Basketball from a fans perspective

Sonics trivia

The Pacific Northwest city is always in the conversation anytime NBA expansion is discussed. What about the 2007-08 season their last in Seattle. Kevin Durant and Jeff Green are the only active remaining former Sonics in the NBA, most fans don’t remember Durant was the NBA Rookie of the Year. Sam Presti was GM of the team that year and he remains in place with the Thunder. They never played in Seattle but were drafted under the Sonic banner, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. Wally Szczerbiak current Knicks color analyst was traded to the Sonics and played that last season.

There are other Sonics, Jesus Shuttlesworth a.k.a. Ray Allen played for the Sonics although he was long gone prior to the Oklahoma City move. Kansas City Kansan Earl Watson played that last season, Watson had a brief NBA coaching career as head coach of the Suns. Key Arena home of the Sonics is now being refurbished and re-named the Climate Pledge Arena. The Sonics will welcome an NHL team the Kraken for the “new” arena. The question becomes can a new Sonics team be far behind. Just in case you’d forgotten or didn’t realize unlike other franchises Thunder history began in the fall of 2008. One of the conditions of the sale all team records including the name Sonics belong to Seattle.

This is not official

Although it’s yet to be confirmed a voice I trust, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski claims it’s about to occur. The Orlando Magic will soon name Jamahl Mosley head coach replacing the fired Steve Clifford. The Wizards and Pelicans are yet to name a head coach however the NBA for the most part has done what I hoped. NBA teams have given first time coaches the opportunity rather than recycle guys. The only disappointment for me is Rick Carlisle at Indiana and Becky Hammon.

Carlisle resigning in Dallas and within a short period taking the Pacers job. Hammon is a story, the promise which never came to fruition as she was interviewed but not hired anywhere. We could say Nate McMillian is in the category of a recycled coach having held the job at other stops. The difference for me he didn’t begin the season at the helm. He took over the Hawks midway through the season on an interim basis then signed a 4-year extension to remain after the playoff run of the Hawks. Who remains to be hired besides Hammon, how about Sam Cassell whose also been interviewed? 

From player to owner

We are unsure if it was a financial issue or something else that prevented earlier NBA players from ownership. In truth many have thriving businesses after retirement and might not have held any desire to become an NBA owner. A few retired NBA players have placed owner behind their name. The most famous and the only majority owner is Michael Jordan. MJ became part-owner of the Bobcats (Hornets) franchise in 2006, several years later (2010) he acquired majority interest in the team. Grant Hill joined others and purchased a majority share of the Atlanta Hawks in 2015, Hill holds the title of Vice Chair of the Board for the team.

Not much is detailed regarding Shaquille O’Neal however he owns a small stake in the Sacramento Kings. Although he’s still an active player LeBron James has moved into the owner ranks prior to retirement. James owns an interest in Fenway Sports Group which is the Boston Red Sox and holds a share in Liverpool FC soccer. In 2021 former Heat guard Dwayne Wade joined the ownership group of the Utah Jazz. Then we turn to Magic Johnson once a marginal owner with the Lakers, Magic sold his share to purchase the baseball Dodgers. In closing we should mention Kevin Garnett, the Big Ticket has long expressed a desire to become an NBA owner. We are unsure if he becomes an owner of the Wolves once the sale of the team is finalized. 

A difference of opinion

Recently I read an account from a website, don’t remember which one. It contained a story on a “Big Man” who’s game had improved so I focused on that portion. Surprise, surprise the athlete they featured stood 6 foot 9 inches. I guess that’s their definition of a “Big Man”, but it certainly misses the mark for me. There is no standard for the term however I’ve always believed it applied to any basketball player who stood 6 foot 11 or taller.

Now let’s not confuse the issue someone standing 6 foot 9 is clearly much taller than me and that height is way above average for most American males. The average height for an American male (2018) is 5 feet 9.5 inches tall. As for the world heights of males vary and this certainly shouldn’t be considered complete. In Europe, Denmark, France, Norway and Germany the average height for a male is 5 foot 11 inches. The Dinka tribesman on the African continent in South Sudan have been reported to have several of the tallest males in the world. 

Half the NBA

The Lakers came up short defending their championship, it was clear they needed an additional shooter. It was apparent none of the present roster was talented enough or capable enough to step up and aid the team. The rumors have been circulating with the Lakers picking up everybody everywhere. There is Blazer guard Dame Lillard, we then heard the name Buddy Hield of the Kings. Then it was Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan and the latest name to pop up is Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, let’s explore each possible acquisition.

Free agency is far different from arranging a trade, in that the parties agree to a dollar figure. The players listed must all be acquired through a trade; would they be willing to trade a talent to a Western Conference rival? Three of the four names are downright impossible. We could only see Buddy Hield in a trade, who do the Lakers have to offer for these talents other than Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious-Caldwell Pope or someone else. It would appear the Lakers are reluctant to include Talen-Horton Tucker in any trade talks. I would love to add any of the four mentioned to the Laker roster, with little to trade on the Lakers part this is going to be difficult to acquire any of them.