Basketball from a fan’s perspective
Who was that guy?
Monday evening during a Laker timeout a guy resembling Rajon Rondo was inserted into the lineup. Rest assured although this stranger wore number 9 and facially resembled Rondo it couldn’t have been him. You know how we know; unlike Rondo this stranger could shoot the ball. In 27 minutes off the bench this imposter scored 23 points had 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
This visitor wasn’t just chunking up shots, he shot 69% from the floor and 80% from the 3-point line. In addition, there was only 1 TO in 27 minutes of action. The one negative, he needs to shoot free-throws better he was only 50% from the line, LOL. His scoring and leadership for the Lakers second unit was one of keys to the 125-100 victory over the Suns.
The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
An inductee to the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield (MA) could have contributed ) to basketball in a varied number of fields it could be as a player, media member or contributor. NBA and college players have been enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame, in Kansas City (MO) it’s a different story. The College Hall of Fame is restricted to those who significantly impact the college game only.
You will discover a host of former players who made little if any impact at the NBA or pro level. The building opened in 2006 and sits next door to the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City. If you are a visitor to the metro and a basketball fan the Hall of Fame should be on your list of things to see and do in Kansas City. Check out the link below for additional detail.
Least valuable NBA franchise
Usually we look top down, this time it’s bottom to the top. If you have a little spare change lying about you might want to consider purchasing the Memphis Grizzlies. Forbes provides us the 2020 value of NBA franchises. According to the financial publication the Grizzlies franchise is valued at $1.3 billion, next up the Pelicans at $1.35 billion. They are followed by the Wolves ($1.38), Magic ($1.43) and Pistons ($1.45) franchises. There are no surprises at the top of the list, we find the Knicks, Lakers, Warriors, Bulls and Celtics being placed in the top 5. The Knicks at $4.6 billion are the most valuable franchise, next up are the Lakers at $4.4 billion.
Firing and Hiring and misses
This story has far too many moving parts, I hesitated about reporting it, despite my initial reluctance here goes. Knicks owner James Dolan fired Steve Mills as president of basketball operations, he wants Masa Ujiri of the Raptors to replace Mills. The only problem it appears Ujiri is tied up in a contract and apparently Dolan has no desire to buy him out.
Dolan it appears has reached out to Leon Rose to take over as president of basketball operations. Rose is a former agent and among his clientele was Carmelo Anthony at the time he was a Knick. We have no idea the basis for Dolan apparently hiring Rose, could he be checking out Bob Meyers with the Warriors or Rob Pelinka with the Lakers? Both were agents who left that world to become part of sports management.
NBA All Star Game
With the All-Star Game coming up soon how about a little All-Star trivia for you to consider? It’s been reported several times the NBA does not have the 100-year history of the NFL, MLB or the NHL. The first NBA All Star Game was played a short time ago by comparison (1951). The game was played in the old Boston Garden with the East squad winning 111-94. Boston would be the site for three additional games the last being played in 1964. Several cities no longer have an NBA team just a few Buffalo, San Diego, Baltimore and St. Louis.
Las Vegas is yet to become home to an NBA team but was the site of the 2007 game. The All-Star Game has also been played in several arenas that no longer exist the arenas having been demolished and replaced. These would include Richfield Coliseum (Cavs), Pontiac Silverdome (Pistons) and McNichols Sports Arena (Nuggets) to name just a few. As expected, New York’s Madison Square Garden has seen the most games (5) since the first game was held. 1999 would be the only season to date without an All-Star game, that year the game was not held due to the NBA lockout.
