Barbosa has sore knee; needs to take the summer off
May 30th, 2008, 10:38 pm · Post a Comment · posted by jerrybrown
The Suns have asked Leandro Barbosa to take the summer off to rest and skip the 2010 Olympic qualifying tournament for his native Brazil.
Barbosa has complained of some right knee soreness since the end of the season and will be returning to Phoenix in June to have the knee looked at again. But the Suns are confident that the problem is minor and will require only some rest over the summer.
Barbosa has been playing basketball year-round for several years, and fatigue may have played a role in his decreased effectiveness at the end of the season and postseason. And while a TV report in Brazil quoted Barbosa as saying the injury might be serious, there is no medical indication of that.
As for rumors that Barbosa might be on the trading block following the departure of Mike and Dan D’Antoni – with New York the reported landing spot – dismiss them. The Suns see him as a solid member of their core and are looking forward to seeing his defense improve under the wing of the incoming coaching staff. And while GM Steve Kerr has said no one on the roster is untradable, Barbosa remains one of the least likely Suns to be moved.
