Marcin Gortat and Robin Lopez – There is bad blood between the Phoenix Suns centres: NBA Update
Marcin Gortat, the fourth year centre, who was picked up as 57th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, returned to the franchise in 2010, and immediately got the starting centre job. Prior to Marcin, the 7 ft big, Robin Lopez occupied the spot in the Desert City franchise.
When Gortat was with the Orlando Magic, he was a back up option to the All-Star centre Dwight Howard. This naturally meant that Gortat did not get much minutes to play in the game. However, he always waited for that one chance to prove his worth and when the Magic traded him to the Suns, his wait was finally over.
He was part of a trade that took Mickael Pietrus and Vince Carter together with a 2011 first-round draft pick and $3 million cash from Orlando in return for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark. Within a short span of time, Gortat took the role of centre from Lopez and as it turns out now, it didn’t go well with Lopez. Marcin explained how Lopez had the golden chance to earn and keep the starting job.
However, the tussle between the two dates from Marcin’s very first day at the Suns. Never shy to share his piece of mind, Marcin revealed in a recent interview his first experience with Lopez.
Gortat claimed that on his first day at the Suns workout facility, when he inquired Lopez, whether practice will begin on the court or with a video session, Lopez told him that he was not aware. Gortat went to the exercise area whereas Robin went to attend the video session. After a few minutes, an assistant coach came to Gortat and asked him why he didn’t come to the video session. Marcin told him the reason but in reply to that, the coach said everyone is aware about where the practice begins.
From there onwards, Marcin knew that he will have his hands full in the future. He eventually replaced Lopez on the starting line-up. Adding on, he said;
“This guy (Lopez) had such a big chance, such a big opportunity, to play in the best league. When I was Orlando, playing behind Dwight (Howard), I was praying to get a chance to play and he (Lopez) has had this chance for two years and he didn’t take. So I thought, when you don’t want it, there will be 50 persons behind you, waiting to take this chance, and then I came by and I took (it). Sorry, that’s business, that’s life.”
Marcin certainly has a point, but it does bode well for the Suns. Now the whole world knows, how things stand between two guys on their roster.
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