Today, in two consecutive tweets, Orlando Magic player rep Chris Duhon explained what fans (and David Stern) hope will come from this week.

His first tweet mentioned that the Magic will support the new proposal. His second tweet noted, quite succinctly, “this deal sucks.”

As fans, we know the players are getting screwed with this proposal (as much as the NBA pretends otherwise). We just hope they decide to accept a bad deal anyway, for two reasons:

1) We’d really love to see NBA hoops this season.

And

2) If the players don’t accept the current proposal, um, does anyone have a reasonable plan to encourage a better proposal? (Silence. Yeah, didn’t think so.)

If NBA players vote to accept the latest collective bargaining proposal, I doubt many fans will shout, “But the owners are such bullies! Take it back, players! Extend this NBA lockout until you can get a fair deal!” Fans will be too busy rejoicing the (finally) approaching NBA schedule.

I realize that it’s harsh to root for players to accept a bum deal. They should have principles, they should stand up for themselves, they shouldn’t let owners shove them around, et cetera, et cetera. I agree. But at the same time, as a fan, I just want basketball.

Remember when the New York Knicks claimed Nate Robinson was held out of a game due to flu-like symptoms, even when all signs pointed to him being kept from playing because he was involved in an imminent trade with the Boston Celtics?

Turns out he was actually sick.

“Y’all thought he had the blue flu, but he didn’t,” Doc Rivers told the Boston Herald. “He actually had the flu. So all you skeptical writers, he was telling the truth. How about that, an athlete telling the truth.”

Robinson’s sickness will likely keep him out of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, but he should be available for Tuesday’s meeting with New York. That’s right, Robinson’s old team.

I hope with all my heart that Robinson scores in bunches, blowing kisses at Mike D’Antoni — who benched Robinson for many games this season — after every bucket. I want him to dunk on David Lee’s head, then wink over at his old coach. Or maybe steal the rock from Chris Duhon every time he tries to dribble. “Sorry, Coach D., but Chris Duhon is horrible. Not just bad. Horrible. I don’t know what in the world you were thinking when you played him instead of me.”

But that’s only if he feels better. Doc Rivers told the Herald the illness was pretty bad.

“He would love to play (last night) if he could,” said coach Doc Rivers before the Celts met the Trail Blazers. “He was in the hospital and all that – IV’s, dehydrated.”

Robinson was still looking for a way west.

“We were trying, and he’s just literally not feeling up to it,” Rivers said. “It’s funny, (Thursday) before the game he was feeling good. It was probably more adrenaline from being traded. He was excited, and then he hit the wall. He was trying to figure out a way to take the physical and get on a plane and make it.

“And right after the game (GM) Danny (Ainge) called me and said, ‘There’s no way this guy should be not only playing, he shouldn’t even be on an airplane.’ ”