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Basketball from a fans perspective

Sometimes there is news that’s really not

The NBA was assured Russell Westbrook would eventually play for the Clippers. You remember the Lakers traded him to the Jazz however it was believed a buyout would occur. After reports surfaced there were several teams attempting to sign him one took precedence over the others. Yesterday it was announced he intended to sign with the Clippers as soon as he cleared waivers, this makes sense on several levels. With reservations on my part he remains an NBA talent he just has no range on his shot. He’s got a home in Los Angeles, and it makes sense there would be no requirement to move his family to Salt Lake City, Indiana or New York.  

Now we know

I’ve written previously how KU’s Gradey Dick has gone from a relative unknown talent to a possible 2023 NBA lottery pick. It’s based on his lights out shooting, forget about the 14.7 ppg season average   numbers. He is likely restricted by the offense Bill Self’s team runs, in the NBA there will be no such restraint, as for his shooting it truly is a lights out issue. At an early age faced with competing against older probably taller brothers he needed an edge.

That edge became his shooting, he says at the age of 10 he’d be outdoors shooting until it became dark, but the blackness didn’t stop him. Dick claims he began using muscle memory and his imagination as to where the goal was to perfect his shoot. His father told him, “If you can shoot in the dark you can shoot in the light.” That appears to ring true for the Jayhawk sharpshooter, and one more note. Jayhawk Nation enjoy Dick this season, it would be very difficult for him when the NBA comes a calling for his services. It’s almost guaranteed he will not return for his sophomore year unless something drastic occurs.

Really 

This has been mentioned in the past, NBA teams have been threatened about tanking. The opportunity to draft the 7-foot 4 Victor Wembanyama is the basis for the warning by the NBA. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta must believe the NBA can’t do anything about prayer. During a brief television interview he closed it out by stating “Pray for Victor.” A couple of things was Feritta serious-minded, he was clearly laughing after his statement. Question would the prayer be for Wembanyama to remain healthy, or the Rockets have the opportunity to draft him.

I haven’t followed the team extensively however it appears prayer is required for more than the opportunity to draft Wembanyama. The Rockets haven’t won more than 20 games since the 2019-20 NBA season. Let’s take a quick look back, 2020 the top pick had been traded. With the second pick in 2021 the Rockets selected Jalen Green and 2022 witnessed Jabari Smith chosen with the third pick. Both youngsters appear trending upward although Green is out with an injury. Will the opportunity to draft Wembanyama aid the growth process of this young team? Scoot Henderson is thought by most to be the second pick in the 2023 draft. If Henderson falls to the Rockets his draft rights must be traded. The Rockets have Kevin Porter at the point and Green is solid at shooting guard once he recovers from injury.

It’s time for a change

I must admit it, this is influenced by a media member. He said, “It’s time we do away with All-Star games, give the players a break somehow but forget about play. This applies to the baseball game as well.” As many are aware the NFL changed its equivalent a number of years ago. I haven’t checked to determine if the viewer numbers have improved. I said last week there was no issue on my part with the Saturday night events but the NBA All Star Game is unwatchable for me any longer. Guess what, I have at least one ally sort of…the Nuggets head coach Mike Malone. I quote, “That’s the worst basketball game ever played…I don’t know if you can fix it.” I didn’t view the game so I’m unsure what aspect Malone found so terrible I know what mine is.

The idea Knicks forward Julius Randle (Eastern Conference) played on the same team with Lakers forward LeBron James (Western Conference) fails to make the game better in my view. I wonder who decided this was a better look, the slam dunk produced a new winner. Mac McClung has three games experience in the NBA, he’s spent most of the season in the G-League. I’m not hatin’ on McClung, but I don’t understand how and why he was included in this event in the first place. Sidebar, Sunday evening my wife and I attended a birthday dinner. There was time up till recently there would have been no way I would leave my television with the NBA All-Star Game pending. Despite the mention of Nuggets coach Malone I’m a party of one, this rant will not change anything. I am curious to determine viewership numbers, standby for those in a few days.

Just like baseball

The flurry of trades prior to and up to the 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time deadline reminds us of the past. In this instance I cannot address the NHL or soccer, on occasion there are trades in the NFL. We could make the same statement in baseball, but nothing compares in Century 21 to the NBA. The NBA has moved into the area that once existed for baseball alone. Players move from city to city as free agents; this occurs all the time. What’s the basis for the trade activity, I can’t speak to that of the past, but I can the present. If we check the status of most of the traded players one fact screams at us…free agency.

Without a check, I’d bet money most of those traded will become free agents July 1 and that becomes the issue. Teams unsure if they can sign player X would rather trade him believing a warm body works over losing the player and gaining no reward. This is not always the case, but we know Kyrie Irving will be a free agent July 1, on the other hand Kevin Durant is under contract through the 2024-26 season. Durant apparently was traded at his request. Reggie Jackson late of the Clippers and Russell Westbrook formerly of the Lakers will also become free agents at the end of the season, both of them were traded. After this was completed, Jackson took a buyout from the Hornets and signed with the Nuggets.