A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Buyer beware 

For anyone unfamiliar with Pablo Torre, he is a journalist who contributes to ESPN, MS Now, and other outlets. He’s one who I view with confidence in his reporting however I have a question on Sunday afternoon. There is a four minute video Torre is discussing the Kawhi Leonard trade and he uses the term “Buyer Beware.” He points to his belief the results of the NBA investigation is going to fall not where most of us believe it would. Torre indicates it’s the Raptors who will suffer the repercussions of the Aspiration investigation. Now keep in mind this is written from what I’ve read, the amount of documents Torre might have access to I’m unable to view.

Let’s briefly entertain a few facts, the Clippers have gone on record indicating Aspiration and Joseph Sandbern duped them. June 2026 witnessed Sandberg being sentenced to 14 years in prison for defrauding investors and lenders to the tune of $248 million for falsifying bank statements and financial documents. This “pay-for no work” scheme was hatched between Kawhi Leonard’s representatives and Aspiration in an effort to circumvent the salary cap as I attempted to explain to a co-worker. I don’t believe there is any provision prohibiting an athlete from outside income, this was a “pay for no work.” Back to Torre, my difficulty is understanding why he believes this matter falls in the lap of the Raptors. We should see how this eventually unfolds in the next few weeks and the NBA will okay the trade, what do you think?

Combo versus point

There are few point guards in the NBA in this age, even college and the international game we see more combo guards. Recently retired Chris Paul might be the only point guard remaining in the NBA, before him Rajon Rondo retired even earlier. These two and others always looked toward running their team’s offense, when called on they would score but that was not their primary intent. When did we began to see combo rather than pure point guards, that question is easily answered. I’m unsure who the second combo guard was its my contention the first was Oscar Robertson, The Big O. He arrived in the NBA in 1960 a time most teams contained point guards, how was The Big O different from those around him….he could score and distribute the basketball.

In his rookie year he dished out 9.7 assists a game and scored 30.5 ppg which placed his numbers alongside the high volume scorers of the period. During Robertson’s career most of it with the Cincinnati Royals (Kings) he was double digit in assists while scoring 30 plus points six times during his brilliant NBA career. We failed to use the term combo until recent years but nowadays NBA teams contain them over Bonafide point guards. They are named Melo Ball, Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson and a host of others who can score just as easily as setting up a teammate for a basket. The original combo guard Oscar Robertson is 87-years old currently, there is no requirement for me to detail the list of honors let’s just say they are quite extensive.

No. 1 Picks and the Hall of Fame: Part II

This second installment picks up with the first overall selection in the 2010 NBA Draft. The pick would be John Wall who spent the bulk of his career with the Wizards who drafted him, I believe he deserves consideration for the hall of fame. We now move into the group of players who are still active beginning with Kyrie Irving. In 2011 Irving was the choice of the Cavs, still active despite coming off an injury he too deserves consideration. Up next is Anthony Davis in 2012, the injury factor aside AD deserves to be given attention.

In 2013 Anthony Bennett was chosen by the Cavs and he was a bust so the answer is evident regarding his status. 2014 and 2015 would see Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns selected number one, this is a no and a maybe. Wiggins has been a steady player throughout his career however I’m unsure if he is hall of fame worthy. The maybe for Karl-Anthony, his NBA championship although recent places him in the conversation. I’m going to stop at this point, a number of the remaining draft picks have not played long enough to be considered. The disclaimer, those names mentioned in both portions represent my observation alone. I remember once being asked if a certain player would be selected for the hall of fame, I said “no way” he is too one-dimensional. Well needless to say those with voting power (not me) nominated this player for the Naismith Hall of Fame.

NBA Summer League

If you live or happen to be vacationing in Las Vegas NBA Summer League basketball might be on your must see list. As for others of us the games are television only and in most instances even that is limited viewing. As an example I always attempt to follow Laker action for several reasons, to witness the newly drafted players in action for the first time. Despite having a full roster there are only two Lakers who are slotted to be added to the fall lineup. They are Cameron Carr drafted last month and Adou Thiero who was a 2025 draft choice but only played 25 games due to injury.

The Lakers have high hopes for both, as for the balance of their summer roster that’s another matter. I’m always looking for that athlete who exhibits strong enough play to receive a training camp invitation. Headed into the season with the free agent moves and trades I’m always on the lookout for defenders. The Lakers can score baskets, just as critical is the ability to defend. Carr and Thiero can score baskets, each proved that ability at Baylor and Arkansas respectively, the more anticipated question can they defend? Who are the others, my guess those on the regular season roster, they will likely spend part of their season with the parent club. Peter Suder, a 6-foot 4 guard from Miami (OH), a 3-point specialist and OK Okereke a 6-foot 7 244 pound defensive forward who last played at Vanderbilt. Finally there is 6-foot 4 guard Chris Manon who spent G-League and time with the parent club last season. 

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

They showed up

In attendance were Anthony Davis, Trae Young, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Williams, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and others were seen in Thursday night. The gathering at Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas was to watch top pick AJ Dybantsa of the Wizards and number two pick Darryn Peterson of the Jazz in action. The Wizards would prevail in the Summer League game 92-88.

Most everyone in attendance was to witness the top two picks in the 2026 NBA draft in action. Neither player shot particularly well from three (2-12) but overall it was 27 points for Dybansta in 26 minutes of action and 24 points by Peterson. These two rivals met on the court while playing for BYU and Kansas, they had also faced one another in high school. Rest assured fans of the Wizards and Jazz are excited regarding the upcoming NBA season and the future of these teams.   

Meanwhile….

His name has been mentioned in this blog previously, he is the son of former NFL player Marcus Spears Sr. Despite the path of his father Marcus Spears Jr. chose basketball, he’s quite outstanding at the game. The 6-foot 10 prospect was designated the top high school prospect in the Class of 2027 but wait there’s been a huge change. This past Thursday Spears Jr. not only reclassified but also made his commitment known, he is headed to the University of Texas to play for Sean Miller. Spears Jr. should aid the competitive nature of Texas basketball for at least two years, his youthful age will prevent him from the 2027 NBA draft.

This is a “what if” question and it makes perfect sense although there is no clear-cut answer. What if in searching for that perfect team LeBron’s championship aspirations fall short. Consider the fact he’s won NBA championships with the Heat, Cavs and Lakers however what becomes of his legacy if he fails to win at this final stop? My belief is simple, the legacy of LeBron James has already been firmly established, anything from this point into the future fails to affect it one way or another. For some fans it might be a disappointment i.e., no championship, as for others that’s a different matter.

For those unfamiliar with him his name is Nikola Kusturica, he’s a 17-year-old prospect from Serbia who will enroll at UCLA in the fall. Standing 6-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Kusturica projects as either a shooting guard or small forward. Recently he demonstrated his basketball prowess during the recent FIBA Under-17 World Cup games held in Türkiye, but just like Spears Jr., his age affects his NBA timeline if that is his goal. Regardless of how he performs as a freshman at UCLA, Kusturica must remain at UCLA through his sophomore season and therefore will not be eligible for the 2027 NBA Draft. Spears Jr. and Kusturica are two prospects we did not expect to see in college basketball this upcoming season.

Use your imagination, instead of Jalen Suggs playing point guard for the Magic this might have occurred. He’s tossing TDs to a WR in the NFL, it could have occurred after all he was Mr. Basketball & Mr. Football for the State of Minnesota while attending Minnehaha High School in Minneapolis Minnesota. Suggs could be tossing TD passes to LeBron James who played WR at St Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron Ohio. How about Zion Williamson at QB, which he did play as a youth, I would imagine at 6-foot 6 and 284 pounds he would have been moved to the defensive side of the ball. Russell Westbrook as a running back or linebacker which he played while growing up. Anthony Edwards gained a reputation as one of the best running backs in Pop Warner football. There are other NBA players who might have chosen the NFL over an NBA career, the names listed represent just a few.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

We await a decision

Free agent signings and trades continue to occur as this is written. There is one move that is yet to be consummated, the trade of Kawhi Leonard from the Clippers back to the Raptors. The holdup on this trade is awaiting the results of an investigation. The quick explanation, Kawhi Leonard was reported to have signed a contract calling for “No Work” but he would receive payment from Aspiration. This was reported as a method by the Clippers and Leonard to circumvent the NBA salary cap. As this is written no decision has been rendered by the NBA as the league office continues to wait answers from the investigated body they hired.

If we look over the history of the NBA there have been numerous instances of violations requiring the league office to render a decision. To my knowledge this is the first instance of payment made to a player in this type of arrangement. A co-worker asked my thoughts on this matter and I was forced to confess I had no idea what the NBA might do if the Clippers and Kawhi are found guilty. Clipper owner Steve Ballmer is pleading innocent to the charge they attempted to bypass the NBAs salary cap. This from ESPN; “The Clippers on Thursday again said they did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration and they were victims of a fraud initiated by (Aspiration co-founder Joe) Sanberg. Sanberg has been convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison.” A decision should occur before the end of summer due to the length of time this investigation has been conducted.

No precursor

I believe this member of Laker Nation remains an eternal optimist. Offer me a sense you are attempting a thing and if it appears feasible I’m gonna buy into it, that’s me and the 2026-27 version of the Lakers. I’m taking this bold stance on July 8 without the roster finalized and long before the NBA season begins. The basis for the why is the roster assembly to date, yes the heartbeat LeBron James has left. As all believe LeBron was a vital part of this team over the last eight seasons. If not for his talented play well, what can I say.

The Lakers were missing the playoffs until his arrival, he helped bring an NBA championship and playoff basketball every one of those eight seasons, that was then, this is now. The change, Mark Walter is majority-owner of the Lakers now, his ownership group has been quite active in its operation of the Dodgers baseball team. The owners have spent huge sums of money to acquire talent and the result has meant playoff and Worlds Series winning teams. Several in the media have indicated their belief the Lakers have “overpaid” in signing a number of players over the free agent/trading period. At this point we can only declare success at the end of the season, is there an NBA championship in the Lakers future?  

It’s just an opinion

The term “Generational Talent” has come into our vocabulary recently, by no means is it a new term. For an unknown reason I’ve only heard it applied to budding basketball talent, perhaps you’ve heard it related to other sports. In any event I conducted one of my unscientific polls at work, the question: “Is Cooper Flagg a generational talent?” One co-worker answered my question with an emphatic yes while another said; “I must see him play a degree longer.” What is the definition for the word, “In demographics, it generally spans a 20-30 year period.” If we use that as a description is it possible to have two generational talents arrive into the NBA in a short span of time?

I offer you no proof only an observation, I believe that is the case. We have Victor Wembanyama who reached the NBA in 2023 and the aforementioned Flagg in 2025. Although an international player we first saw Wemby as a 19-year old, as for Flagg he turned 19 last December after beginning play at Duke as a 17-year old. There are literally hundreds of thousands of youth playing basketball around the globe however just like cream a few rise to the top. Some might remember we held this discussion earlier and the answer is yes, there could be more than a single athlete at a time. At this time next season will there be a standout in the 2026 draft we uncover as a generational talent, of course we must wait to discover if or who that might be.    

He requested the Lakers

The problem with LeBron James was simple, I believe the great majority of Laker fans never fully embraced him. The question might be why there is no single reason but a bunch. Chief I believe is how he arrived in Los Angeles. If we go back in time consider this, the late Jerry West drafted Magic Johnson, there was James Worthy….then he saw a 17-year old Kobe Bryant and arranged a draft trade to acquire him. Shortly thereafter Shaquille O’Neal was signed in free agency after West went after him. Free agent LeBron James said; “I want the Lakers,” do you see the difference here? Each of the names (and others) the Lakers sought, LeBron James wanted the Lakers and they said okay, we’ll sign you.

Of course that is an over simplification of the events that brought LeBron James to Southern California. Over the period he was a Laker I read more than my share of complaints and guess what? The overwhelming majority of these criticisms had little to do with his production on the basketball court. The Lakers drafting of Bronny would only add “fuel to the already existing fire.” This is a shorten version of my belief why LeBron James is no longer a Laker, my hope….the divorce wouldn’t be so contemptuous. Maybe the breakup would have turned out much smoother if the Lakers had pursued LeBron all those years ago instead of the other way around.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

What is it

At a different time NBA players signed standard contracts, over time agreements between the players association and owners has brought about change. I was familiar with the contracts but not the details, because a number of you have the same degree of knowledge I thought it necessary to do a deep dive on these contracts. This exercise began with me reading the Lakers had signed several players to Exhibit 10 contracts, while others received two-way deals. Although my interest began with the Lakers, other NBA teams utilize these agreements as well.

I thought they were worth exploring because I was not fully sure what each contract involved. According to information I found online, an Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed, minimum-salary NBA deal, usually used to bring undrafted rookies or free agents into training camp and Summer League. A two-way contract, meanwhile, allows a player to split time between an NBA team and its G League affiliate. Each NBA team may carry up to three two-way players, who earn a set salary equal to half the rookie minimum and are not eligible for postseason play.

A common thread

Derrick Rose, John Wall, DeAaron Fox and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, names familiar to all NBA fans. Those are point guards who began their NBA careers after playing in college for one coach, who might that coach be is the question. Before I provide the answer some of you are excellent detectives, you have the name in advance of me providing it. His name, John Calipari and currently he’s head basketball coach at Arkansas and we can debate how much or how little he contributed but all those point guards played for Calipari at Memphis, Kentucky and soon Arkansas. You are trying to figure out….Arkansas?

He is Darius Acuff Jr. and he too is a point guard who played for Calipari, as for Acuff Jr. he was chosen the number 7 pick by the Kings in the June draft. As for the coach his journey has led him from UMass to Memphis then Kentucky and now Arkansas. He’s been at this love for 32 years, I use the term love to describe what this coach has accomplished, Calipari’s record at these stops total 905 wins and 286 losses (.760). The coach has his detractors, many claim “He’s a great recruiter but not good at the X’s and O’s of the game.” They also point toward the wins vacated while he was at UMass and Memphis as examples of him skirting the rules. Sorry if you expected this to be a formal accusation against Coach Cal, he’s one of the coaches I believe continues to excel at his craft.

No. 1 Picks and the Hall of Fame: Part I

What connection exists between the top NBA draft pick and the Naismith Hall of Fame? For this discussion, I think it’s only fair to exclude players drafted in 2021 or later, so I’ll use 2000-2020 as the measuring period. Let’s begin. In 2000, the New Jersey Nets made Kenyon Martin the number one pick. He became a solid NBA player, but not one likely to be enshrined. In 2001, the Wizards selected Kwame Brown first overall; again, a good player, but not Hall of Fame material. Yao Ming, chosen by the Rockets in 2002, is already in the Naismith Hall.

LeBron James, selected by the Cavaliers in 2003, clearly has one foot in the door. In 2004, the Magic took Dwight Howard first overall; whether he belongs is, in my opinion, open for debate. Andrew Bogut was first and to the Bucks in 2005, and while he had a good career, the Hall of Fame answer is no. The same applies to Andrea Bargnani, Toronto’s choice in 2006. In 2007, injuries cut short Greg Oden’s potential career. Derrick Rose went first to the Bulls in 2008, followed by Blake Griffin to the Clippers in 2009; in both cases, you can be the judge. That covers the top picks through 2009, the players selected from 2010-2020 will be discussed in a later edition.

The return

When it was announced Austin Reaves was returning to the Lakers I thought it was good news. There are defensive issues in his game but I believe he brings a great deal more to the table offsetting that one issue. That’s the good for the Lakers, up to this point there is no bad just a question on my part. Last season I found myself excited with the prospect of adding Big Man Deandre Ayton to the Lakers roster. After a good early season start it appeared he regressed, I cannot provide a day or date. Ayton’s production was mostly roller-coaster good game-bad game and this trend continued to his media comment. The Laker post man indicated he didn’t want to be a Clint Capela or similar words.

What I found personally concerning was this fact, Capela at one time was a consistent double-double performer for the Hawks and early with the Rockets. He led the NBA in rebounding for the 2020-21 season. That provides you a basis for why I believe Ayton’s attitude was questionable, then the playoffs began. He would play good in the team’s win over the Rockets but all but disappear against the Thunder. In fairness to Ayton the Thunder are a very good team however he didn’t appear motivated at times during the series. Fast forward to the present day and pending free agency, Ayton opted in with the Lakers, this move places him on the team for the time being. As this was being completed word came Jaxson Hayes signed a deal with the Jazz and is no longer a Laker, this move leaves Ayton as backup for now if he remains on the roster. NOTE: Ayton was traded soon after this was written.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

You can’t get there from here

The free agent moves of the Lakers have been called into question by many among them ESPNs Stephen A. Smith. I’m not going to detail individual players, my task here is to discuss the why. This is written Friday July 3, 2026, it’s my understanding the Lakers have little cap room remaining. With that statement I have no idea who will comprise the remainder of the roster. Training camp for NBA teams begins in late September, which is about three months from now, the league will commence play in October and the 2027 NBA playoffs will begin in April.  I hope you understand where I am headed with this rant, there are far too many intangibles at work to determine whether the Lakers have assembled an NBA championship roster.

The first area of concern is injuries: As much as we hate to discuss the issue player availability is a major portion of the game, and as an example how about the playoffs. There is no method for us to determine whether a healthy Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James could have beaten the Thunder in the playoffs. The second issue I’d like to add is cohesiveness: can this patch work roster, especially the newly acquired players, play together as a team? The third, and perhaps final, factor is competition from other NBA teams. The only team failing to make a move at least through the free agent period is the Warriors, time remains for even them up till Monday. All NBA teams remain immense competition for a playoff spot, an NBA championship is a whole other story. Don’t misunderstand, a number of issues raised by these individuals are valid. Despite that fact it’s a little difficult to decide who is to become the 2027 NBA champion since we are early in July 2026….hence the basis for the headline of this account.

Proof to her (and me)

I’m going to fall back on my overused line “what do I know….I’m just a basketball fan.” More on me later, you remember the comment Becky Hammon made regarding Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. I’m not going to repeat it word for word just the fact she expressed a belief a “little guard” could not lead his team to an NBA championship or something similar. After the Knicks became NBA champs by sinking the Spurs hopes Hammon did back up to a degree. She said her opinion was wrong and referred to Brunson as an “outlier” a term totally unfamiliar to me.

This is the definition I uncovered: “An outlier is a person, thing, or data point that stands apart from others because it is radically different. The term generally describes something that falls outside the main grouping or normal pattern.” Brunson’s name is added next to Steph Curry and Isiah Thomas two small guards with NBA championships on their resume. I never questioned Brunson’s leadership skills I did however underestimate his bulldog determination to succeed. In a sense perhaps Hammon and I shared the same perspective to a degree, in my instance let’s just say I am in a full scale retreat from my earlier observation.

He did it again

I read Stephen A. Smith’s statement and initially planned to leave it alone. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt he was wrong and that it needed to be addressed. For anyone unfamiliar with the situation, free agency and a trade brought several new players to the Lakers. Training camp has not even begun, so we do not yet know who will start, other than Walker Kessler. Based on the addition of Kessler and two other white players, Smith concluded, “They can’t win with these guys, this ain’t golf,” or words to that effect. The information I uncovered most of you are familiar with, it indicates “Black athletes make up about 78% to 80% of the NBA.” Consider the reverse: what if a white media member made a similar comment about a hockey team adding three Black athletes, or a soccer (football) team doing the same?

What makes Smith’s statement even more puzzling is that, in the same remarks, he mentioned Larry Bird’s greatness and even included Cooper Flagg’s name. Consider this fact, the 2004 Lakers had four future hall of fame players, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton. These Lakers failed to win a championship despite the fact of these four very talented black athletes. This brief response will not change Stephen A. Smith’s mind, or the minds of those who agree with him. Over time, the NBA has taken questionable actions that appeared racially biased, and I cannot deny that. Still, I believe a harmful or misguided message can be worse of all, it provides a misleading or unhealthy view of a matter some or unable or unwilling to see. Early in his media career Smith had a degree of credibility for me, he was bombastic but entertaining, all that’s changed now. He’s become trapped in this media driven frenzy he’s created, it's a shame the discussion of race must continue to permeate the thoughts and beliefs of some. 

It might be over

Mizzou coach Dennis Gates during a radio interview indicated the Mizzou-Kansas game might be over. Contractually the December 2026 game will be the last played unless the school’s decide to renew. Gates indicates he is interested in the game remaining on Mizzou’s schedule however athletic department changes or coach Bill Self on the Kansas side might not be interested in continuing the series. For those unfamiliar with the history these schools were longtime rivals dating back to the first game played in the 1906-07 season. All that changed in 2012 when Mizzou moved to the SEC while Kansas remained a member of the Big 12.

There is speculation on my part (unproven) Bill Self was upset at the move and avoided scheduling this longtime rival for a non-conference game. The final conference game between the schools saw Kansas win an overtime thriller February 25, 2012, 87-86 in Allen Fieldhouse. The two school’s would not play one another until December 11, 2021, Kansas was a winner 106-65 once again playing on its home court. As conference foes and later in the SEC Mizzou has been at a deficit in the won-loss department. If you ask the question what do I think, at a point there was a strong desire on my part for the rivalry to continue, the years have seen me less interested in playing Kansas. We shall see how this rivalry eventually resolves itself because it’s clear Dennis Gates wants it to continue.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Fast & Furious

This has nothing to do with the movie series rather it involves the fast & furious moves of the Lakers. Allow me to explain it in this manner, day one of free agency not a peep from them. There was plenty of media talk but nothing substantial emanating from the Lakers camp. On day two mid-morning central time ……BAM! First came this report, Walker Kessler had been obtained in a sign and trade deal with the Jazz. Although Deandre Ayton remains on the team the 7-foot 2 245 pound Kessler is expected to supplant Ayton in the post.

Kessler is a rim-protector rebounder and lob threat, reports indicate Ayton might be a better defender than Kessler although in and around the basket Kessler is the better custodian. As for the further moves in quick succession it was reported Sandro Mamukelashvili power forward/center would be signed along with Quentin Grimes shooting guard/small forward and Collin Sexton combo guard. With the exception of Kessler all three are expected to take on reserve roles with the Lakers. The key of course to these moves is the health of Luka Doncic, he must be on the floor however the minutes might have taken a toll on his body in the past. Optimistically, Austin Reaves along with Collin Sexton can reduce the length of time Luka spends on the court.

Meanwhile….

I checked ESPN’s NBA page on Wednesday, I was curious how the Blazers depth chart would appear after the arrival of Ja Morant. Here goes, Scoot Henderson is listed at the point, Jrue Holiday at shooting guard, backing Henderson is Morant. Dame Lillard’s name was not listed anywhere, perhaps that’s due to him coming off an injury however he’s got to play somewhere don’t you think? I certainly have no intention of trimming the Blazers backcourt that is the responsibility of the Blazer coaching staff, despite my statement it appears the team is operating with more guards than required if other reserves are included in the count, its overload. Of course newly acquired Morant will play and most likely Henderson too so that leaves Dame and Henderson questionable for some sort of role with the team.

I know, there is no reason to remind me….they don’t play basketball games on paper, in addition if you are not from around here the significance will be lost. ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 teams was checked, listed as the number 21 team in the nation Missouri’s Tigers. At 23 we find the Kansas Jayhawks, in the past Mizzou has not been as highly rated in any preseason poll as Kansas basketball. There is no requirement to detail the why. The rating is earned on the basis of the talent ESPN believes Mizzou will place on the court, this despite the fact Kansas will have the number one high school prospect in the nation Tyran Stokes.  

We have questions, okay maybe it’s only me with questions I can’t really speak for you. The prospect of NBA Europe brought about numerous reservations on my part, the chief one. How will the Euroleague adapt to having an NBA team “next door” instead of a continent away? Apparently much better than I first thought, according to ESPN the NBA has received over 20 groups vying to own a team. “Multiple bids exceeded $1 billion” according to the report which to me is much stronger evidence than I believed at a point in time. Where would these 12 teams play might be your next question and currently these are the cities. London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Istanbul. Also Barcelona, Manchester England and Lyon France and Athens Greece, NBA Europe is prepped to begin play in October 2027.

The Kobe Stopper

The headline, that’s the nicknamed Reuben Patterson daubed himself. I’m sure many you reading never witnessed Kobe Bryant’s play, you are stuck with YouTube videos and discussions of this type by those who saw him in action. He certainly was the real deal and many opposing players did their best to hinder his scoring, one of them being Reuben Patterson. He actually began his NBA career with the Lakers after they drafted him in 1998, he would only spend his rookie year with them. From their it was the Sonics, Blazers and several other NBA teams, I believe this occurred while Patterson was with the Sonics, he proclaimed himself “The Kobe Stopper.”

Friends, Kobe Bryant didn’t score 81 points every time he walked onto a basketball court, despite his declaration Patterson managed to do very little stopping as evidence by this. During the course of his career in 23 games Kobe averaged 29.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists. The main reason I bring this ancient story to light was a Mavs website. They wrote and I paraphrase: “We have the Wemby Stopper” a reference to Dereck Lively II, in the article the writer alluded to the success Lively II experienced against Victor Wembanyama. This is not an argument claiming the Mavs center didn’t perform in the manner mentioned its simply the age old argument….in the NBA no one is really a stopper. Defending an opposing player you attempt to make him work harder or the shots he takes more difficult. At this level no one truly stops anyone from scoring but what do I know….I’m just a basketball fan.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

“Everything Must Change”

For some who might be unfamiliar the headline is a song title recorded by several artists in the past. The names are known primarily in the jazz field, they include the late Nina Simone, George Benson, Oleta Adams and others. Change must occur in Lakerland as well, LeBron James is headed elsewhere, the belief is probably the Warriors. Let’s check the past, in 2018 when he arrived in Los Angeles LeBron had already punched his ticket to the Naismith Hall of Fame several years earlier. The Lakers one of the premier teams in the NBA were suffering at the time LeBron arrived, they had missed the playoffs six consecutive years.

Play of that type was certainly un-Laker like based on their history. In six seasons of eight with the Lakers they would be a playoff team and they added an NBA championship (2020), LeBron certainly was a key to that championship. There were missteps regarding at least two of the coaches hired at the time LeBron arrived, Frank Vogel who led them to the championship shouldn’t have been fired IMO. Darvin Ham had a winning record but circumstances proved to some in Laker Nation (me included) he needed to be replaced. The jury remains out on JJ Redick whom I believe is a good choice but must prove to everyone else. Here I am going to go fast-forward to the recent playoffs, no Luka and no Reaves, who led the way to the victory over the Rockets, it was 41-year old LeBron James. At the same time, the handwriting was on the wall, apparently the Lakers were looking down the road minus LeBron. A friend called me on Tuesday, he said something like “Did you hear LeBron James is leaving the Lakers?” I informed him the news had made its way to me earlier, he said; “You got a pipeline to the front office?” Of course that is not the case. 

I believe it was more than age, LeBron wore out his welcome in Lakerland. Despite that last statement he will forever be among the Laker favorites for me. I believe it wouldn’t end like this, my hope LeBron Raymone James Sr. would retire a Laker but that would not occur. The window is closing on his hall of fame career and I can state this with conviction, I’ve never witnessed a basketball player his age still resemble the one most of us first witnessed play at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron Ohio all those years ago. To top off his Laker career he would become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

The house cleaning continues

NBA talent Ja Morant has almost become an afterthought, in 2019 Morant was made the second pick in that year’s draft. Almost immediately he proved his value as he was named Rookie of the Year in the NBA in 2020. Since that year Morant has mostly endured headlines that have a negative tone attached to them. Suspensions, injuries have caused his “star” to become somewhat tarnished. No one but Grizzlies management had a clue as to what was about to unfold. Management had begun moving members of the roster placing them with other teams. The biggest name prior to what you are about to read was Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzly Big Man along with three others was traded to the Jazz back in February. 

The team would miss the playoffs and soon after the season ended all sorts of speculation had Morant headed almost everywhere except Memphis. On Monday came unofficial word, Morant had been traded to the Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Despite his talent the number of injuries have severely impacted his career. The injuries are part of the game the suspensions over his career are different. There is no requirement to detail them for you except to state hopefully the trade will work in his favor, notice nowhere did I state he was lacking skill. The injuries are just that, the suspensions are his responsibility to curtail. Now the downside of this move, Dame Lillard remains a talent and is still a member of the Blazers, in addition he and Morant will represent a “small NBA backcourt.”

Deep, deep pockets 

The NBA intends to return to Seattle and also place a team in Las Vegas. For this account, the goings on in Las Vegas will be the focus. A number of you are aware LeBron James had expressed interest at one time of becoming an NBA owner, particularly in Las Vegas. Who are the players wanting to purchase the expansion franchise, well there is Bill Foley who owns the NHL Golden Knights who refer to Las Vegas home. We also have Bob Iger former Disney CEO and Joshua Kushner businessman and venture capitalist plus a guy by the name of Magic Johnson.

These are the reported parties that will vye for the Las Vegas franchise once the NBA performs its due diligence. I uncovered this while surfing the net, “The owners are looking at an expenditure of $7-$10 billion to secure a team.” What continues to amaze me, those individuals who make statements like; “Nobody is watching the NBA” WRONG! Anytime folks want to purchase a team at the figure mentioned they have deep, deep pockets. They could choose to spend their money in a number of other areas. Because I have no ability to see the books I have serious doubts if any NBA owner is “losing” money. By the way, the last communication from the camp of LeBron James indicated he was no longer interested.   

The “other” NBA team  

I realize in a technical sense the Nets can be titled “New York’s other team,” most NBA fans probably believe the Knicks are the only game in town despite the fact the Nets have referred to the Brooklyn borough as home since 2012. The franchise has suffered over the years moving from place to place since the days it first began play in the ABA back in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans. It was believed by some the new Barclays Center plus the prospect of new team in town would endear the Nets to Brooklyn and the other boroughs but alas that appears to not be the case. As an outsider to this subject I believe (and I could be wrong) winning an NBA championship or even playing for one will increase the Nets credibility.

The problem is they haven’t won anything since the glory days of the ABA, they won championships in 1974 and 1976 a long, long time ago. More recently the Nets have experienced three losing seasons consecutively, before that they were on a roller-coaster in the won-loss department. The population of Brooklyn alone (2,600,000) is equivalent to that of the Kansas City MO metro. Part of the problem lies in Manhattan, the team with New York on the front of their jerseys. We might conclude that the Nets will always remain New Yorks “other” team with the built in loyalty of that team. Now with NBA champions in front of their name do the Nets even stand a chance with an above average performance on the court? It’s a genuine problem when the Knicks number one celebrity fan continues to live in Brooklyn, need I say more?

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

"Take a flyer"

The headline simply implies one is willing to take a chance, the issue could be lucrative, in addition it could blow up in your face. That’s the dilemma I see for the Lakers and the Mitchell Robinson free agent talk. If the Lakers sign him it could result in a championship run, on the other hand based on his injury history it could prove to be an issue. In all likelihood according to owner James Dolan the Knicks intend to remain competitive without exceeding their recommended cap.

As for Robinson the Knicks are not going to re-sign him despite his contributions during their NBA championship run. The talk of him heading west and to the Lakers is bothersome to me and in a rare instance this time it’s got nothing to do with money. Truth is there are so many questions for me regarding Robinson becoming a Laker, as I wrote recently I’ve followed his basketball journey since his high school days in Louisiana. Robinson appears to be the last of the good guys, he performs his role in the manner his coach desires. As for the issues, check this out below.

1. He’s been a reserve player throughout his brief NBA career. 

2. Robinson is the poorest free throw shooter in the NBA, “Hack-a-Mitch” has become common.

3. A injury history, Robinson has missed parts of seasons throughout his NBA career.

4. He’s got an exceedingly high foul rate.

There is more to the story

Anytime conversation surrounded the Big 12 it was said; “Yes, Roy Williams, Bill Self and Kansas basketball.” It was domination of the conference, I’m unsure of the number without looking it up, Kansas won the regular conference season maybe 7 or 8 consecutive times. During that period, the school sent a number of players into the NBA, that was then, this is now, domination of the conference has changed. Kansas basketball remains just as viable, as evidence the 2026 draft saw Darryn Peterson chosen as the second best player in the recent NBA draft. In addition note the top high school prospect in the Class of 2026 Tyran Stokes will attend Kansas in the fall. Counting last season and this one the top potential talent in the nation both years said, “I’m choosing Kansas,” but that’s only part of the story.

For maybe the third season in a row Bill Self’s squad managed to finish out of first place in the conference. Two more recent developments changed the landscape: current Big 12 schools hired coaches who recruited aggressively, helping redirect many of those programs. The second, adding additional competitive schools to the conference, Arizona, Houston and others arrived with aggressive basketball programs. The proof as they say is in the production, catch this next portion out. You need go no further than check out the first round of the 2026 NBA draft. 9 of the first 30 players chosen came from Kansas, BYU, Arizona, Iowa State and Baylor. Based on my area of the nation I read and heard plenty of comments from Jayhawk Nation. A number of the Kansas faithful fail to take into account the basketball is as driven as its always been, the overall balance of the conference has become so much better than once existed in the recent past.

Guardians of the Galaxy

In keeping  with the alien theme a.k.a. Victor Wembanyama that’s where the headline came about. It was clear watching the finals the Spurs lost due to no Wemby being on the floor at times. Allow a further explanation, they were losers due to little backup for Wemby. The Spurs have attempted to address the issue in the defensive and offensive areas. With pick 20 in the first round of the NBA draft they chose Jayden Quaintance from Kentucky, he’s a 6-foot 9 253 pound bruiser. Quaintance blocks shots, rebounds the ball and can score baskets when called on. There is a downside to his story, there is a question on surgery which might prevent him from play until late January.

As this is written that is an unknown for now so we must adopt a wait and see on this development. In that same round and pick 26 the Nuggets chose 6-foot 11 260 pound Tarris Reed Jr. from UConn, his draft rights would be conveyed to the Nuggets in a trade. Reed Jr. has a better offensive game than Quaintance however he knows the defensive side of the court playing for UConn coach Bobby Hurley. A bit of irony, Quaintance wears number 21, he indicated the Spurs said no way are we issuing that jersey number to you. A short time later I realized that number belonged to All-Time Spurs great Tim Duncan. There were two additional picks however I wanted to profile the two early picks. I believe they were selected based on the outcome of the 2026 NBA Finals and the fact the Spurs aspire to get advance their game. Of course the only method is to surround Wemby with more physical talent.  

Remain unchanged and lose your place

The news indicate the Lakers have begun negotiations with LeBron James. He’s only one of several off season issues the team faces. It’s not all doom and gloom, the Lakers won their playoff series against the Rockets. Later they would succumb to the youth and athleticism of the Thunder and you heard it from Magic Johnson. “Lakers great Magic Johnson says the team needs to become younger and more athletic in order to compete for the NBA championship.”

For me that says move on from LeBron despite his value to the Lakers but there is more. As this is written there are only two “keepers” (besides Dončić) in my view, it’s okay if you disagree with my assessment. I foresee Rui Hachimura especially based on his playoffs (17.5 ppg & 56.9% from three) and Jaxson Hayes earning positions. If you’ve read me for a time you are aware I wasn’t sold on Hayes after his prior season, his backup work plus his improved paring with Dončić says keep me. I’d love for Austin Reaves to return but based on his asking price can the Lakers afford him? Deandre Ayton in the post makes my list for a different reason, his up and down play all season is a serious concern for me. When he was good he was very good….when he was bad….no need to go any further.

If the Lakers are to compete they certainly require more than three players on the roster however Dončić, Hachimura and Hayes are the only guarantees for me. I forgot that there would be a fourth on the roster, the rookie chosen on draft night. On draft night Cameron Carr was selected, a day later the Lakers managed to sign a number of undrafted athletes. Truth be told that most of them for Summer League play, a few will divide their time between the G-League and parent club. The early indications are they are athletic and defensive minded, what does that say? I have no idea at this point who stays and who goes, looking strictly at the age question they are definitely younger, are they more athletic is yet to be determined.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me

The 2026 NBA draft progressed smoothly until pick number 24….at least for me. Pick 24 was the Lakers choice late in the first round. A few of the names I hope the Lakers would take were chosen, as the draft began moving toward the pick the concern level would slowly rise for me. Then the confusion, the Lakers were picking 23 with a pending trade. The commissioner announced the name Cameron Carr, a name familiar to me and one I’d seen him in action for Baylor, the State of Missouri sits smack dab in the middle of Big 12 country. Carr is a 6-foot 5 184 pound guard who can play, the problem, this was not the choice I expected based on the needs I believe the Lakers were required to address. Well it really doesn’t matter what I think, several .com sites rate the pickup of Carr as excellent.

The main reason I write so highly is what was uncovered. The grading system for these sites gave the Lakers two A’s, two A minuses and two B pluses is what I discovered on six .com sites. Let’s conduct a further look at Carr and his potential, his height and weight were mentioned earlier how about the other aspects. “According to scouting platforms like Bleacher Report and ESPN, Carr projects cleanly as an off-ball, microwave-scoring threat. However, his passing limitations and physical frame mean he will likely start his rookie season in a lower-usage role while building muscle.” According to reports the NBA comparison for Carr is veterans Zach LaVine and Devin Vassell. I have presented the good and bad of Cameron Carr, only time will tell if he is the answer the Lakers are seeking, in the meantime my hope remains for a quality Big Man.

Meanwhile….

As its often been stated, “Timing is everything,” so is it fair as basketballnetwork.com has done. Recently they profiled Karl-Anthony Towns, they said; “He becomes the 4th former Wolves player to win a championship after leaving Minnesota.” KAT joins Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins and The Big Ticket Kevin Garnett. I happen to believe it was more than timing, it was also “right place and right time” as well. KAT didn’t win right away, this was his second year with the Knicks. In my view he was in the right place last season as a member of the Knicks. The timing part was the Knicks hiring a new coach in Mike Brown and the right time became 2026. It’s your privilege to disagree with my assessment but this is what I believe. As for the others named perhaps there were additional elements at work that might have contributed to these former Wolves players becoming NBA champions.

It’s time to move on from Spurs guard DeAaron Fox, this has little to do with his subpar Finals performance although that certainly is a consideration. Before I delve into the why….a bit more detail is provided. I believe Fox is an above average NBA guard, despite my statement I am unsure if he’s valuable enough to pay him max money. That’s the path the Spurs must take if they intend to re-sign him….but wait there is more. Waiting anxiously to replace him is Dylan Harper, you remember him don’t you? Harper had an outstanding playoff series even in the Finals providing us proof that the bright lights didn’t faze this rookie performer. Pay careful attention to the Spurs front office over the summer for movement of some type.

Several years ago it was someone’s decision (I’m unsure who) to change the team sports name from University of MO-Kansas City to Kansas City. It was said those around the nation would be able to better identify with the basketball played here. Well that subject can be debated however the coach hired back in February provides proof that change is in the air. The administration by signing veteran coach Mark Turgeon detailed the intent to turn toward a new direction. Now before someone might be confused by my statement winning games has always been the goal, the lack of success became difficult for alumni, students and boosters to comprehend. As for Turgeon it appears his desire is to raise the level of play in the Summit League going forward. The coach has hit the ground running, I’m unsure what to expect this upcoming season although I believe play will show improvement.

Where does he go from here

The Spurs’ Finals loss raised plenty of questions for both the team and Victor Wembanyama. I don’t believe the sky is falling for San Antonio or Wemby, but changes are needed if they expect to compete at a higher level into the future. Some of that improvement must come from Wemby himself, while the rest must come from the Spurs’ front office. For Wemby, continued strength training is essential to his further development. He has already worked in that area, but there were moments when his 235-pound frame made it difficult for him to hold position on the block. In the Finals he appeared to labor in the middle of the third quarter on in several of the games.

The Spurs also need a physical presence alongside him. Luke Kornet is a solid backup center, but he does not fill the role of a heavyweight protector. Wemby will continue to face tough matchups throughout his career, and he needs a bruiser to aid his cause. Finally, Wemby must develop a stronger low-post game, his three-point shot is adequate for a Big Man, but depending on the defense, a 10- to 15-foot shot is usually more reliable than one from 20 to 23 feet. I’m not suggesting he become Shaq in the paint or Kareem with the skyhook; I’m thinking more along the lines of Hakeem Olajuwon’s “Dream Shake.” Wemby had a strong overall playoff series, in 22 games it was shooting nearly 49% from the floor with 34% of it from three and 85% from the free throw line. There were 11 rebounds, nearly 4 blocks along with a 24 ppg average in those games played. “I found myself rooting for Wemby, who reminds me a little of myself at that age”….Kareem Abdul Jabbar. NOTE: It appears based on the draft moves the Spurs are seeking “protection” for Wemby and to dish out some punishment.

A basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

NBA draft, youth will be served

“With the first pick in the 2026 NBA draft the Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa from BYU,” with those words commissioner Adam Silver kicked off the start of the 2026 NBA draft night activities. This account only covers those athletes chosen as lottery picks (first 14). The second pick chosen could be a surprise, on the other hand maybe not. With the second pick the Utah Jazz selected Darryn Peterson from Kansas, there was conversation these two might be reversed however that would not be the case. At three the Memphis Grizzlies chose Cameron Boozer who played at Duke, up next was the Bulls and they selected Caleb Wilson from North Carolina.

They were selections by the Clippers, Nets, Kings and Hawks, who chose Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr. Darius Acuff Jr and Kingston Flemings. They played at Illinois, Louisville, Arkansas and Houston. With pick nine the Mavs and new head coach Dusty May selected Morez Johnson Jr. At ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen we saw Brayden Burries, Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, Nate Ament and Hannes Steinbach who close out the lottery portion of the draft. A few additional notes, the first eight picks were all freshman that’s why I said youth will be served. Keaton Wagler was not a Top 100 prospect from high school and this college freshman finds himself the fifth pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Darius Acuff Jr. and the late Pete Maravich are the only two in SEC history to lead the conference in scoring and assists.

There might be an issue

LeBron James has made it known that after he retires his desire is to own an NBA team, in addition he wanted that franchise to be in Las Vegas. As you are aware earlier in spring the NBA announced plans to explore adding two franchises, one to be located in Seattle and the other in Las Vegas. On Monday came this bit of news, Bill Foley owner of the NHL Golden Knights announced he would be a bidder for a Las Vegas team.

Foley has a net worth of $2.6 billion and besides his NHL ownership also possesses several other sports franchises. According to reports the price for the Las Vegas and Seattle franchises are stated to be in the neighborhood of $7 billion to $10 billion. Foley indicates if he is the owner his plans are for the team to play in T-Mobile Arena, the building which opened in 2016 seats 18,000 spectators. The question now becomes how LeBron James and his team will manage to respond to this breaking news. Naturally, I intend to follow this story with interest.

It’s now official

Fresh off Dusty May’s NCAA win at Michigan another move has occurred for him. This move is a slight bit different because it leaves a number of players in its wake. May has been hired as the Mavs new coach replacing Jason Kidd, as most are aware besides the NCAA championship won at Michigan he was also successful at Florida Atlantic. Despite the accolades there is a downside to this hire, sorry I am forced to mention it but a small number of college coaches have managed to attain success in the NBA. There is that issue than the other….the players remaining at Michigan May recruited. Without checking I am sure May began recruiting portal players and high school talent to aid the school’s effort in the 2026-27 Big 10 schedule. This is a two-fold approach, what occurs for those athletes May added to the roster?

Shouldn’t the school release them immediately if they desire to play elsewhere, the same would apply to portal transfers. There is part I of this breaking news story, part II is slightly more difficult to determine. As mentioned when this account was first begun how about college coaches and their NBA resumes? The chief reason the NBA fails to look at colleges is the low success rate. We could use Billy Donovan as an example, outstanding college coach at Florida, average NBA coach. Brad Stevens appeared successful however the Celtics “kicked” him upstairs to a front office role before we could determine how good he might have become. Those are the most recent examples I can think of from memory but I hope this is not considered a doom and gloom report. On the surface May appears to have all the tools for success, the question can he translate that success to an NBA team? The question will require time in order to provide an answer.

I agree with him

Over and over I have attempted to reinforce the opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone. They are influenced at times by what I read or hear on radio/television. My hope is to never spread false or misleading information regarding anything or anyone. Recently I watched a portion of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith’s podcast, in it he (imagine this) was critical of some of the podcasters that have come about many on social media. This is one of those rare instances I agree with him. Anyone paying attention to the recently concluded playoffs are aware Dylan Harper should probably be starting for the Spurs. Mitch Johnson chose a different path for this combo guard.

This podcasters headline read: “Dylan Harper is fed up with the San Antonio Spurs.” He goes into detail indicating “Dylan Harper’s growth is being stunted sitting behind DeAaron Fox.” Despite my disagreement with the tone  the podcaster had nothing but praise for the Spurs guard, most of what he stated in his video I agree with. The portion that causes me concern, who is this podcaster and what are his credentials? You might ask the same question about me and that’s okay, my bio is included on the front page. Off the Dribble is written from a fan’s perspective….not an expert. I realize you find a portion of this amusing me agreeing with Stephen A. Smith. There is an old saying “A broken clock tells the correct time twice a day.”

Basketball fans perspective

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Welcome to summer

June 21 marks the first day of summer, and this is the first summer edition of Off the Dribble. Publishing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I hope to cover as much basketball news and information as possible without much delay. With that said, I have this matter for many of you. If you enjoy the blog, please share the link (https://larry-laker.blogspot.com) with family or friends who might enjoy it as well. Thank you in advance.

There is more to the game

In one of those numerous basketball discussions we often hold this subject came up. Whenever the game is discussed we always want to know “How many points did Jalen Brunson/Wemby/KAT score.” We realize defense is important but it’s often overlooked in these discussions of a particular game. A player likely to be drafted tomorrow night has limited offensive skills but boy does he make up for it with other aspects of his game. A bleacherreport.com account claims “Ugonna Onyenso is a mobile shot-blocker who covers ground quickly and can make plays outside his immediate area.” Reading that I’m sold on the 6-foot 11 inch 245-pound Onyenso who finished his college at the University of Virginia.

Born in Nigeria he began play at the NBA Academy in Senegal and later attended the Putnam Academy in Connecticut. Onyenso spent one year at Kentucky, Kansas State and Virginia before declaring for the NBA draft. He was one of 73 players invited to the NBA Combine in Chicago where he displayed his shot-blocking skill and physical profile. This is the disclaimer on my part, its clear to me Onyenso must be drafted or signed as a free agent by the “right team.” A team expecting him to be the next Embiid or Wemby will be in for a rude awaking, he ain’t that guy. If you are looking for a lob threat and capable defender Onyenso is your man, he will score for you on occasion but that is not his primary skill. Just in case he’s not drafted late in the first round or perhaps in the second round expect to see a free-agent signing by some team.

Do you believe him….sorry, I don’t!

I hesitate to write this for fear some of you will become upset. Okay, I’m going to take a chance anyway, you either accept it or reject it. Does anyone pay attention to stuff ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith says? This is not just lately but going into his past, at least one of the tales he spins is difficult for the most die heart fans of his to maybe believe. I hope you remember the story, in any event I will relay it to you. This revolves around the basketball exploits of SAS and the legendary Clarence “Big House” Gaines, he coached Winston-Salem State basketball for 47-years. In any event lets set the stage, for sake of this discussion the fall of 1986 would have been SAS’s first year. The story he details for us the claim he and a friend traveled from New York City to Winston-Salem North Carolina arriving on a Sunday for a tryout for the basketball team.  

Some mysterious person who remains unidentified to this date “persuaded” Big House Gaines on a Sunday no less to check out this young basketball prodigy. SAS after demonstrating his passing skills the coach requested he display his shooting skill. According to the info provided by him he sank jumper after jumper evidently impressing the coach. After his tryout he was offered a basketball scholarship but later an injured knee requiring surgery changed his basketball journey, he was unable to return to the form he previously demonstrated. His bio takes a strange turn here, while still a member of the team he wrote an article for the student newspaper claiming Big House should retire based on health issues. But wait, there is more at least 5 former teammates have indicated SAS was indeed a member of the team however he saw no action due to his injury. So what’s the verdict….does his story appear valid to you? It sounds suspect to me on so many levels.

We are there

Every year at this time the NBA holds its annual draft, a number of teams hope they are choosing the next MJ or perhaps the next Cooper Flagg or Wemby. The scouting staffs have done their  job, they have traveled all over the nation and world in an attempt to uncover that hidden gem. A few NBA playoff teams believe they will secure a Dylan Harper or someone near the Spurs guards ability. Many of the teams at the bottom of the standings desire that one player to raise the level of play and allow them to compete successfully. We can also explore rookie free agents, some players (Austin Reaves) preferred to choose which team they want to unite with.

In the case of Reaves its proven quite lucrative and will again once he signs with the Lakers are elsewhere. Lu Dort of the Thunder went undrafted and has proven to be a valuable asset for the Thunder, the same could be said for the Raptors and Rockets Fred VanVleet. In the past we could mentioned retired players such as Udonis Haslem, Bruce Bowen and Ben Wallace. Each of them had a long and storied NBA career. As for others it’s an attempt to improve the team through NBA free agency, teams can begin negotiations on June 30, on July 6 they can begin signing many of those free agents but this can be misleading for some. NBA teams can sign their own free agents to higher salaries and longer contracts than other teams can offer. There is little basketball played with the exception of Summer League but numerous business is being conducted during this period.

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The decision

With the conclusion of the NBA championship a lesser amount of basketball activity remains for the balance of summer, based on this fact there will be changes in the publication dates. For the duration of the summer the schedule will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday publishing dates. At an undetermined date in mid-September Off the Dribble will return to a full publishing schedule Monday through Friday. I appreciate you loyal readers for sticking with me over time.

Here we go again

This time the conspiracy theory comes from former Piston Bad Boy Isiah Thomas. He claims (without offering us any proof) the NBA is “attempting” to make Victor Wembanyama the face of the NBA. In a basketballnetwork.net story, Zeke claimed during the period Michael Jordan played the NBA made him the face of the league. Time out….as with most issues Thomas and others are entitled to their opinion regarding a matter. His belief the NBA is viewing Wemby as the face of the NBA is impossible to prove. As for the MJ thing, for reasons most of them unknown Jordan lives rent free in Zeke’s mind.

I could make a similar statement regarding Magic and Zeke, the two were described by the media to be best friends at one point. This belief existed despite the fact they played on teams that were fiercely competing for NBA domination at the time. Since their playing days ended the friendship that previously existed between Magic and Zeke has all but disappeared and for reasons unknown. As for Zeke and MJ apparently a friendship never existed only a rivalry, with that said change eventually occurred. The MJ Bulls outshined the Zeke led Pistons and perhaps that’s where this conspiracy theory might have begun, it appears to be old fashion bad blood between Zeke and MJ.

It’s been awhile, for others it’s a never

This is written ahead of the conclusion of the Knicks-Spurs series, if the Knicks won it this will be their first NBA championship since 1973 (56 years). They played in the 1999 Finals however the Spurs won the championship that year. There are several teams that have a longer drought than the Knicks, for example the Kings last won an NBA championship two cities ago, they were the Rochester (NY) Royals back then 75 years ago (1951). Sacramento is home at present but the franchise also had stops in Cincinnati and Kansas City prior to its latest home.

In 1958 the St. Louis Hawks interrupted the NBA championship winning streak of Bill Russell’s Celtics, that was 68 years ago. Later the franchise would move to its present home in Atlanta Georgia. The remaining NBA teams have never won a championship and the years of their existence is adjacent, Phoenix Suns (58 years), Los Angeles Clippers (56 years) and their previous incarnation the San Diego Clippers and the Buffalo Braves when they came into the NBA. We close this exercise with the Charlotte Hornets, this franchise has operated for 36 years. There are other franchises without championship on their resume however they are nowhere near the drought of the teams noted.  NOTE: Of course the Knicks did win and are 2026 NBA champions.

 Generational talent: Part Deux

99% of you reading this are aware Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year. The NBA began awarding the honor to a rookie after the 1952-53 season, in that length of time a great number of players have displayed their basketball ability. A few of those names who landed have been deemed generational i.e., they brought a unique skill set into the NBA. That is the case for Flagg, all aspects of his game are light years ahead of several grizzly veterans but the 19-year old Flagg is not alone. Prior to Flagg’s entrance into the NBA came another generational player. Appearing before Flagg was now 22-year old Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James hung “The Alien” tag on Wemby because he too does stuff few players his age have been able to accomplish and he’s only in year four.

These two are not alone there have been others, in 1956 the St. Louis Hawks drafted Bill Russell but traded him to the Celtics. With the Celtics Russell became the driving force to multiple championships with his defensive prowess. A few years later Wilton Felton Chamberlain was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors and the NBA would never be the same, his game might have supplanted Russell’s in that he was a scoring machine who could play defense too. The 100 point game Chamberlain scored against the Knicks in 1962 remains the single game scoring record….but wait there are more. Michael Jordan was a different kind of cat, for me it was his will to win at all cost. A standout game for me was Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against Utah. He was dehydrated and had food poison symptoms yet played 44 minutes leading the way to victory with 38 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Next we arrive at LeBron James, he was fully a man at 6-foot 8 and 245 pounds at the time his hometown Cavs (technically) drafted him straight from high school. He set a standard which will never be duplicated by another four NBA championships on his resume.

The next name will surprise some and they might question why I’m including Shaquille O’Neal as one of my generational players but there is a basis. 7-foot 1 350 plus pounds, no one ever played the power game in the manner of Shaq. Steph Curry might have a bunch of nicknames, mine is “Lights out,” no one ever in the history of the game shot the ball from distance like Curry. I informed a friend 5-10 years ago I’d see Curry shoot from distance and believe….that ball will find the bottom of the net. A number of NBA All Pro’s considered generational were left off my list. The only explanation I can provide they missed the cut but barely, who are they? Kobe Bean Bryant, Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird are just a few of the names. 

A basketball fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Nunca

If you’ve read Off the Dribble any length of time you are aware of my belief. The Lakers require a legitimate Big Man in the middle, they don’t need him to score simply do those things which make for quality play at the five position. I thought at one point Deandre Ayton might be the answer but his inconsistent play has become a concern for me. As this is written I remain unsure if the Lakers intend to resolve this issue in the 2026 NBA draft, in the meantime allow me to explain what I don’t want.

This story emanated from a Laker fan website so it’s certainly not set in stone by any means, this .com site indicated the team should take a thorough look at Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. Now this requires a second look, I first became aware of Robinson while he was still in high school, the numbers he displayed gave me the impression he was a walking double-double. I speculated that type of play would continue once Robinson enrolled at Western Kentucky. He never played, he withdrew as a freshman and prepared himself for the June NBA draft. In 2018 he was chosen in the second round by the Knicks where he’s become a capable defender. The offensive game he exhibited in high school never materialized at the NBA level, in addition we discovered he is a horrible free throw shooter.

In all his years as a Knick Robinson remains a capable but backup post player despite the fact missing games due to injury, despite these issues change is in the air. Robinson is a pending free agent who the Lakers should look at according to this site. From my perspective please no, the Knicks need to pay him and he should remain on the east coast and not the west. Espero que él permanezca en Nueva York y nunca en Los Ángeles. Much later you will come across a more detailed assessment of what the Laker roster as I believe it should appear for next season.

Dropped in out of the sky

Keaton Wagler’s former high school Shawnee Mission Northwest is a 20 minute drive from my home. The reason why I am providing the information is simple, most of us in the Kansas City metro had never heard of Wagler. We were unfamiliar with his name until he burst on the national scene at Illinois. The youngster will be an NBA lottery pick soon after his freshman year at Illinois, what occurred before this? There is no indication the 6-foot 6 inch 185 pound combo guard distinguished himself at Shawnee Mission Northwest except he was rated a 4-star prospect.

There were offers for Wagler to attend and play basketball, for the most part they were from smaller schools across the nation. I’m unsure how Illinois came into the picture but that would be the school of choice. He made the Big Ten All Freshman Team and was Big Ten Freshman of the Year, in addition First-team All-Big Ten, Second Team-All American. Wagler topped off his outstanding 2026 being named the Jerry West Award winner. So how did Wagler move from an unknown to a possible NBA lottery pick in 2026? We know this for sure, he didn’t drop in out of the sky. I’m sure hard work plus talent and the fact he was a late bloomer is really the why.

Historic events

Over the course of time many world events and those in this nation have stood out for a variety of reasons. The world of sports is no different, these occurrences have often been so earth-shattering they changed the course of history. One of those events I’d like to point out occurred March 19, 1966, Texas Western (now UTEP) won the NCAA men’s championship 72-65. The significance of the event, many schools in the deep south were yet to integrate their sports programs.

The University of Kentucky basketball roster that year was all-white, not a single black player on the roster. On the other hand the Texas Western team did include white players however the championship game would witness 5 black players matched against 5 white players. Unlike other schools in the deep south prior to Don Haskins arrival Texas Western had recruited and their lineup contained black players. What you are about to read further is from Wikipedia not me. “Later asked about his decision to start five African American players Haskins downplayed the significance of his decision. “I really didn’t think about starting five black guys. I just wanted to put my five best guys on the court,” Haskins was later quoted as saying. “I just wanted to win that game.”

Of course in winning “that game” as he stated the basketball landscape of the nation would later change. In 1969 Adolph Rupp longtime Kentucky coach added the first black player to his team, other schools throughout the south began recruiting black athletes for their programs. Sometimes history is influenced by those who simply believe the best course of action is to win. That might have been the case for the late Don Haskins, he wanted to win not realizing his accomplishment would help change the course of American history and basketball.