Published Monday through Friday
Clippers are a “new” team
There are more players headed to the Clippers than I reported yesterday. In addition to those already mentioned add the names of Montrezl Harrell, Darrun Hillard, DeAndre Liggins and Kyle Wiltjer plus a 2018 first round draft choice and cash considerations. All those players for Chris Paul, this trade must be salary balanced in order to be consummated so part of it has not been finalized. The B portion of the story may or may not be true?
If you’ve read Words any length of time you know I’m no Doc Rivers fan I‘ve believed for a number of years he‘s a good coach but not a great one. I’m reporting this story I didn’t originate it, was there a Carmelo Anthony trade vetoed due to Austin Rivers? It’s being reported prior to Jerry West there was a proposed trade with the Knicks involving Carmelo Anthony and Austin Rivers. Carmelo would be traded to the Clippers along with a number of Knicks the Clippers would send Austin Rivers and others to NYC. Doc Rivers had a deadline to respond and allowed the time to expire.
Were there other considerations besides the coaches’ son being included in the trade? There may have been this we don’t know. There comes a point in the life of every parent you need to let go, allow them to fly on their own. Doc Rivers is not ready to allow his son the freedom he probably desires. Austin Rivers will turn 25 in August; potentially he’s got a long-career in front of him as an NBA reserve or in Europe. Locker room drama existed in Clipperland and we didn‘t know it.
Territorial pick
Thanks Chris for suggesting this history is detailed. Wilt Chamberlain played his collegiate basketball at the University of Kansas. He would be drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors and it had nothing to do with the teams draft position. Kansas University is some 1,165 road miles from Philadelphia Wilt’s hometown; he arrived on the national scene from Overbrook High School in the city. Back in the day the BAA/NBA did not have the world-wide footprint it does today. The NBA was a minor league by comparison to the NFL and Major League Baseball. A number of NBA franchises were represented in smaller cities across the nation unlike existing in football and baseball.
Strange as it might seem today in the ‘40’s and ‘50’s college basketball had more clout than the fledgling NBA. Truth is in those days the Harlem Globetrotters would often be included as double-header. NBA teams desiring to attract fans instituted a policy of “local” picks in the draft. The territorial pick was eliminated in 1966 once the draft was restructured. Many names might be unfamiliar unless you are a student of the game; there is no intention to detail the complete list just note a small number besides Chamberlain who is enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Oscar Robertson, Bill Bradley and Gail Goodrich were all territorial picks in the NBA Draft.
Defensive play of the year
No argument from me with Draymond Green being named 2017 Defensive Player of the Year. He’s on the “small” side for an NBA power forward 6-7 and 230 pounds however he backs down from nobody, this attitude often places him in jeopardy with game officials. Green is annually near the top in technical fouls but that’s only part of his story.
As reported earlier he was considered a late first round draft choice, he slid down to the second round and became the 35th pick. Maybe the selection position has much to do with his attitude guarding opposing players. Steph is valuable so is Durant and several other Warrior players; I continue to believe Green and his tough hard-nose defense are keys to championship basketball in the Bay Area. In addition Green needs to check with a stylist, those shorts or Capri pants were not a good look.
Retired numbers
A number of Laker fans are upset several due to the team drafting Lonzo Ball. The others are upset because the team issued number 2 to Ball. Longtime Laker fans realize Derek Fisher wore number 2 on separate occasions a total of 13 years for the team. One fan wrote “He’s (Fisher) not in the Hall of Fame so there should be no problem with issuing jersey 2.“ Another said; “Fisher was a key part of 5 Laker championships” while another said; “The Lakers never retired his number so why not.” What do you think about this matter, is it that important or is it much ado about nothing?
