Big Jake Story

[jbeecham]

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tsakalidis_030515.html

Offseason? What Offseason?


By Dustin Krugel, Suns.com
Posted: May 15, 2003

The offseason is a time most players relax and recharge their bodies, but that won’t be the case for Suns center Jake Tsakalidis.

After playing in a career-low 33 games in 2002-03, Suns President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo said last season’s projected starter needs to work hard this summer.

“He’s got some catching up to do,” Colangelo admitted. “He’s going to be going to work right away. He’s not going to go home and take some time off. He’s had his time off with the injury.”

Tsakalidis, who spent nearly three months on the injured list following back surgery, will remain in the Valley of the Sun to work on conditioning and physical rehabilitation until mid-July when the rookies and free agents report for summer camp. The Suns are scheduled to participate in the Rocky Mountain ***** in Salt Lake City from July 18-26.

Colangelo said he also hopes Big Jake will be cleared to play for the Greek National Team at the European Championships, which begin in late August in Sweden.

“It looks like all their issues have been resolved," he said. "The last time I was in Greece, the authorities were all over me in terms of trying to get our support, which we pledged."

The 7-2 center has not returned to Greece on the advice of his agent since the Suns drafted him in 2000. There is a Greek law that requires every citizen to serve a military committment and it is feared that Tsakalidis would be called to duty if he returns to Greece.

“We’re looking for a complete waiver of that,” Colangelo said. “I do believe the latest document that I saw addressed that. We have secured council in Greece to go over the document to make sure everything is in line and that process is still ongoing.”

 

[elindholm]

The big question is, can his body stand up to a whole summer of basketball and working out? It's hard to know whether his recurring health problems will be improved by his working harder, or made worse.

 

[cly2tw]

I hope that his back problem was reason for his not so impressive development so far. Now that root problem is gone, he might be able to do all the right things to stay healthy and contribute. Giving him time to rehab was probably a main reason not to play him so much late in the season. This way, when we have to extend him we will less likely have to deal with some damaged good, more likely at an adequate price.

 

[minercon]

Pure Bull boys! Johnson likes to play small ball and will do it every time he possibly can. Big Jake was ready to play during the postseason and was just itching to get into the games....but Johnson would not utilize him.....and Johnson probably will still make some excuse next year.

 

[Errntknght]

Amen, Miner!

Also note the FJ didn't do much to bring Little Jake along when 'Big' went out with the back problem. Yeah, eventually, he labelled him as one of his energy guys and let him play a bit but it was still nothing like he was working on making Voskuhl - or any other center - an integral part of the team. Actually, it wasn't until Little Jake started emulating Outlaw and racing around like he was a little guy that FJ let him play.