“It's unfortunate that you have a dream, and from our perspective, it's like someone's taking advantage of your dream and devaluing what we feel like coaches have earned over the years.” - JB Bickerstaff, on Micah Nori’s 1yr contract to become the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers
🎙️ Leading Off
This might be the leanest Football part of the calendar. If your noticing something missing, it’s the NFL. Outside of rejecting Brendan Sorsby, the Big Football League has made nary a peep. All is quiet. Not a creature was stirring. Not even a mouse (cornerback). Need news? Here ya go:
The Rams don’t do mini-camp. They’ve cancelled it altogether presumably because no one needs walkthroughs in May. WILL OTHER TEAMS FOLLOW?
Longtime Packers’ WR Antonio Freeman watched his son, Alex, score a goal against Australia in the World Cup. I grew up deep in the Favre-era Packers Universe and Freeman occupied WR1 from 1996-1998.
The Bills move into a new stadium this fall. It seats 10k less fans, offers no sitelines beyond the playing field, and cost more than $2b dollars. Buffalo rejected a roof to preserve the character of Football Weather. That’s about the last good thing you can say about the new Highmark Stadium.
🏀 Hard In The Paint
Giannis, Giannis, Giannis…OOFDA as they say in Milwaukee (or Minnesota). Does the Midwest argue over the origins of that hyperlocal vernacular? Comment below.
The tepid response from Giannis moving to South Beach is primarily driven from the rather lackluster title prospects facing Antetokounmpo. Miami will pair the Greek Freak with Bam Adebayo, but hardly any guards, shooting, or playmaking.
In my estimation, Pat Riley’s latest deal might be his worst. I’ll attempt to tread lightly because Riley has put together one of the most prestigious Basketball Life’s of anyone in history, but at 81, this is could be a desperate miscalculation. Riley is tiptoeing into Belichick (or Pete Carroll with the Raiders) territory. Where has Pat’s ship lost its course?
Riley built two successive title eras in Miami by acquiring 2 or 3 superstars and surrounding them with veteran, often minimum priced players. Think of Wade and Shaq flanked by Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, Gary Payton, and Alonzo Mourning. The Big Three were joined by mid-level exception’s Ray Allen and Shane Battier and veteran’s Rashard Lewis, James Jones, and Birdman Anderson. I’m unconvinced roster building can work in this fashion during the Second Apron era. For one, I don’t even know if veterans in this format exist on the open market. Is Kyle Lowry headed to South Beach? Does that move anyone’s needle? Khris Middleton is available…
I can’t tell you how many times I’ll get this far into a piece and I start to change my thoughts. There’s a world where Riley correctly estimates that the League is now littered with shooting. That guards are perpetually available. That the Supply of each means both of those pieces can be found on the cheap. The more I stew on it though, I think True Contenders are built on continuity, skill, and depth. Which brings us back to Giannis. At this moment, did Giannis escape anything in Milwaukee that he isn’t plunging into in Miami? Bam Adebayo is better than Myles Turner, but Ryan Rollins might be better than Davion Mitchell. He’s leaving one franchise in pursuit of cheap depth for another. I wanted a little more from this blockbuster. Maybe it’s rescued by Kevin Love, Westbrook, Lowry, Middleton, DeAndre Jordan, Tom Brady, and more heading to South Florida.
📻 Over The Air
📡 JumboTron: Thursday’s Must Watch
All times PST
Ecuador vs Germany, 1:00pm Fox
Arizona vs St. Louis, 4:45pm ESPN
Turkey vs USA, 7:00pm Fox
☎️ The Phone Line
Best thing on the timeline today:
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Walkup Song
Walkup Song
Toby Keith
For the NBA trade market, please:
Spotify