Basketball from a fan perspective

Allow me to introduce

Amari Davis, a 6-foot 3-inch lefty point guard for the UW-Green Bay has decided he required a change.  Cuonzo Martin and Mizzou contacted him, and he said yes, so there you have it exit Pinson on Monday enter Davis on Friday.  He’s from Trotwood a suburb of Dayton Ohio, as for his numbers this past season at Green Bay they were 17 points 4 rebounds and 2 assists a game while shooting 42% from the floor.  The assist totals are low however we might consider the record of Green Bay, they finished the season with an 8-17 record.  That causes us to ponder if teammates failed to convert several of his passes.  

Davis was All-Conference second team in the Horizon League which is quite a declaration on his proficiency considering he played on a losing team.  I’ve mentioned this in the past I don’t get into this analytics stuff but will pass it along anyway, according to Synergy Davis was 61% overall on defense whatever that entails.  As for the adjustment by Davis to SEC play, we can use Dru Smith as the example.  Smith was a transfer from Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference, there appeared to be little issue with him adjusting to SEC play.  I contend Smith may have been the MVP for the 2020-2021 Tigers.  With that said welcome to Mizzou Amari Davis, we look forward to seeing you in action over the next three years.   

Kawhi Leonard is no leader!

Yes, I said it and didn’t hesitate, Kawhi Leonard is no leader!  Notice I didn’t say Leonard wasn’t talented, I didn’t say he’s not been clutch.  That is not a problem for the Clippers, he plays the best basketball he is skillful but he’s not a “get in your face type of guy.”  LeBron James will get in your face, in the past Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant would get in your face.  By that I intend to point out these players and others exhibited leadership, Leonard is not that player.  Did the lack of leadership skills lessen his value to the Spurs and Raptors in the past, does it affect his play with the Clippers currently? 

An emphatic NO is the answer, Leonard just goes about his job it is up to others to provide that leadership.  Who is that other on the current roster, I don’t believe he is present?  They had him at one time, his name…Chris Paul.  Through a move we still don’t understand Paul was traded to the Rockets and Patrick Beverly replaced him.  Beverly might be a superior defender but certainly cannot bring to the table all Paul was able to accomplish. This is written in late March, the playoffs are ahead, perhaps the Clippers will prove me wrong…maybe.  Perhaps the late trade for Rajon Rondo will provide the leadership this team appears to lack.   

In the world of WOW

Shaka Smart leaving Texas for Marquette caught 99% of us off guard, we’ve read reports the coach has been under pressure for years to produce a top-quality product on the basketball court.  It was the belief of many he'd finally arrived at Texas, his team had beaten perennial power Kansas twice and was prepared to meet them for a third time in the Big 12 post season tournament.  It might have proved interesting if not for covid-19 protocol which forced Kansas to cease play.  Texas would face Abilene Christian in their first NCAA Tournament match but that would prove a disaster. 

The Longhorns certainly didn’t expect to lose in the first round, perhaps the Marquette job was there all along and it simply required him to say yes.  If this appears to be unfavorable toward Smart that is certainly not the intent, he remains one of my favorite coaches, but he just might be that guy.  You know the guy who might be better suited to coach at the mid-major (VCU) level over a Power 5 school, we don’t claim this to be a fact it’s just a theory.  Smart is a winner, although expectations might have been higher once he was hired at Texas, his won-loss record is (274-142 .657).  At the age of 43 his coaching profile should continue to rise in the future and the winning should continue at Marquette, he’s a quality coach and just might prove those at Texas nipping at him of the fact.     

S.O.S.

The headline is not a signal for help, it stands for Save Our Sonics.  This was a group of folks attempting to keep the Sonics in Seattle, as you are aware the franchise moved to Oklahoma City.  Since the move in 2008 many in the Pacific Northwest have pined for the NBA and the Sonics to return.  The volume continues to rise and in this instance movers and shakers indicate they are ready to plop their money down.  Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is part of the Sonics Arena Investment Group which is comprised of Chris Hansen, Erik and Pete Nordstrom along with former Sonics player Wally Walker. 

We are unsure if Wilson remains with the group based on his recent news desiring a trade from the city.  Because they addressed Sonics basketball at different times, we are unsure if they would become part of this group, that includes another past Sonic player Gary Payton.  Recently Ray Allen another ex-Sonic made his thoughts known, he stated, “I would love for Seattle to have a team, and I would love to be part of the ownership.” As you might imagine this group would appear to have considerable financial clout and ability to purchase and stock an expansion NBA team.  The latest reported fee for an expansion team would be about $2.5 billion.  Seattle is certainly ahead of Las Vegas, Kansas City, and any other metro area vying for an NBA franchise.