The ice pack might say it all.. The Franchise may not be ready to play ever again
via NiuBBall:
Steve Francis, revered in China since his days in Houston with Yao Ming, arrived in Beijing early in the morning on December 14th to a hero’s welcome; a homecoming of sorts for one of China’s favorite players of all time.13 days later, Fu Laoda’s happy homecoming has turned into a messy divorce.
According to Sina Sports, the Beijing Shougang Ducks have decided to cut Francis from their roster, just six games after the three-time NBA All-Star joined up with the franchise. Although the team has yet to formally announce the news, Francis’ agent has confirmed to the Chinese news outlet that the nine-year NBA veteran will be released by the organization shortly and will return to the United States within the next couple of days.
Since arriving with the team less than two weeks ago, Francis has played a total of 14 minutes over four games, averaging 0.5 points 0.7 rebounds.
Though Sina is reporting that the team is cutting Francis, a source speaking to NiuBBall.com indicated that the break-up was mutual and that both sides were equally ready to move on. Francis, who was brought in on a large contract after Beijing head coach, Min Lulei, flew out to the U.S. to watch him work out in November, became quickly frustrated with Min over his lack of minutes and felt as if the team was merely using him to sell tickets and merchandise. Francis had not played more than five minutes in a single game, and had received his second straight DNP-CD tonight against Jiangsu after not getting any action on Friday against Bayi.
It looks like another one of the stars of yesteryear is having trouble adjusting to life outside of the NBA. In an unprecedented move, Chinese professional club Beijing Shougang Ducks has cut ties with former NBA standout Steve Francis. Francis, most recognized from his showing in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, his 2000 Rookie of the Year award, and his eventual pairing with Yao Ming, left the NBA with career averages of 18 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game.
Francis’ last year in the NBA was 2008 and his one playoff appearance in 2004 saw the Maryland product ousted in the first round. His conditioning and overall durability were called into question towards the end of his career, as well as his ability to contribute to a team-centered offense as opposed to an isolation.
That said, is it just me, or have some of more exciting players from the early 2000′s in the NBA languished in their later years? Either due to injury, their own selfish natures or to the changing winds of the NBA, players like Stevie Franchise, Stephon Marbury, Allen Iverson and Antoine Walker have seen their playing days go from wildly successful to shells of their former selves. What is it about players that evoked such excitement? Did their mostly individualistic playing styles hinder their development and hence their prospects of winning? Does Steve Francis have what it takes to play basketball at any level or are his playing days over? Argue with me!!
