- Getty Images
- I’m no doctor, but he looks just fine in this picture.
Ruh-oh! It was recently announced that former Portland Trail Blazer Martell Webster would have to undergo surgery to repair a disk in his back and will be forced to sit out for 4-6 weeks of the thrilling last place season of his new team, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Turns out that Webster—who was shipped off, clearly not in bubble wrap, to Minnesota on draft night for the 16th overall pick—might have already been injured during the Blazers’ postseason run last Spring.
That means the Blazers knowingly traded an injured player, which you aren’t supposed to do. It kills your eBay seller rating, plus the NBA hates it as well. Since Minnesota clearly kept their receipt, the Wolves have contacted the league and might be seeking a draft pick from Portland for being swindled like this.
This is all a little suspicious since it was no secret that Webster was on his way out of Portland, plus all incoming players are subjected to medical physicals before any trade is completed. But Minnesota GM David Kahn has quickly become the NBA’s resident rube, so if anyone was going to trade their cow for a handful of magic beans, it would be him.
We’ll keep you updated on this odd situation.
The Timberwolves medical staff is worse than the Blazers? Now that’s news.
Funny that they weren’t complaining when he was tearing it up in the preseason.
On ESPN: “We’re all laughing about it,” says one front office executive, who expressed no sympathy for Minnesota’s reported position. “You can’t watch the freaking playoffs? That was a pretty obvious incident, right on national TV.”
Minnesota did it’s own physical. Caveat Emptor!