Basketball from a fans perspective

Published Tuesday, Thursday plus Saturday & Sunday

Laker signees

The wishing and hoping by much of Laker Nation is over for now at last. Deandre Ayton signed a 2 year contract with the team, he will wear jersey number 5 for the Purple & Gold. Also the team announced Jaxson Hayes signed a 1 year contract and will return as the chief reserve center for the Lakers. Unfamiliar to me and probably the majority of Laker Nation is free agent Jake LaRavia, he signed a 2-year contract with the team. LaRavia has spent time with the Wolves and Grizzlies and is reported to be a defensive disruptor, he shot 42.3% from three last season, LaRavia will wear jersey 12.

Wearing jersey number 1 this upcoming season will be Adou Thiero from Arkansas, he was the 36th pick in the second round of the 2025 draft. With these signings Team Laker has become progressively younger with these additions and the return of Hayes. Although Ayton is a veteran he’s 26 years old, Hayes is also 25. LaRavia is 23 years old and Thiero turned 21 in May. I mentioned this previously, I hate to see Dorian Finney-Smith leave. The Lakers will miss his defensive presence, the Lakers defense improved significantly after his mid-season arrival. The Lakers offered Finney-Smith a 2 year contract, the Rockets it was 4 years. It’s believed the combination of LaRavia, and Thiero will help make up the difference for the loss of Finney-Smith.

Corrected information 

I'm going to squash this right at the beginning, Carter Bryant a 6-foot 8 forward from Arizona was drafted by the Spurs as the 14th pick this past Wednesday. Reports are circulating on the internet that he's the nephew of Kobe Bryant. I researched this issue and can report Carter is NOT RELATED in any manner, it just so happens he's got the same last name. On the other hand Dylan Harper the second pick in the draft is the son of former Cavs, Bulls & Laker guard Ron Harper. In this instance the last names actually have a family connection. A better question to consider, how do these bogus story’s see the light of day? Are there folks just considering a basketball player who happens to have the same last name and they decide, “They must be related?”

On the other hand in the age of social media it could be malicious we just don’t know. A further example might be phony headlines to attract our attention. I’ve read a few of them and said to myself, “There is no way he said that.” After reading the story you discover that is indeed the case. As for me the hope is always to provide you accurate and concise information. There are instances I have and will continue to share my opinion on a particular issue, I believe there is nothing wrong with that. Publishing or embellishing stories without validation is at the top of my NO list. There’s an old idiom that says, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” I probably am the only individual with the concern I’m reading a truth over someone’s imagination. I’ve speculated in the past regarding some stuff but I’ve tried to ensure you beforehand. My suggestion going forward, check several sources to see if the story sounds questionable.

There is only one Wemby

Missouri freshman Trent Burns didn’t play last season, a broken foot sidelined him. If you are unfamiliar with his name no worry, a brief bit of detail is provided for you. As for you wondering about the Wemby reference allow me to explain he’s a big dude. Burns is a reported 7-foot 5 and 235 pounds which if correct indicates he’s taller than Wemby. We read Wemby now checks in a 245 pounds but that wasn’t the case his rookie year, he was 219 pounds…Burns is a reported 235 pounds. Burns home is Cypress Texas, which is located about 30 miles northwest of downtown Houston,

 

The young man graduated from Good Vision Prep Academy in Houston. The comparison to Wemby ends at this point with the following explanation. Reports indicate Burns “must grow into his body” which says he is somewhat raw. In the long term the redshirt year might prove to be beneficial for continued growth of Burns game. The upcoming season will witness him fully healed and ready to take the court. Expect to see him in action for limited minutes in his “freshman” season. Because Burn’s got an extra year if he continues to work on his game by his junior year we should see vast improvement. Is he really taller than Wemby, for now that question will remain unanswered. Let’s just state he’s a tall, tall dude.

Planning 

It’s been some time since we glanced at NBA arenas in various stages of development, below is a construction timeline regarding one arena and planned openings on several others. With that said, check out the following developments around the NBA:

 

Oklahoma City-The arena for the Thunder has been finalized, construction will begin in 2026, there is a June 2028 planned opening. With the team now NBA Champions this project becomes even more important to the city.

 

South Philadelphia-Home for the Sixers was originally scheduled for the Chinatown area of the city, it is planned to open in 2031. This project will be an exclusive home for the Sixers, the NHL Flyers will remain at Wells Fargo Center.

 

Irving-It would appear the Mavs are moving about 12 or so road miles to metro Irving Texas. Ownership desires to begin play in the 2031-32 NBA season. Rick Welts CEO of the team indicates this will be a basketball arena only, it appears the NHL Stars will either remain at American Airlines Center or build their own arena.

 

San Antonio-This ginormous revitalization plan for downtown San Antonio remains in the discussion stage, it appears the arena will be constructed separately. The city council has voted in favor of the arena.

 

Las Vegas-Certainly one of the strangest proposals, at present the city has no NBA team however evidence points toward expansion. Two groups are planning arenas although Thomas & Mack Arena on the campus of UNLV is ready now.

Minnesota-Minnesota is included in this report because the new ownership of the Timberwolves has announced plans to pursue a new arena for the team. Target Center is currently the second oldest arena in the NBA, after Madison Square Garden. It remains unclear how the project will be financed, as ownership has yet to specify whether funding will come solely from private sources or through a public-private partnership. In any event this project should prove quite interesting if it comes to fruition.