T-Mobile Rookie of the Month
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento)

Most Outstanding Player
John Wall (Washington)

All-Tournament Team
Sam Young (Memphis)
JaVale McGee (Washington)
Reggie Williams (Golden State)
DeMar DeRozan (Toronto)
JJ Hickson (Cleveland)
Ty Lawson (Denver)
Dominique Jones (Dallas)
Derrick Caracter (LA Lakers)
Larry Sanders (Milwaukee)
Gani Lawal (Phoenix)
Jermaine Taylor (Houston)
Alonzo Gee (San Antonio)