The NBA draft is a magical device. In the months leading up to and over its four-hour course, anything seems possible. Even the most skeptical curmudgeons talk themselves into this 19-year-old or that Latvian. In these hours, the players all believe they will be the next LeBron, or the next Nowitzki, or the next Draymond. The NBA draft is a festival of faith for everyone involved: the teams, the prospects, the fans.
The NBA draft is where dreams temporarily come true
Good morning. We have that and more in Thursday’s NBA newsletter.
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It’s all downhill from there.
As soon as we see these players in the anti-glamour of Vegas Summer League (or even worse, Orlando Summer League) their faults come alive. It gets worse in the preseason and through the rookie year. It’s a fact that most rookies are bad, even the great ones. We remember LeBron being good as a rookie. The fact is he wasn’t good enough to beat out Michael Redd or Kenyon Martin for an All-Star spot that year! Dirk barely shot 40 percent as a rookie; Draymond averaged fewer than three points per game.
Even if they do quickly become good, the panic begins to set in for their teams about their futures! On draft night, draft picks are these ethereal, mystical objects whose future is in some way impossible to tell, so we all expect the best. When reality sets in, we start to fear the worst.
In that spirit, enjoy the 2017 NBA draft (ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET) before it’s too late.
Important update! The thing about Kawhi Leonard cutting off his braids was a terrible hoax. Prosecute the perpetrator, please.
Your boy Phil Jackson poured gasoline on the Kristaps Porzingis trade fire in a basic interview on Wednesday. Things are going very well. The Knicks have reportedly talked to each of the five teams picking the highest on Thursday, plus the Thunder.
Brian Windhorst reports that Chauncey Billups has been offered the Cavaliers’ president of basketball operations job, but hasn’t decided whether to take it. If you let one of the best GMs in the NBA walk, you’d better be pretty darn positive your top target is going to come aboard.
We have another trade! The Wizards shipped a second-rounder to the Pelicans for Tim Frazier. New Orleans is committed to having full-on point guard crisis this summer, apparently.
I wrote about why Pau Gasol’s decision to decline a player option with San Antonio may have been the most impactful move of the offseason so far for the short term.
The Rockets want to get into the mix on Chris Paul’s free agency, which is interesting yet confusing. Here’s Mike Prada on why landing a big name will be hard for Houston.
The 2017-18 NBA salary cap will be just $99 million, a couple million lower than expected.
Friend of GMIB John Gonzalez on the life and death and life again of The Process.
Ricky O’Donnell on the plight of big men draft prospects in the modern NBA.
The Wizards are finally in for the G League. Team No. 27.
Isaiah Hartenstein, who should go in the first round out of Germany, has quite an interesting background.
Jonathan Abrams on the curse and comfort of being the No. 2 pick.
DeMarcus Cousins is still holding his annual free basketball camp in Sacramento’s urban core.
Check out Kobe and Westbrook being awesome dads.
The most important thing for the Nets to do now is to surround D’Angelo Russell with people who will high-five him.
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