Basketball from a fans perspective

BULLETIN
As this edition was about to published the Lakers made a trade.  They acquired the 39th
pick in the the 2018 draft.  The Lakers traded their 2019 second round pick via the Bulls
along with cash.  The team now has the 25th, 39th and 47th pick in tonight's draft.   

Another point
A friend read my column on the Warriors and offered his view of the future for the Warriors.  You might remember I mentioned a Bay Area beat writer claimed the Warriors have a two-year window remaining on this championship run.  He says their core players are age 28-30. I added another consideration; the Warriors have played into the middle of June the last past four seasons. 

My friend pointed out other teams will rise (Sixers, Celtics in the east and the Rockets in the west) to play at or near the level of the Warriors.  Even more interesting is the possibility LeBron remains.  If that should occur, he said the Cavs could be just as dangerous as the last 3-4 years.  This is funny, he pointed out the Lakers could have a lineup that sounds as if it might be a law firm, James, George and Leonard.  So, there you have it, a different view of the same account.

The mystery man
Michael Porter Jr. isn’t really a mystery man, I use the term because he might be the least discussed athlete in the lottery portion of the draft.  As most are aware he only played 3 games at Mizzou, Luka Doncic has been more a topic of conversation than MJP.  At the dawn of the collegiate season MJP was the top choice on most of the mock draft sites.  If he’d been able to play last season no doubt he would have been the top pick over DeAndre Ayton of Arizona. 

MJP now measures 6 feet 11 inches and 211 pounds comparable to Kevin Durant when he first arrived in the NBA.  I’m not saying he’s the second coming his measurements are similar.  His back and the resulting surgery cast a shadow over him in the eyes of many, but I say nonsense.  If he’s cleared medically to play he’s ready for the rigors of the NBA.  MJP goes to the Bulls, Cavs or Knicks, I don’t believe he falls any further than the 9^th pick. 

Come fly with me
NFL teams fly to the opposition city usually Friday before a scheduled Sunday game.  Major league baseball teams often arrived the night before a game however teams are usually in a city for three to four days.  An NBA team could play in Dallas one evening and the next night in San Antonio.  Naturally this great amount of travel causes weariness and jet lag with players often moving through three-time zones.  The early days of the NBA witnessed much smaller travel numbers with most of the teams located on the east coach teams in the 1940’s it was via train and later flew commercial airlines. 

As the league and especially players grew the travel issue demanded charter flights for teams.  Teams had a head coach and that was it, today NBA teams can have 4-6 coaches.  This change to charters allowed for more spacious accommodations for the growing number of 7-foot players.  The Pistons flew to out of town games in “Roundball One” a modified MD-83.  2016 was the last season for the aircraft the Pistons now travel charter as well.  The Mavs might be the only team owners flying their own aircraft currently, they have a Boeing 757 thanks to owner Mark Cuban. 

Big men still apply 
The June 16 edition of NBADraft.net contains interesting numbers.  They list the first six picks height, 7 feet, 6 feet 11 inches, 6 feet 2 inches, 6 feet 11 inches, 6 feet 6 inches and 7 feet.  Apart from two all could all be considered centers, not in the sense of a Kareem or Wilt.  These big men have range in some instances out to the 3-point line.  Don’t allow this talk of small ball to fool you there remains a requirement for a quality big man in the game.  It’s likely several in this number might wind up playing power forward in the NBA of today, 10-15 years ago they all would be centers.  The advent of small ball has impacted play for centers, Bill Walton coined a phrase Throw it down Big Man. 

Once the ball was passed into the middle this former center wanted a dunk, nowadays the ball might go into the middle but its just as likely to be passed out to a Steph Curry taking a shoot from the 3-point line.  Despite the evolution of the game there remains a requirement for a quality big man, do we have one or more in this draft?  We have the developing talent of Joel Embiid but he’s not the only big man.  We have DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and DeAndre Jordan along with Andrew Drummond.  Big men still exist I the game however the low post game no longer exists as it once did.   
Missed this one
I didn’t consider this possibility, LeBron James would not sign with the Lakers without assistance in mind.  In this instance the assist might come in the form of his friend Chris Paul.  I hadn’t considered that Paul will also become a free-agent July 1, this scenario could very easily occur.  The Lakers with plenty of cap space sign both LeBron James and Chris Paul.  Lonzo Ball is traded, and LaVar Ball has a meltdown, he deems the Lakers the worst franchise in the NBA.  Will this play out as laid out, I don’t know pure speculation on my report. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

They were serious
Puma was serious about becoming a player once again in the shoe “wars”.  They surprised by signing Marvin Bagley III of Duke and indicated “more” signings were on the way.  Bagley III was followed by Zhaire Smith former Texas Tech guard.  On Monday projected number one pick DeAndre Ayton from Arizona signed a 4-year multi-million-dollar shoe and apparel deal.  Three projected lottery picks in the 2018 NBA draft have signed with Puma over Nike, Air Jordan, Adidas and Under Armour.  As this story was completed news broke entertainer and mogul Jay-Z has been named president of Puma basketball. 

LeBron in Philly?
Despite a host of Western Conference teams including my Lakers desiring to sign LeBron James it’s still got to remain in the east in my opinion.  We covered LeBron in Boston but how about Philadelphia?  The Sixers are slightly below the Celtics in the East, despite the playoffs they might now be superior to the Cavs.  Okay you say LeBron needs the ball, Ben Simmons needs the ball, and both will suffer without one of them being the primary ball handler. 

Well you also said Chris Paul and James Harden wouldn’t work, a hammy injury to Paul might have prevented the Rockets from playing for the NBA championship.  Simmons can’t shoot from more than 10 feet from the basket he works best as a facilitator.  I could go on and on and on how the paring of LeBron on the Sixers won’t work.  Maybe there is a missing factor on my part the desire to win, what says all parties don’t adjust their game to accommodate the talented LeBron. 

Check this out
By all appearances the 2021 NBA draft will be unlike any in recent years a change is pending.  The argument has always been other professional sports (excepting NFL football) have no age restrictions.  In addition, an American high school athlete could graduate and immediately go to work for Microsoft or Nike an adult job.  2005 would witness the last crop of high school players drafted in the NBA, the Bucks Thon Maker and Satnam Singh Bhamara of the Mavs are the exceptions. 

In any event that will change now, it appears high school players will be allowed in the draft once again.  Before you do thumbs up, thumbs down consider the present rule, college and International athletes must both turn 19 years old by the June draft.  For American players there is one additional rule which impacts an American athlete, they must be 1-year past their high school graduation.  There is no such requirement for International athletes, shouldn’t a rule affect all involved?  

Makes sense I believe
I don’t remember the name, so I can’t give him the credit.  I listened to a Bay area beat writer and his comments regarding the Warriors was quite interesting.  During the discussion he said, “The window for the Warriors is two years.”  In other words, the Warriors should be favorites to win the championship for the next few years after that the story changes.  

He went on to state, “Most of these guys are near the same age (29-30), they are not a young team.”  I would add my viewpoint to the account, the Warriors have played deep into June for four consecutive years that’s a great deal of wear and tear on the body.  Counting exhibition, regular season and post season games that’s a sizable number.  I'm sure fans of the Warriors won't appreciate reading this but it well could be fact in a few years.    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Killer cross-over
It’s been said Tim Hardaway and Allen Iverson might have the best cross-over move in NBA history.  Who is number one and who is two might be the question in some minds, I submit Rockets guard James Harden as maybe superior to both.  Harden’s perfected move is almost an art form as opposing players attempt to contest his shot.  Check the video below and see what you think. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-zUXpoLInQ 

My thoughts
This is the this the continuing saga of Kawhi Leonard.  A media member says, “The Spurs don’t want to trade him to a Western Conference rival (Lakers or Clippers) where they would face him four times a year.  The better destination might be Boston.”  Makes sense on several levels however the adjustment to the Celtic roster might be more than Danny Ainge wants to undertake.  Consider this little jewel, rookie Jason Tatum moved into the starting lineup at the time Gordon Hayward was sidelined for the season.    

Tatum had a good rookie season (13.9 ppg and 5.0 rebounds), he bumped his scoring up in the playoffs to nearly 19 ppg.  If you are Brad Stevens who do you sit down Hayward or Tatum?  That’s not taking into consideration the potential arrival of a Kawhi Leonard.  Kawhi outstanding and all is several years older than either Hayward or Tatum, maybe this is not such a clever idea adding Kawhi after all.  It would seem Kawhi might be odd man out for the Celtics however there is at least one other Eastern Conference team to consider.  How about those Knicks, I could see Kawhi at the small forward with them, he’s better than Michael Beasley in my opinion.       

NBA draft
A few weeks back I nominated the Class of 2000 the worst NBA draft in history. Thebiglead.com compiled its list of the Top 10 worst draft picks, I am taking liberty and revising it as I believe it should be.  As an example, they have Anthony Bennett (no. 1 2013) at the top and Kwame Brown (no. 1 2001) in the number 4 position.  Those should be swapped with Brown at 1 and Bennett at 4.  Greg Oden (no. 1 2007) is number 10 however I don’t believe that’s quite fair, a series of injuries curtailed his career.  The Wolves chose Jonny Flynn (no. 6 2009) when one pick later a guy by the name of Steph Curry was available.  How about 7-foot 3-inch Hasheem Thabeet (no. 2 2009) was number 6 on their list but 2 or 3 on mine.  There was an old saying, “He can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.”  That statement certainly applies to Thabeet who proved NBA scouts missed the boat at times.

This is interesting
NBA regular season 82 games, NBA Summer League 82 games…..what?  The increase in the number of games is necessary, for the first time in its history all 30 teams will participate this summer.  Play will begin July 6 and culminate with the championship game on July 17.  For those outside of Las Vegas all games will be available on NBA TV, ESNPU or ESPN2.  Someone once asked me, “Why does the NBA televise so many games?”  I don’t remember my exact response, but it went something like this.  Once upon a time baseball was the number one sport in the USA, the NFL rose to the top sometime in the late ‘50’s or early’60’s.  The rise in popularity of the NFL is attributed almost entirely due to television. 

This is funny
This account is not funny in a comical sense but the thought behind it, I held a conversation recently with an acquittance and he said “I gonna give you a name…..Coby White.  I’m not saying anything else you check.”   Once I arrived home I looked up the name and determined why I was given this information.  This Carolina grad wanted me to profile a highly touted incoming Carolina Tarheel athlete.     

White is a Rivals 5-star prospect and ranks number 24 in the Class of 2018.  He didn’t travel very far from his Wilson (NC) home, Wilson is located some 80 miles from Chapel Hill.  White a 6-foot 3-inch shooting guard broke the all-time boys scoring record for the State of North Carolina in January.  If we consider Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Chris Paul, Antawn Jamison and a host of others played high school ball in the state White’s feat is noteworthy.  Okay Skip I believe you received the coverage you wanted for this Carolina guy.    

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sometimes it seems
I’m complaining about the sports media more than offering praise.  That’s what this is an attempt to salute those I enjoy.  Any time you begin compiling a list someone is always overlooked, that might be the case here.  I’m just going to say there are a considerable number I either read regularly or turn up my ears when they appear on television. 

Jay Bilas, Jay Williams, Mark Jackson, Doris Burke ESPN analysts
Chris Webber, Steve Smith, Kenny Smith TNT analysts
Michelle Beadle, Rachel Nichols ESPN Studio hosts
Brian Windhorst ESPN columnist
Sam Amick USA Today
Mike DeCoursey Sporting News

Please note, I'm not being compensated in any manner for mentioning these individuals.     

They better not mess this up
Sounds as if I’m threatening someone or something however that is not the case.  I’m just taking a check of the Suns and their past draft choices.  Lottery picks Josh Jackson and Devin Booker appear to future rising stars in the NBA.  On the other hand, Phoenix has finished in the lottery the last 6 seasons and Jackson and Booker are it.  What about the other four lottery picks they chose?

The other players selected have been serviceable but certainly not outstanding considering they were lottery choices.  The analogy for me baseball, the Suns with two strikes on them took a swing at the ball and struck out.  There were all types of complaints regarding the Sixers and the fact many believed they were tanking.  Last season proved they had a bunch of talented players on the court and were able to make the playoffs.  As for the Suns that’s a different matter, I’m certainly not making the pick I’m just saying they better not mess this up. 

“If you build a better mouse trap….. 
The quote was attributed to the 19^th Century poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.  The full quote is “If you build a better mouse trap the world will beat a path to your door.”  The poet, lecturer, philosopher was simply stating if you develop a product or provide a specialized service people will rush to acquire the product or service.  LaVar Ball is most of all a peddler or pusher of product, that is the case with his latest proposal the Junior Basketball Association.  He claims it will attract high school players with no desire to attend college or unable to play in the G-League. 

A top-notch player will earn as much as $10,000 a month however those less talented could earn $3,000 a month.  That’s an outstanding payday to 98% of the high school basketball talent in the nation.  What did Emerson say about “beating a path to your door”?  As we approach late spring-early summer this league plans on a June 21 start.  Several of the teams must fill out their rosters, as an example the Los Angeles Ballers are the only team with more than 5 players on the roster.  I’m quite sure there is someone out there saying I’m being too tough on LaVar Ball, I don’t think so.   

The Return
This is no reference to the 2006 horror/thriller with Sarah Michelle Geller, this is the return of Puma.  You remember Puma don’t you Laker great Big Game James Worthy once wore the brand.  It was announced Marvin Bagley III of Duke signed a 5-year contract with the company.  Its noteworthy Puma indicates this is their initial effort to sign several members in the Class of 2018 draft.  The company further says they intend to focus on established NBA members as well.       

Basketball from a fans perspective

Drip, drip, drip  
The faucet that was dripping has now been fully opened.  I’m referring to the Spurs and their disgruntled forward Kawhi Leonard.  After missing the 2016-18 season I believed he was rehabbing and would return to the Spurs lineup in October ready to play.  He might be ready to play but it’s likely to be with some other team and not the Spurs.  I wrote a yet to be published account indicating I believed Kawhi and coach Pop would sit down iron out the issues and all would be right with the world, I guess I’ll delete that report now. 

It’s been reported Kawhi wants to play in Los Angeles specifically with the Lakers.  He’s a SoCal guy so that portion of the story is not that shocking.  Kawhi is a restricted free-agent, he can’t just “walk away”, a deal must be struck between the Spurs and the Lakers to accommodate him.  The Lakers have plenty of cap space to sign Kawhi but who do the Lakers give up making the proposed trade work?  Luol Deng would be included in a trade but who else leaves for Texas?  The Lakers have a bunch of pieces besides Deng, but who would the Spurs be willing to accept since this trade would impact two Western Conference foes?   

Change is in the air
The ongoing justice department investigation of college basketball might have prompted this pending change.  Commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo to NBA teams indicating eligibility rules will likely change by the time the 2021 NBA draft rolls around.  No further information is provided however the belief is high school players will be allowed in the draft once again.  If this is indeed the case it makes sense on several levels. 

One and done athletes will become a thing of the past, there will be no requirement for a player to spend a year in college and then apply to the NBA.  In addition, players will no longer leave school hoping and wishing to be drafted.  In several instances there have been players leaving for the draft and never hearing their name called.  In addition, if we look at other professional sports they all allow 18-year old’s in the league, the only exception is the NFL.  Professional football is far different, the physical aspects demand a 21 or 22-year old body. 

I’m on a quest
Jason Kidd’s had two head coaching jobs with no prior coaching experience and fired from one of them.   Stan Van Gundy has served as head coach at three stops with little post-season success.  Jeff Hornacek was fired by the Suns and this past season the Knicks decided to let him go.  Frank Vogel’s contract was not renewed at Indiana, but he caught on with the Magic.  I’m sure there are more out there but I just wanted you to consider this fact.  

This is not intended as criticism of these coaches, unlike the others above the Warriors have been Jackson’s one and only coaching post.  Jackson sits next to Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen broadcasting games for ESPN/ABC on a weekly basis during the regular season.  Jackson was partially responsible for the success of this Warriors team.  With exception of Durant all the starters were acquired while Jackson coached them.  I don’t want this to appear as though Steve Kerr has done nothing.  Kerr took over and guided the Warriors to the promised land but Jackson laid the foundation.  Why can’t the man at least get an interview for a head coaching job? 

On the recruiting trail 
The college basketball season concludes, and Cuonzo Martin and staff hit the road scouting prospective talent.  Although this prospect hails from California he’s got a connection to Mizzou already.  Josh Christopher is a 6-foot 4-inch 200-pound shooting guard, Christopher hails from Lakewood a city in metro Los Angeles.  This Class of 2020 prospect has 9 offers waiting for him and on the list is one from Mizzou.  The strength and conditioning coach at Mizzou is Nicodemus Christopher, cousin to Josh.  Don’t read something into this that’s not there, I ain’t saying’ he’s headed to Mizzou however that might be a possibility. 

In the Class of 2019 is 6-foot 7-inch 210-pound small forward Malik Hall, Hall is a little closer to Mizzou.  He attends Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita Kansas.  He’s got 24 offers and one of those is from Mizzou.  A short distance from Mizzou Arena is Rock Bridge High School home to Isiaih Mosley a 6-foot 4-inch shooting guard also in the Class of 2019.  Mosley is a 3-star prospect and has an offer on the table from Mizzou.  From the City of Normal in central Illinois we uncover Francis Okoro, a 6-foot 9-inch forward who attends Normal Community West High School.  Okoro a Class of 2019 prospect has an offer from Mizzou as well.  Tray Jackson a 6-foot 9-inch power forward from Michigan received an offer during his June campus visit. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

The list continues to grow 
Based on the number of people lining up on the other side they ignore the fact Kevin Durant is a two-time NBA champion and two-time finals MVP.  Everybody and their brother continues to harp on Durant’s decision to leave the Thunder for the Warriors.  The latest to voice his opinion is Myles Garrett defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL.  Garrett might have played basketball in high school, but this is the NBA not your sport. 

In addition, Garrett plays for the worst team in the NFL, should we really be concerned with his view of Kevin Durant?  To top it off he gives LeBron James a pass for his departure to the Heat.  “They had to come together to win (Miami) where Durant joined a team already winning.”  How about this one a fan suggested “I’d bet Garrett would jump at the opportunity to play for the Eagles or Patriots”, that’s a different story right, Garrett?  If his hate on Durant makes sense to you so be it, it doesn’t to me. 

In my parent voice
Tell me, why do children fail to consider their hair in measuring height?  Here’s where I’m going with this, Shareef O’Neal sent out a tweet containing a photo of him standing next to dad Shaquille.  His tweet read, “Either my dad isn’t 7’1 or I’m not 6’10 cuz we the same height rn”.  Young Mr. O’Neal has at least 2 maybe 3 inches of hair on top of his head which appears on the same level as the top of Shaq’s head thus appearing they are the same height, amazing.       

The bad
I have no explanation, I have an opinion which may or may not be accurate.  The NBA finals were down this year for the first time in 4 years.  My take away, fans in Northern Ohio and in the Bay Area were glued to the television (unless they could afford attending the games).  In any event a larger portion of the nation failed to be induced into viewing the series.  They may have been tired of the same two teams playing for the 4^th straight year, just a thought.  The figures represent this nation only thus far we don’t know the world viewership figures.

What might have been
Every year as we approach the NBA draft the Len Bias story comes to mind.  If he’d lived Len Bias would be 55 years old in November, several players have arrived in the NBA with star written on their forehead.  A number were unable to reach the lofty projections due to injury or they were good college players unable to adjust to NBA play.  They say Len Bias would have had no problem adjusting, he was ready for the NBA. 

A Celtic scout said: “He’s maybe the nearest thing to (Chicago guard) Michael Jordan to come out in a long time. I'm not saying he's as good as Michael Jordan, but he's an explosive and exciting kind of player like that.”  Jordan was then in his second professional season with the Chicago Bulls.” 

At 6 feet 9 inches and 210 pounds Bias had all the tools that practically guaranteed stardom, in the 1986 draft June 17 the Celtics made Bias the number 2 pick that year.  On June 19 Bias was dead the result of a drug overdose, death came before he ever stepped on the court in Boston, Len Bias gone far too young.   

Wikipedia

Basketball from a fans perspective

Have I changed my outlook…..I could say yes?
I held a conversation the other day with a basketball fan.  Our discussion dealt with the college game however I expressed my view on the NBA too.  I said, “I don’t expect anyone to remain in place, doesn’t matter if it’s a one n done player or in the NBA.”  Allegiances still exist however for the most part for several today’s athlete it becomes what is important right now, I remember back to the days of the Kansas City Kings.  

A fan favorite made his feelings known to the media he wanted out of Kansas City.  
He didn’t trash the city or anything of that sort he just said, “I’m an east coast guy”.  Management accommodated his request and traded him to the Nets then based in New Jersey.  The point I’m attempting to make I don’t expect loyalty to a school or to an NBA team.  Are athletes only interested in meeting their needs, perhaps this has become the norm and I just adjusted my beliefs and gotten use to it.  Have I changed my outlook…..I could say yes?

A nurse is required 
No, not that kind of nurse I’m referring to Nick Nurse.  The Raptors have hired Nurse as the head coach replacing Dwane Casey.  They really didn’t travel very far for this hire, he was a member of Casey’s coaching staff.  It does occur however less often; a staff assistant moves over one chair to become head coach of an NBA team. 

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous 
Robin Leach served as host of the television program “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” which made its debut in 1984.  The television audience was taken on a guided tour of the homes, automobiles, yachts and other baubles of the rich and famous.  To my knowledge basketball icon Michael Jordan has never been featured although it might prove interesting and insightful.  Jordan’s been retired since 2003 yet its reported his Jordan Brand and endorsements earned him $115 million in 2015.  In April 2017 Forbes estimated MJ’s net worth to be $1.31 billion, a hefty sum for an athlete who was cut from his high school basketball team in Wilmington North Carolina. 

He built a 56,000 square foot mansion in Highland Park Illinois in 1991, the home has been placed on the market, the asking price a cool $14,000,000.  A few of the amenities in the mansion include a full-size basketball court, a complete exercise room along with a gaming/sports room.  He’s down-sized his Jupiter Florida home, its only 28,000 square feet, it contains 11 bedrooms, a pool house, a two-story guard house and an athletic section with basketball court.  MJ’s present residence is on 3-acres of land on the edge of a nearby golf course.  MJ owns a 154-foot cruise ship named ‘Mr. Terrible, no indication of the cost however the ship can accommodate up to 14 guests for dinner and we presume lodgings for that number. 

MJ also owns a Gulfstream IV corporate jet with a portion of the aircraft painted in Carolina colors.  The FAA number for the aircraft contains his number 23 and the number 6 representing his NBA titles.  As for his ground transportation Jordan owns a stable of vehicles, two Ferrari’s, a Corvette, a McLaren ($188,000), a Porsche, an Aston Martin, Toyota Land Cruiser, Range Rover and a Cadillac.  After first purchasing a portion of the franchise Jordan is now the majority owner with 80-85% of the Charlotte Hornets, the teams’ net worth according to Forbes is $780,000,000.  Jordan purchased a home in Charlotte however he only spent $2,800,000 for his Carolina home away from home.  In the words of the host, ‘Thank you for joining us, I’m Robin Leach with those champagne wishes and caviar dreams.  We’ll look forward to joining you on the next edition of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.’ 

I could see that
Bleacher Report indicates the Clippers could be looking to move up in the draft, they have the number 12 and 13 picks.  Moving up would allow them to draft Luka Doncic, they could play Doncic at the 2 or the 3, makes sense on several levels.  The Clippers depth chart list Lou Williams at shooting guard.  Williams is a talented player, but I’ve always seen him as “instant offense” off the bench.  He could play starter minutes but his value to a team is as a reserve player.  Danilo Gallinari should be penciled in as the starter at small forward.  Notice I said should, Gallinari too is certainly talented, but he can’t play a complete season without missing major portions.  Scouting reports indicate the 6-foot 8-inch Doncic could play either the 3 or 4, will Jerry West make this move is the next question June 21 is days away.          

Basketball from a fans perspective

Why do I bother?
You’ve met LaVar Ball before, not THAT LaVar Ball but someone quite similar.  The guy who is always saying outrageous stuff and lives to provoke controversy.  The problem there are far too many LaVar Ball’s out here, guys who believe they are smarter and wiser than everyone around them.  They make the most outlandish statements like this one.  “Kevin Durant isn’t good enough to sign with Big Baller Brand.”  I will allow that to sink in and make no further comment. 

He fell out of bed……
Dan Gilbert Cavs owner fell out of bed and bumped his head, that’s a possibility based on his reported statement.  He said, “I can build a championship team without LeBron James.”  How easily Gilbert forgets his own history, this is a portion of the letter owner Gilbert wrote Cavs fans when LeBron left for Miami.  "I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE".  Notice all caps, now let’s check the record during the years LeBron was in Miami.  How did that winning thing go Danny boy while LeBron was playing elsewhere?     

19-63, 21-45, 24-58 and 33-49 doesn’t appear close to an NBA championship.  In fact the Cavs missed the playoffs all four years, granted the first season would have caught the Cavs off-guard but how about the following years?   Gilbert reminds me of a few sports owners, they trust their success in the business world instinctively translates to the sports world, you and I know better.  The most successful teams in the NBA have been those ownership allowed the basketball capable front-office to handle operations.  I’m almost ready to refer to Gilbert as the NBA’s version of Jerry Jones. 

Best athlete available?
I posed this question previously but thought it worth exploring again as we approach the NBA draft.  The old NFL Cowboys under general manager Tex Schramm and coach Tom Landry would conduct the draft on talent rather than position.  This is an example; the Cowboys have two outstanding defensive backs on the roster.  Depth wise they didn’t require another defensive back yet when it was their turn they selected one, they perceived that defensive back to be the best athlete. 

The Cowboys drafted athletic talent over position necessity.  One of two issues could occur, the newly acquired defensive back beats out one of the two on the roster or the pick is traded to fill a need elsewhere.  I’m old school, I don’t do that analytics crap, interview the prospect(s), work them out and if they meet your needs draft them.  This is twofold, I wanted to provide some history and I have no idea who the Lakers pick with their 25^th pick.  Doesn’t matter I suppose if it turns out to be a choice that will help them. 

SEC basketball
Once upon a time the mere mention of SEC basketball we’d think Kentucky, Kentucky and maybe Florida under Billy Donovan.  The discussion began and ended with those two teams however a change is very much in evident.  In recent years Auburn, Tennessee and Mizzou have become “players” most recently.  South Carolina and Arkansas were down this past season, but Frank Martin and Mike Anderson’s record indicate their teams should rebound. 

Bryce Drew was brought in to take over the Vanderbilt program two seasons ago and given time should turn the Commodore program around.  Kentucky and Florida continue to play high-quality basketball and this “football” conference has finally decided to seriously entertain winning basketball.  Bet you didn’t realize the RPI indicates the SEC finished ahead of the Big Ten, Pac-12 and several other conferences this past season.  The Big 12 was in first place followed by the Big East the ACC and the SEC in 4^th place. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

9 days from now
Laker fans will discover in 10 days if the team follows the line of most mock drafts.  As a reminder a number have them choosing the mystery man Mitchell Robinson with the 25^th pick.  I questioned this at first now I’m not so sure if this might be the case.  the 7-foot 1 inch 225-pound Robinson moves with ease around basket.  Scouting reports indicate he should be a good pick and roll guy plus he’s a shot blocker.  In practice Robinson’s exhibited a variety of offensive moves around the basket and 3-point range.  As I reported a few weeks ago Robinson was conducting workouts for several teams.  After he worked out for the Lakers he went home, reports began circulating he’d received a promise by the Lakers they intended to draft him. 

Who is in front of him currently on the depth chart?  Veteran Brook Lopez spent most of the season as the starting center and certainly was adequate.  I expected 2^nd year man Ivica Zubac to supersede Lopez but it never occurred.  Can Zubac be a starting center in the NBA, I am unwilling at this stage to say yes.  Thomas Bryant was the third center on the team, he spent a great deal of the season with the South Bay Lakers of the G-League.  His NBA potential remains an unknown now.  With at least two question marks you can see there is room for Robinson to be drafted if the team goes in that direction.  In a draft related story word comes Luka Doncic will remain in the draft.  It would have been surprising if he decided to bypass the draft this year. 

He’s got a job
Raptor management led Dwane Casey to the door, his Raptor team won 59 games last season and finished in first place.  The season was not satisfactory in managements view since the Raptors were eliminated by the Cavs in the playoffs.  In any event the Pistons decided to take a chance, they hired Casey signing him to a 5-year contract.   The Pistons finished the season 39-43 and 4^th place in the Central Division so there is a foundation in place.  With this hire Casey’s former team (Raptors) are the only NBA team yet to hire a head coach.   

Still out there
I checked the Rivals 2018 prospect list, we are almost in July and there are three prospects who remain without a decision.  Shooting guard Anfernee Simons is unique, he’s in high school but eligible for the NBA draft.  He’s headed for the NBA as for the others that’s a different story.   Darius Bazley 6-foot 8-inch small forward from Cincinnati Ohio and McDonalds All American has 11 offers on the table.  Saddiq Bey 6-foot 6-inch small forward from Washington D.C. has 20 offers and yet to decide.  We close with Jordan Lathon 6-foot 4-inch point guard from Grandview (MO), Lathon committed to Northwestern University, for unexplained reasons the school withdrew the offer prior to enrollment.  So, there you have it three prospects at this late date yet to decide.

Point-counter point
I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion several media types (Colin Cowherd, Fox Sports) have the answers.  Despite what we witness it didn’t quite occur the way we remember.  Game one of the championship series.  Cowherd decided “The NBA officials butchered this series….The Cleveland Cavaliers had game 1 and the refs stole it from them.”  I love this fan’s response to Cowherd’s commentary.      

1. The Ref missed a free throw at the end of regulation.
2. The ref got a rebound and dribbled the clock out.
3. The ref decided not to use a timeout to win the game.

4. Five refs stepped on the court in overtime and were so angry the other ref dribbled the time out, decided they didn’t want to play in OT and lost!

You’re right it was the refs fault.