To his credit, Quincy Pondexter did everything possible to finish last season on the floor instead of the sideline, despite his own signs that there was something wrong with his left knee. According to new Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry, Pondexter apparently intentionally missed scheduled MRI exams late in the 2014-15 season, because the small forward knew he wouldn’t like what the scans indicated. So instead of undergoing tests Pondexter believed would bear bad news and potentially force him to sit out the rest of the campaign, the 27-year-old played through pain, helping New Orleans reach the playoffs.
Pondexter, one of the team’s on- and off-court leaders, was fined for skipping the MRIs by the Pelicans.