Basketball from a fan’s perspective

You can avoid reading this

Several readers have expressed they are…sick of reading stories about Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, if that is you please avoid reading any further. This is another look at the wunderkind’s season through the end of January. Although the Spurs lost on Wednesday evening once again Wemby proved to all why he is ROY and maybe defensive player of the year. The point total was around the usual number however there were 6 blocked shots by Wemby.

I know, many of you adopt the statement of Keenan, “He’s 7 foot 10 he should block everything.” You realize he’s not quite that tall. In any event those blocks allowed him to move ahead of Robin Lopez of the Bucks. Percentage wise Wemby always had the lead however Lopez had a greater number of block shots. I’m unsure how many shots were missed by the opposition because Wemby was around the basket. Bill Russell once said something like, “It’s not as important to block every shot as it is to make your opponent believe you will.” I should also remind Keenan and you Wemby has played fewer games than Lopez in leading the NBA in the block shot category.

$$$

I read detail of a history I was familiar with, allow a further explanation. I’ve covered the ABA-NBA takeover of 1976 in the past and a particular aspect of that draft. Players whose teams folded were placed in a dispersal draft, they would be chosen by existing NBA teams based on their previous season finish. The late Moses Malone was a 21-year-old and eligible to be chosen by a number of teams near the top. As you might be aware his career included stops in Houston and Philly where he helped win an NBA championship for the Sixers. After retirement Malone would be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. What’s the money connection to him other than salary? I’m glad you asked, I was aware the Kansas City Kings could have chosen him but money was in the way.

The Kings with the 3rd pick in the 1976 dispersal draft chose guard Ron Boone from the Spirits of St. Louis roster, the cost $250,000. Later with the 5th pick the Blazers chose Malone paying a hefty $350,000. If you are acquainted with Boone or a relative this is not aimed at him but I don’t understand the move. Certainly as a 21-year-old fresh from ABA play surely the Kings could foresee the potential of Malone, was it a mere $100,000 that kept them from acquiring an all-time great? This is my complaint about the move, as you are aware back then the NBA game was a back to the basket league. Standing 6 foot 10 he was a skinny 219 pounds but certainly his play in nearly two years of ABA play should have impressed the Kings. It remains my contention matched with Tiny Archibald the Kings might have become competitive immediately.

Not on video 

The headline is a running joke between me and a co-worker, because he is younger than me I will lay some basketball knowledge of the past on him. His sometimes first response is laughter and then “If it’s not on video it didn’t occur.” That is the basis for this rant, as you might be aware I enjoy a joke just as much as the next person. What I don’t enjoy is revisionist history i.e., stuff you think occurred to fit your view of the history. I’ll give you an example, you might remember the Game of the Century. That was the 1968 match between UCLA’s Lew Alcindor and Elvin Hayes of the University of Houston.

A week prior to the game Alcindor had suffered a scratch cornea and it was reported he might not play. He’d worn a patch much of the week prior to the game, now that we have the background let’s talk. A writer, I have no idea of his age wrote; “Kareem’s been using that excuse for 50 years etc., etc., etc.” I can’t correct the writer directly, this is the only method I have. My first question, “Were you old enough to have seen the game?” My second question, “Who gave you permission to change history since there exists gobs of information indicating a scratched cornea incident occurred?” This guy and everyone else including me it’s simple, we don’t have permission to change history to fit our perspective of the events.

Mortgage the future 

Two consecutive blow out defeats to the Lakers have brought me here, I’m not happy. LeBron James signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 2018. James was able to lead the team to an NBA championship in The Bubble season of 2020 and that’s been it. As this is written its highly unlikely the Lakers will win this season, as for 40-year-old James next season who knows. It’s my contention the team might have traded their future to win now, let’s take a brief look. All the names you are about to read the Lakers had on contract at one time.

July 2018 they allowed Julius Randle to leave as a free agent, until his injury he’s been key to the rise of the Knicks. Up next Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers didn’t draft him but traded for his draft rights. From 2014-2018 he would play the role of a valued reserve, in February 2018 he was traded to the Cavs for Isaiah Thomas who is no longer with the team. In 2021 Clarkson would be named NBA Sixth Man of the Year for the Jazz. 2019 would be the Lakers acquisition of Anthony Davis, headed east to the Pelicans was Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and the 2019 pick DeAndre Hunter now with the Hawks. In 2021 a trade of Kyle Kuzma to the Wizards brought Russell Westbrook to the Lakers another player no longer with them. This certainly is not intended to detail all the youth traded by the Lakers but it does provide us a clue.

The Lakers scouting staff has provided the team plenty of talent however as you can see most of it was traded or left in free agency. Trades were made with a “win now attitude” before the window closes on LeBron James brilliant NBA career. I allowed a neutral NBA fan to read my observation and this was his comment. “You are looking at this from the standpoint of a Laker fan, I don’t think these moves were that bad.” Revisionist history cannot fix this team however these are my observations alone. What do you think, am I way off base in my view?

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

This is not a critique of the 1966 Clint Eastwood Western classic, it revolves around Emoni Bates. First The Good, Emoni Bates has been chosen to participate in the Next Up Game, the G Leagues version of the All-Star Game. The game will be played February 18 at the Indiana Convention Center, it should be of note Bates received the 10th most G-League fan votes. Although he was drafted the Cavs sent him to their G-League affiliate to secure playing time. The numbers indicate Bates is having a sparkling season, in 5 games he’s averaging 24.6 points, 5.4 rebound and 2.6 assists per game.

This is rare, from the floor he's 41.7% and from the 3-point line its 42.9%. Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell said, “He’s got a lot of talent” intending to aid Bates in his NBA development. I guess we could include the Bad and the Ugly together based on a single occurrence. Bates and teammate Gabe Osabuohien went into the stands after a game. G-League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced Bates would be suspended for two games without pay. Hopefully, this will not deter Bates from his goal of earning a roster spot for the Cavs. By all indications after a rocky and sometimes turbulent college he still appears to be talented enough the NBA is willing to take a chance.