Ronny Turiaf

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#1
Apparently the Lakers second round pick is going to miss the upcoming season as he requires heart surgery. I like the way Turiaf plays the game and I hope he is able to make a full recovery and play again.

I wonder if any front offices knew about his heart condition and if that had any effect on him dropping to the 2nd round. Since he was always considered on the bubble for the 1st round, I doubt it, but I wonder if it popped up on any previous physicals.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#4
funkykingston said:
ESPN is picking up the story

Turiaf to have heart surgery

Looks like the problem is an enlarged aorta.
Yikes.

Liked him a lot myself and would not have been entirely upset if we had taken a shot at him as a hustler/banger. Showed well in summer league too apparently. THEN wouldn't we have been hurting.

As an aside, think this actualy hurts teh Lakers for next year. Turiaf is no star, but looked to maybe be a defensive roleplayer that could work well in PJs system. With Grant over the hill, they have nobody else to fill that role right now.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#5
If they really cut the Rasta Monsta loose, it will mean plenty of minutes for Kwame Brown. I wonder if they won't look to keep Vlade around now and have Mihm or Odom play some minutes alongside him at the 4. I'm not sure what other options they have. Brian Cook? Medvedanko will likely be permantly affixed to Jackson's bench as he was in the last time around.
 
A

AriesMar27

Guest
#6
will grant even play next season? and will cook get any minutes? i just dont see it happening with walton there and odom now playing sf.... where will he fit in outside of garbage time of ocurse?
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#7
AriesMar27 said:
will grant even play next season? and will cook get any minutes? i just dont see it happening with walton there and odom now playing sf.... where will he fit in outside of garbage time of ocurse?
Well that perimeter shooting is again something PJ likes to supplemetn his main guys with. But Cook's lack of defense is the problem. Wonder if maybe the Lakers decide to keep Grant now?
 
#8
funkykingston said:
If they really cut the Rasta Monsta loose, it will mean plenty of minutes for Kwame Brown. I wonder if they won't look to keep Vlade around now and have Mihm or Odom play some minutes alongside him at the 4. I'm not sure what other options they have. Brian Cook? Medvedanko will likely be permantly affixed to Jackson's bench as he was in the last time around.
Do you really think the Lakers are done wheeling and dealing this offseason?? I certainly don't think the Kings have finished putting peices in place.
 
#9
hoopsfan said:
I certainly don't think the Kings have finished putting peices in place.
Thats because the Kings haven't put any in place at all. Lakers will make some more moves too, I agree.
 
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thesanityannex

Guest
#10
hoopsfan said:
Do you really think the Lakers are done wheeling and dealing this offseason?? I certainly don't think the Kings have finished putting peices in place.
Petrie is yet to find the puzzle box. Seems like mommy has him on a timeout, and he can't play yet.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
#12
Do you really think the Lakers are done wheeling and dealing this offseason?? I certainly don't think the Kings have finished putting peices in place.
I've stopped expecting moves from the Kings. I might be in full blown cynic mode, but I get the feeling the Maloofs aren't really that interested in roster moves and are just biding their time until they can uproot the franchise.

As for the Lakers, yes I DO think they were done wheeling and dealing in terms of their frontcourt. My feeling was that they were looking to upgrade the PG spot and were satisfied with Brown as a starter and Turiaf as the likely backup with any extra minutes going to Cook or Slava. With Mihm as a decent starter and plenty of minutes for Bynum to develop I think they were set at the five as well.

I'm not saying the Lakers can't or won't address the PF spot now, only that I doubt it was any kind of a priority before news of Turiaf's condition became known.
 
#13
Alacron said:
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that, scary stuff.

He needs to get checked for Marfan's Syndrome or other connective tissue disorders. 6'10" 22-yr old with enlarged aorta... that's not right.
~~
I don't think that's what he has. He doesn't seem to have many of the classic symptoms of this diesease. My nephew was checked for it as he showed some of the characteristics, but tested negative.
But testing to be safe would not be a bad thing. That's what Flo Hyman died of..long before there was much news about Marfans. (I was lucky enough to see her play when I was in high school...INCREDIBLE player!)
 
#14
yikes!!!

i wish him the best of luck with the surgery and the recovery. my grandmother had open heart surgery ( not for the same thing, but open heart surgery nonetheless) it's a scary ordeal for the family, so i hope everything goes well, and that he is able to make a full recovery.

i heard this news on sportscenter. they said his contract has been voided, but the lakers will pick up the medical bills.
 
#15
Evenstar said:
i heard this news on sportscenter. they said his contract has been voided, but the lakers will pick up the medical bills.
His contract was contingent upon passing the medical tests, btw. They will retain his rights in case he can play in the future, but he's out for at least next season.
 
#16
I would assume that teams new about some type of condition since he did drop so far. I really wanted the Kings to draft him but now I'm glad they didn't.
 
#17
It's really too bad that Turiaf will not get a chance to prove himself in this league. I remember reading that doctors dont think he will ever be able to play again. If that is true, than I'm really really sorry for Turiaf, cause now he has to go into the real world where you work hard at a normal job. Seriously, he probably deserved better than that. At least the Lakers are picking up the bill. That would be horrible if they didn't (although sadly I wouldnt be suprised).

On the subject of the Kings not changing much by the season, I see both sides of the argument and I could see it going both ways, but looking at the past I have little doubt Petrie has a big deal up his sleeve that he will try to pull off. As usual, we have no idea what it is and would be hard pressed to guess, but I get the feeling.....Although I wouldnt be too upset with just developing our 2 guards and just improving at D...maybe just get a big man.
 
#18
BobbyJ_for3! said:
It's really too bad that Turiaf will not get a chance to prove himself in this league. I remember reading that doctors dont think he will ever be able to play again. If that is true, than I'm really really sorry for Turiaf, cause now he has to go into the real world where you work hard at a normal job. Seriously, he probably deserved better than that. At least the Lakers are picking up the bill. That would be horrible if they didn't (although sadly I wouldnt be suprised).

On the subject of the Kings not changing much by the season, I see both sides of the argument and I could see it going both ways, but looking at the past I have little doubt Petrie has a big deal up his sleeve that he will try to pull off. As usual, we have no idea what it is and would be hard pressed to guess, but I get the feeling.....Although I wouldnt be too upset with just developing our 2 guards and just improving at D...maybe just get a big man.
Buss has already said that if he's unable to return to the court he will give him some job with the team.
 
#20
Ryle said:
I would assume that teams new about some type of condition since he did drop so far. I really wanted the Kings to draft him but now I'm glad they didn't.
He wouldn't be a 4-year college star if doctors had known. I read that the chances of him collapsing and dying on court at some point in the future were strong. Shelving him is unfortunate, but it sure beats seeing him die like Hank Gathers or Reggie Lewis.
 
#21
Man my heart really goes out to this guy. I was listening to ESPN radio and they said that this may even end his basketball career but they said that doctors want know how really bad it is until they do the surgery. I hope its not to bad so that he gets to come back and live out a dream that he has worked so hard for.
 
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TheEnemy

Guest
#25
Nice to know that even though the Kings and Lakers hate eachother that you guys have enough class to keep a nice guy like Ronnie in your thoughts.
There were a couple of jerks on the Spurs board that were celebrating the fact that he had to have open heart surgery. Awesome thread guys.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#26
We may be Kings fans, but we're also fans of the NBA.

If you stick around, I think you'll find there are already a number of Laker fans who drop in and chat for a while.

If you're here to talk about the game we all love, you'll do fine. We do get testy when our team plays yours, but other than that - most of us don't bite. And most of those that might have had all their shots.

Welcome.
 
#27
TheEnemy said:
Nice to know that even though the Kings and Lakers hate eachother that you guys have enough class to keep a nice guy like Ronnie in your thoughts.
There were a couple of jerks on the Spurs board that were celebrating the fact that he had to have open heart surgery. Awesome thread guys.
Spurs and Spurs fans -- the starkest difference among NBA fanbases between the way their team conducts itself and the way the fans conduct themselves (McNulla excluded).

Anyway, I don't want to know someone so hardcore that they couldn't feel pity for a guy who hasn't of yet even played in one game for LA. If you are that hardcore, you should get your priorities in check.
 
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TheEnemy

Guest
#28
VF21 said:
We may be Kings fans, but we're also fans of the NBA.

If you stick around, I think you'll find there are already a number of Laker fans who drop in and chat for a while.

If you're here to talk about the game we all love, you'll do fine. We do get testy when our team plays yours, but other than that - most of us don't bite. And most of those that might have had all their shots.

Welcome.
Thanks for the warm welcome. This is a nice and well run site. PJ is back now and I think things between our two teams will heat up quite a bit. It's just strange though that both teams have totally different rosters now. We will always have history though and that's the fun part about it. Good luck this year guys, well anytime accept when you face us that is :).