Basketball from a fans perspective 

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Bits n Pieces of information  

We’ll have an idea soon where the Boozer twins are headed. Cameron and Cayden Boozer are the sons of former NBA player and Duke graduate Carlos. Cameron is a 6 foot 9 225 pound power forward, Rivals.com places him in the number two slot in their Class of 2025 prospects. Cayden is listed as a 6 foot 4 inch 205 pound point guard, he’s number 23 on their list. I will be shocked if they fail to attend their fathers school, the expected news conference on October 10 will see them announce they are headed to Durham to play for Duke.    

He speaks and we listen i.e., Kawhi Leonard thanks to Basketball Network. “This is what I work for. I strive to get a championship. I’m not out there to try to play 82 games. I’m trying to win. Even tho that’s obligated for me. I try to, but it hasn’t worked out.” His words regarding load management and his injury history to date. I’ve long believed he doesn’t miss games on purpose but there is a concern with a portion of his statement. Leonard saying, “I’m not out there to try to play 82 games.” In the old days that was a badge of honor for NBA players barring injury to play their team’s entire schedule.

Someone reading this might believe I have a hate Las Vegas thing going on, that is not the case. The media is focused on NBA expansion with the key teams likely to be added are Seattle and the aforementioned Las Vegas. At this point we’ll conduct a deep dive into attendance figures. In 2023 the NFL Raiders finished 31 out of 32 teams, maybe because they were so bad on the field. As for the NHL Sharks they were much better coming in at 13 out of 32, best of the bunch the WNBA. The Aces finished number one out of 12 WNBA teams. If we toss in Athletics baseball which has yet to arrive…do you see where I’m going? Despite the fact it’s a tourist destination it’s population is not that large to support all these professional teams. Fact is Las Vegas metro (2.227 million 2018) is actually smaller than Kansas City metro (2.392 million).

I’m surprised…not shocked

Not much has been heard or read by yours truly from Kwame Brown for a time. You might remember Brown, he arrived in the NBA directly from high school which was possible in 2001. Despite his heavy frame (6-11, 290 pounds) Brown failed to have the career most expected. He would move from team to team throughout the NBA with his career ending in 2013 and that’s where we begin. I don’t like to use the term “bust” for a player with the lengthy career Brown experienced he’d just not been a dominant player. Fast forward to the present day and Stephen A. Smith enters the picture, I’m unsure where it began but the mouthy Smith began a tirade regarding Brown, they went back and forth trading barbs.

Then the attacks subsided and I don’t remember reading or hearing anything from Brown until recently. After being attacked unfairly by Smith in my view Brown figured he do the same thing…his target Bronny James. He questioned how young James was drafted yet DJ Burns was passed over, the 6 foot 9 270 pound Burns had led North Carolina State to an improbable NCAA run. Despite Burns best effort in the tournament he was passed over in the June 2024 NBA draft. I said at the time I was displeased with the Bronny pick but understood the why of it. As for Burns he’s signed with a team in the Korean Basketball League so he’s getting paid. In addition Burns is young and will likely have another opportunity at some point to play in the NBA. As for Brown I’m surprised he decided to bully Bronny for no apparent reason.   

They don’t always know

This from ESPN, an NBA official expressed the belief they were not sold on Cooper Flagg as the top pick in the 2025 draft. That’s okay because the youngster must prove he’s the real deal, his season at Duke will provide this official and us just how good he might become. As for his apprehension I am not completely sold on his view for a variety of reasons. The history says NBA officials don’t always make the best decisions, want examples. Markelle Fultz being picked ahead of Jayson Tatum, how about Nikola “The Joker” Jokic becoming the number 41 pick in the second round.

The Joker is a three time NBA MVP, tell me someone still has a job analyzing talent after missing on him. How about the 2013 draft where Anthony Bennett was chosen at the top of the draft while Giannis Antetokounmpo was pick 15. The point of course even with all the evidence teams have in the past made huge mistakes in adding players they believed were talented enough to compete in the NBA. Back to Flagg for a while, I certainly understand the skepticism a general manager might have based on a number of factors. There is no guarantee in the draft so you must investigate everything you can and then go with your gut. You remember last season prior to the 2023 draft there were gigantic questions surrounding Victor Wembanyama, a number of the questions even came from credible NBA veterans.