Basketball from a fans perspective

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I chose to wait

Stories have circulated for several months something was amiss with the Suns organization especially the owner. The NBA announced it would begin an investigation and based on this I chose to wait on their report. On Tuesday the word arrived, Suns and WNBA Mercury owner Robert Sarver would be banned for a year plus fined $10 million. The league announced the suspension and fine was based on “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies.”  

An independent law firm hired by the NBA found Sarver “had a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents over his nearly two-decade tenure overseeing the franchise.” We know the punishment but the after affects will only be determined by future action. That portion of the story is unknown at this time, will Sarver decide to sell the Suns and Mercury? That could be the next move although that’s just a projection on my part.

This is the hope

It doesn’t matter the sport; I’m always intrigued when a coach says, “We are going to do _______, and _______.” Use your imagination to fill in the blank, that’s my Lakers as this is written. Coach Ham claims his starting backcourt will be Westbrook and Beverley. Your first thought is the same as mine, ‘don’t these guy’s hate one another, surely a trade is in the works for Westbrook.’ That might not be the case, it appears nobody in the NBA wants Westbrook. Let’s rephrase the statement, they want him but in exchange for what they are willing to accept in trade i.e., draft choices.   

Back to this new backcourt, although Beverley is a point guard, he probably will not demand the basketball. When they are on the floor LeBron will command the ball 80% of the time while Westbrook’s number is 15% and Anthony Davis 5%. The only time the ball might be in Beverley’s grasp is when the others are seated on the bench. Those of you reading this keep in mind this is strictly my imagination, I have no further knowledge how coach Ham intends to operate his offense. Can it work, yes it can if Westbrook and Beverley clear the air between two volatile individuals. One thing for sure whether I like it or not the Lakers now have a pit bull equivalent in the backcourt in Patrick Beverley. I want this paring to work for several reasons…the chief one proving Stephen A. Smith wrong.  

Did you know?

Kansas basketball has a rich basketball history, the school is one of the all-time winningest programs in the nation. Despite this fact there are at least two negatives in the history. The school hired Dr. James A. Naismith as head basketball coach after he left Massachusetts. Did you know the man who invented basketball had a losing record? From 1898 to 1907 his Jayhawk team won 55 games while losing 60, his best season was his next to last. In 1905-06 Naismith’s team finished the season 12-7. In fairness to the doctor, he wasn’t hired as a basketball coach it was chapel director and physical-education instructor. At the time the schedule consisted of YMCA competition more than competition against other schools.

Ted Owens took over the Jayhawks in the 1964-65 season, he would leave with 348 wins and 182 losses. His teams were competitive in the former Big 8 Conference however Owens suffered an unusual fate…he was fired. Owens was fired after the 1982-83 season, the Jayhawks finished with a losing record two seasons in a row. Owens becomes the only head basketball coach in the school’s history to be fired. I’m sure some in Jayhawk Nation will consider this an attack on the program far from it. For me it details stability in the coaching ranks and winning coaches. Do you realize in 124 years of basketball there have only been 8 head coaches in the school’s history? We can state there are 7 coaches with winning programs and the 8th guy invented the game, that’s certainly a strong statement.

The Sonics 

If you talk to 100 residents of Seattle today its likely you will receive 100 different reasons why the Sonics franchise is now in Oklahoma City. Howard Schultz is in the middle of this story, yes that same Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO. He purchased the Sonics in 2001 and owned the team until he sold it in 2006. What occurred, It’s claimed Schultz would become upset with the city regarding a new arena however it could have been more to the story. As this is written I have no idea of the dollars expended but consider this fact. Attendance at Sonic games went down steadily from the 2004-05 season when the team won 52 games and finished first in the Pacific Division. The Sonics were a below .500 for three seasons in a row up to the departure for Oklahoma City.

There was a ‘promise’ at the time of purchase the team would remain in Seattle under new owner Clay Bennett but that’s a repeat of an earlier story. Sacramento’s Gregg Luckenbill purchased the Kansas City Kings in 1983 with the ‘promise’ the franchise would remain in Kansas City, the team moved in 1985 to Sacramento. It would appear owner Bennett faced the same obstacles as Schultz however it’s my belief (without offering any proof) he intended to move the team all along. As the NBA plans for a future return to Seattle who is the real bad guy? Is it Howard Schultz, Clay Bennett, the City of Seattle or fans who simply quit attending Sonics games? Perhaps we might conclude all parties share guilt as to why there is no NBA basketball in Seattle as this is written. The question becomes are the residents prepared this time around? It would appear the NBA wants to return to this Pacific Northwest city as soon as practical.