Basketball from a fan perspective

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday

Stealth mode---The Lakers operating in stealth mode again picked up another undrafted 2020 athlete.  The team signed Tresh Tinkle a 6-foot 7-inch small forward who played at Oregon State, best guess on my part.  This appears to be a G-League assignment although Tinkle has NBA potential.  Scouting reports indicate he is deficient in several areas that might keep him from entering the NBA.  One claim, his positives might be enough that he could take on a reserve role.  Whether he makes the parent club or not this is another attempt to infuse youthful presence into the Laker roster, Tinkle is 24-years old.   

They want to get paid--- An acquaintance, a casual NBA fan ask me the question, “Why do teams trade so many players in the NBA?” If we check the baseball, the NFL and NHL they trade players but certainly not at the level of the NBA.  I believe he thought I could answer the question since I follow the NBA and basketball with intensity.  I don’t remember my response however for you I will provide my shorten answer, “They want to get paid”.  NBA players as other athletes realize the window on a sports career is brief. 

With no major injuries we might expect a player to have a 10-15-year career.  Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Vince Carter and perhaps others playing to age 40 are the exception rather than the rule.  NBA players especially those looking ahead realize there is a huge world that exists without basketball.  Several former players have been quite successful once their playing career concludes, for others it’s a far different matter.  We read of former players existing at the poverty level with no adequate future planning. 

 Will the NBA ever return---Seattle is mentioned as a future destination for a return to the NBA.  The Sonics left in 2008 but a condition of the sale the name and everything connected with Seattle would remain in the Pacific Northwest.  It would appear the Oklahoma City Thunder are an expansion franchise with no records prior to 2008 but that’s the explanation why nothing exists.  For those of us residing outside the metro is the hope for a rebirth of the Sonics that important to many residents.   

The difficulty I don’t know anyone who lives in the area, there appear to be folks I refer to as “movers and shakers” in the forefront.  Former Sonics guard Gary Payton is certainly one individual, they have even enlisted Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to the cause.  There will be no NBA expansion until 2025 that appears to be sat in stone, could a team move to a refurbished Key Arena now named Climate Pledge. 

Seattle’s NHL expansion team will begin play in the 2021-22 season so one issue is resolved, i.e. where the Sonics play.  There are at least two franchises which could be moved although that is not the desire of the NBA.  The Kings were packed and about to be sold when a 12^th hour halt by the NBA witnessed them remaining in Sacramento.  In closing we don't know at this point; Seattle could be at the top of the expansion list or someplace in the middle.      

James Wiseman---The 2020 NBA Draft was all over the map, we had no idea the order of the Top Five.  One selection I believed might hold true is the Warriors drafting James Wiseman, it has nothing to do with the Klay Thompson injury which occurred the same day.  No argument the youngster is extremely raw however we could foresee plenty of potential.  Wiseman has size (7-1) but is not a conventional back to the basket Ol Skool center.  

Although he’s got no 3-point shot he certainly could develop the range which enhances his ultimate potential.  As for the present at least through high school and 3 games at Memphis we discovered Wiseman blocks shots, in addition he clogs the lane and does several things that make this selection worthwhile.  Dub Nation is bummed out with the loss of Klay Thompson, hopefully the addition of Wiseman will make the loss less painful.