A year of change
We knew the 2014-15 season would be different for the Pacers. They would approach the season seeking approval of their fans and others they were a championship team. The season has changed before an official tosses up the basketball for the first time. Lance Stephenson the talented but mercurial member of the team is gone, the free agent expected to return signed instead with the Hornets. The latest news is even more devastating, the talented Paul George playing for Team USA broke his leg.
The medical report indicates George will make a complete recovery however he’ll miss the season. Finally there is the enigma by the name of Roy Hibbert. He stands 7-2 and weighs a hefty 290 pounds, he’s not injured but nobody has a clue which Hibbert shows up for games. If this sounds like a doom and gloom report that is not the intent. The Pacers have appeared on the edge of becoming a great team (and may still become one) for the past few years. They will be a good team the balance of the roster should still be competitive however the crystal ball sees no NBA Championship in 2015.
‘Oh Canada’
4-star prospect Montaque Gill-Caesar reclassified and moved into the Class of 2014. The 6-6 small forward visited the Mizzou campus in June and indicated he was pleased with the coaching staff and the facilities. He was so pleased Gill-Caesar nicknamed “Teki” announced he’s headed to Mizzou gaining the last available 2014 scholarship. As for the reference to the Canadian National Anthem that is easily explained, Teki’s home is Vaughan Ontario a metro Toronto city.
Gill-Caesar is just one of the latest talents to surface from Huntington Prep in West Virginia. Most Mizzou fans had two concerns with the departure of Frank Haith and his replacement Kim Anderson. They worried about Anderson’s adjustment from D-II to D-I and recruiting. The recruiting appears to be okay now if Anderson can make the coaching adjustment all will be right in the world. There will be adjustments required all around, new coach, new system and new players. Mizzou fans must be patient while all these elements merge..
He’s gone
Technically speaking Andrew Wiggins is still a member of the Cavs. I haven’t changed my mind; I continue to believe the Cavs should hold on to Wiggins however that’s not going to be the case. Wiggins will be packaged in a trade for the Wolves Kevin Love. This trade will occur as soon at then end of 30 day time limit which occurs before the end of August. A player trade prior to playing for the team that’s drafted you is not unusual, it’s occurred several time over the years. Two players have been traded already from the 2014 NBA Draft. Doug McDermott was the 11th pick in the first round by the Nuggets, his draft rights were then traded to the Bulls. My Lakers were involved in another move on draft night. Jordan Clarkson with the 46th pick in the second round by the Wizards, his rights were later dealt to the Lakers.
In this instance trading a rookie is not a determent to his career, simply stated the receiving team might cherish the abilities of that player more than the team that dealt him. We could probably guess the Sonics had no idea of Scottie Pippen’s future. Pippen was the 5th pick in the first round of the 1987 by the Seattle Sonics later he was traded to the Bulls; he never wore a Sonics jersey. Look what he accomplished over the course of his NBA career. Pippen was a two-time Gold Medal Olympic Champion and six time NBA Champion, he was chosen to the NBA 50th Anniversary All Time Team. In 2010 Pippen was accorded the honor of being elected to the Hall of Fame in Springfield. Don’t misunderstand this is not written as if Wiggins is headed to the Hall of Fame too. We often cannot predict the future, who knew Pippen from tiny Central Arkansas would go on to have such an outstanding basketball career.
They object---how surprising
There were plenty of complaints by the media and fans of the 76ers last season. It appeared the team was losing on purpose in order to affect there draft stock. Whether this was true or not was unproven. At one point the Sixers experienced a 26-game losing streak. This off-season the NBA began discussing proposals for lottery changes, which team you think objected to changing the present system-------you guessed it the Sixers? According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst it’s a little more than a team losing on purpose. Windhorst claims gate receipts were down for teams when the opposition was the Sixers. So whether they were losing on purpose is unknown, what appears true finances of the opposition was reduced.
