Well, we’ve all seen players rushed back. I’m sure teams hate it, but I can understand anyone wanting a second opinion on their health.

Teams may hate that, but I can also understand that some players are dubious of team doctors making decisions best for the team than the player.

EDIT:

I can also understand that some of the player’s personal doctors may be quacks in some cases.

A lot of these guys get cleared to play when they shouldn’t. KD, Tatum, Hali and Lillard all had calf strains, were cleared to play and then they popped their achilles. If your body is breaking down you need to respect that but it costs money for these teams and they don’t like that. Oh well. Sit your asses out I say.

and im sure players hate being rushed back by their front offices.

The CBA has a whole section on second opinions. In some circumstances, the teams have to pay for them. There’s a list of “jointly appointed” doctors that players can use as “Second Opinion Physicians.”

(a) Subject to the additional terms in subsections (b) through (e) below, players shall have the right to receive a second medical opinion at the Team’s expense regarding the course of treatment for an injury, illness, or other medical condition that either: (i) has prevented the player from participating in a Regular Season, Play-In, or playoff game for two (2) weeks or more; (ii) in the opinion of a Team physician for the player’s Team, is more likely than not to prevent the player from being able to participate in an NBA game for two (2) weeks or more (or during the off-season, from participating in competitive basketball without restriction for two weeks or more); (iii) in the opinion of the Team physician will not be significantly aggravated by the player continuing to participate in NBA games (or during the offseason participating in basketball without restriction) when the player reasonably believes that continued participation will significantly aggravate his injury, illness, or other medical condition; (iv) results in direction from the Team physician that the player should undergo surgery; or (v) results in direction from the Team physician that the player should not undergo surgery when the player reasonably believes that surgery is necessary for the injury, illness, or other medical condition. The foregoing shall not limit a player’s ability to obtain a second medical opinion in circumstances other than those set forth in Sections 10(a)(i)-(v) above, provided that the Team shall not be obligated to pay for or consider any such second opinion.

(b) The parties will maintain and publish annually a list (the “Second Opinion List”) of jointly-appointed medical specialists, including one or more psychiatrist(s) (each a “Second Opinion Physician”), by specialty and by geographic region in the United States and Canada, to provide players with the second medical opinions described in subsection (a) above. At least two (2) board-certified physicians shall be designated as Second Opinion Physicians for each specialty in each of the geographic regions.

NBA players personal doctors have their best interest in mind, team doctors have the teams best interest in mind.

GPII said something of the effect when he came back to the warriors implying Portlands medical team was sus 

Good. Players should protect themselves. One torn achilles could mean hundreds of millions of lost earnings.

Oh yeah just rush me back so I can tear my Achilles then.

Yea, why don’t those players let teams grind their broken bodies into dust. Buncha bastards trying to look out for their own health and well being when there are tickets to sell and games to win.

well considering their livelihood depends on their ligaments functioning can you blame them?

Remember when Kawhi got 7 second opinions until he got the diagnosis he wanted so he could keep securing the bag

My dad used to run hospitals, and he provided team physicians to a number of professional sports teams. It used to be that what the team doc said was the end all be all. He was such a strong proponent of second and even third opinions because, in his words, “everyone’s fallible. Even doctors.”

lol. teams hate medical ethics.

The grizzlies got rid of Steven Adams because he refused team doctor treatment and just left to go to New Zealand to see his own doctor

NBA players just like every other doctor-shopping American, fr fr

Team doctors fucking suck and will make the call on what’s best for the organization not the player.

If you take 3 randomly-selected, highly-qualified doctors and ask them when a player is ready to come back from injury, that you’ll probably get three modestly differing opinions.

Once you add conflicts of interest and suspicion to the mix, it’s bound to be a mess for some injuries that have a high variance of readiness.

Just call it the Kawhi special

An NBA team’s external podiatrist cleared me for basketball and running when I had a severe Achilles injury and damaged my body for 4+ years.

It was so unprofessional that 5+ doctors were flabbergasted.

Pictures in the office was a certain NBA player who was riddled leg injuries lol.

Speaking from experience, the reality is lots of NBA players may need over a year of a rest for tendon injuries; it’s definitely true of Anthony Davis. His Achilles alone could take YEARS according to my current PT, because they kept rushing him back. Tendonopathy is micro tears but still tears that get worse or never heal without rest.

I’m also concerned over what his rehab is. Are loading the tendon or doing damaging stretches? 

This is dope and what all players should do. Teams and owners view players as pieces that help their team. It’s a business. Players are people who need to look out for themselves.

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What is the fucking point of being a reporter if you never report the names? Shits so annoying.

If you aren’t naming them don’t report it.

In a business model where teams are constantly trying to squeeze the most value out of a player, it’s not crazy to think that their doctors could be rushing players back and not be prioritizing their long term health.

Team doctors are team doctors. They do what’s best for the team. I understand the player wanting another opinion that will tell them whats best for them.

Back in mah day players played with gunshot wounds and severed limbs…

Their body, their rules

Honestly I dont know how you find a doctor that would say ‘yes go play nba basketball days after a sprain’.

name names you fucking pussy

Idgaf if “teams hate it”. Players’ health is literally their career. It’s also their body. If they don’t feel right but the team is pushing to get them back on the court, they should be allowed to seek other qualified opinions. What’s the alternative? Forcing players to play when they feel like playing would potentially damage their bodies, and in doing so cost them millions in career earnings? That ain’t it, chief.

“Seek a second opinion” is/should be SOP for personal healthcare. Because you are an athlete shouldn’t change that.

Players have to look out for themselves I don’t blame them for doing this at all. A good example of this is Isaiah Thomas

Dnthony Aavis would like a word

If there’s anything I learned from Concussion (the movie), it’s that team doctors work for the team, not the athletes.

Players also don’t like being rushed back either 

Lot of players out with a calf strains so probably talking about them fearing tearing their ACL. We saw what happened to players like KD, Tyrese, Tatum, Dame, etc… when they tried playing through it, makes sense to be extra cautious.

Sixers probably took several years off Embiid’s career by constantly rushing him back to play injured.. so i don’t have a hard time empathizing with players here. 

Oh Haynes… 

Matisse Thybulle has been out with broken finger all year and last year it was some other minor thing. I don’t know if he’ll make it in league a year longer if he can’t play.

I would be surprised if this id anyone on the Magic. Our dudes are always out for longer than average for every injury.

What’s wrong with getting a second opinion?

If I was a pro athlete I would get like 4 or 5 opinions if it’s something that might be serious.

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I speak from experience, sometimes the team Docs are shite

Well, who gives a shit about the teams in that regard? Just don’t let your second opinion be your kid’s general practitioner or something.

I mean, I wouldn’t trust my employers Doctor, to tell me if it’s safe for me to make money for them.

luol deng would tell you this is the only option

Is it they “want to play” or trying to find opinion “not to play”?

I wouldn’t trust the team doctors fully, either. Never ask a barber if you need a haircut and all that. I’d go around like with that dude from Cannonball Run whose eyes pointed in different directions. Second opinion? Boom. Handled.

Well its a lose lose. Doctors only have the player$ interests in mind - teams only have their best interest in mind.

SOFT