Does Mannix really know?  Deadifting 400 lbs for a man Tatum's size is not a lot.  It may seem a lot to a lay person but D'Aaron Fox can do 500lbs and Steph Curry can do 400 lbs..  It is lot for a guy coming back from injury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmPONkchro0

I think being strong at sports can help your confidence a lot.    What he needs to learn to re trust his body and what it can do, and can't do and that is a lot harder.  It is his career, so I think it is up to him.

I do think opportunity is there this year with the East wide open.   I think we can beat any East team, this year with Tatum back.  But the West is generally favored against the East in the finals from what I have read.  The only team I think we would have issues and be at an disadvantage with is OKC.  The other teams are beatable.

Here we go on suspensions.

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
49s
NBA suspensions for the Pistons-Hornets fight, sources tell ESPN:

Isaiah Stewart: 7 games

Miles Bridges: 4 games

Moussa Diabate: 4 games

Jalen Duren: 2 games

primary reason to was to get a useful big man and balance out the roster.  the savings was secondary but a required part of the deal.  The trades to move Boucher, Tillman and Minott were the ones really made to get under the tax.

I think the primary reason was to save money

I was listening to Chris Mannix and Rachel Nichols review of the trade deadline from a week ago. They talked about the Vucevic trade which turned into a discussion on Jayson Tatum's return.

Chris Mannix was talking about Drew Hanlen who was with Zach LaVine when LaVine returned from an ACL injury. LaVine came back too quickly and had a horrible experience. Played terribly. Well, Drew Hanloen is also an advisor to Jayson Tatum and Mannix believes he will be relaying this story to Tatum and warning Tatum not to return unless he feels fully ready. Don't come back at 70% or 80%. Come back when you are ready. Apparently Drew Hanlon was also with Bradley Beal. He is a St Louis guy. And he has been a trusted advisor to Tatum for a long time. So he has some influence.

Mannix also talked about seeing Tatum deadlifting 400lbs. But also says gym work is completely different to doing physical actions in live game action. That mental block after an injury is going to the be question and Mannix believes that is the stage that Tatum is in now in his recovery. Managing those mental blocks. Says Tatum looks great in the gym.

Mannix also said he expects Tatum to return by March 01 or not return at all. He thinks it will be too late in the season for Tatum to come back with 2-3 weeks of action before the playoffs after the type of injury (seriousness of the injury) that Tatum has had. That Tatum will need more game time before the playoffs in order to play at a sufficient level. To recover confidence on the floor. So he thinks this (possible Tatum return) will happen soon (next 2-3 weeks) or not at all.

Some interesting thoughts & insights from Mannix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJv_4nLLq9M

Vucevic and Tatum parts are from 28:30 min into the video to the 36:00 min mark.

Some serious tea leaf reading by Mannix. Pretty sure Tatum is going to listen to his body and the doctors over his shooting coach. Lol