Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.Robert "Tractor" Traylor hasn't appeared in the NBA since 2005, but after several stops in Spain, Puerto Rico, and, well, the courthouse, he's hoping to return to the Big Show by earning a roster spot in Summer League. I caught up with Tractor after the Cavs' game yesterday and talked about where he's been and what his future might hold.
Matt Watson: Your career has taken a little bit of a detour. Do you feel like you're on the right path again?
Robert Traylor: Yeah, I think so. I think with this point in time, this opportunity to come out and play in the summer league has given me a great opportunity to get myself back to where I want to be and hopefully be in the NBA when the season starts.
MW: Playing in Spain and Puerto Rico, how does that compare to the competition you face out here?
RT: It's a lot different, but I think in Puerto Rico the competition is actually great. You've got a lot of great players over there. We played a lot of games, like 32 games in 61 days.
MW: Wow.
RT: Yeah. So the competition level, and the time and the games, it makes for a great league.
MW: Are you hearing anything from the Cavs at all about what your chances are to make the team?
RT: I haven't really gotten into that just yet. I'm just trying to do as much as I can in summer league and see what happens after this.
MW: With some of the young players that are out here, who's impressed you the most?
RT: I love JJ Hickson. I'm playing with him, but I love what he does. I've seen Kevin Love play, he's real aggressive on the glass, he plays hard. I think they got a great draft class. The kids that are coming out, it's going to be great to see them as they improve over time and move into the season.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-19-2008 @ 8:30PM
Dr Huxtable said...
How's that drug ring that he financed doing?
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7-22-2008 @ 2:41AM
Detroit Frye said...
You just hating because he makes more than you playing a game!!!
"Males should'nt be jealous, that's a female trait. You mad cause you push dimes, and he sell weight."
Jay-Z
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7-22-2008 @ 12:23PM
taterrific said...
Traylor brought disgrace upon the University of Michigan by taking Ed Martin's money; and that's too bad, because he has a lot of charisma. He had a lot of potential, but his weight is too much of a problem for him to ever be truly effective in the NBA.
I can see him playing the four in Europe, but not in the NBA.
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7-23-2008 @ 7:50PM
james said...
Taterrifi, if the man can play 32 games in 61 days and destroy players in the summer league after heart surgery I think he is in pretty good shape. (remember that when you reach for the chips)
And there is enough blame for what happened at the University of Michigan to go around. If that is the biggest disgrace you can think of, i suggest you read beyond the sports page.
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7-24-2008 @ 1:55PM
Brian said...
I am calling it this way, Taterrific will be the first one claiming Traylor should he make it back in the NBA. I love how the athletes are the disgrace and not old man Martin and the coach who knew that this stuff was going on and did not report it. Let's not acknowledge the students, faculty and other folk on that campus who saw all that happened and said nothing. The disgrace at University of Michigan can go around to a lot more than just the names you read about in the paper.
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