Zendaya is Meechee, and LeBron James is Gwangi
Jimmy Butler has reportedly fallen for the Miami Heat, and the feeling is mutual. The weird upshot is that Miami is pretty capped out, so it would likely take a painful salary-cutting trade or two for the Heat to clear the space to sign Butler as a free agent in the summer. As such, trading for him now — or at least before February’s trade deadline — would make matters cleaner. It also prevents Butler from getting traded somewhere else and falling in love with another situation.
Miami is actually a good fit in these circumstances if you believe, as I do, that the Timberwolves will prioritize getting ready-to-contribute players back instead of future assets. As such, kvetching over Miami’s lack of draft picks seems less important than determining where the nexus of what the Heat are willing to concede and what the Wolves demand. Apparently, Josh Richardson is a keystone.
The funniest subplot here is that pairing Butler with Dwyane Wade in the latter’s “last dance” season would probably mean more shots of Tom Crean on our TVs during the NBA playoffs, and that’s a net good for the world.
Schedule Check
Aaaaaah, preseason basketball is coming!
Friday
Melbourne United vs. 76ers, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass
Celtics vs. Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Saturday
Blazers vs. Raptors, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass
Beijing Ducks vs. Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
Timberwolves vs. Warriors, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Perth Wildcats vs. Jazz, 9 p.m. ET, ???
Sunday
Heat vs. Spurs, 5 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Hornets vs. Celtics, 6 p.m. ET, League Pass
Pelicans vs. Bulls, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Nuggets vs. Lakers, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Sydney Kings vs. Clippers, 9:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
Links galore
Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t actually have to teach Luka Doncic all that much. Also, no one knows how tall Luka is. If only we had tools to measure a person’s height. Maybe like a tape with markings indicating standard lengths on it?
An argument that the Nets should actually sit out the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes.
Willie Cauley-Stein is talking about getting paid. I’m not sure he’s watched a whole lot of Willie Cauley-Stein tape.
LeBron is downplaying expectations and aspirations for the season. He did the same thing his first year in Cleveland. Of course, he had Kyrie and K-Love there instead of Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. Also, LeBron James in Gwangi.
Klay Thompson indicates he wants to stay with Golden State. Kyrie Irving indicates he wants to stay with Boston. Oh my gosh, please don’t let 2019 free agency be a bust!
I want lots of coverage of LeBron and Rajon Rondo and their photographic memories this season.
The Suns think Deandre Ayton looks really good early on. The question is whether this is good relative to the Suns (which is not impressive, because the Suns are bad) or actual good.
Get to know the Team USA women’s basketball squad currently running through the FIBA Women’s World Cup.
Chandler Parsons sliding his way back into our consciousness with (what else?) a Players’ Tribune essay.
And finally: Kofie Yeboah is an absolute genius. Get on that.
Be excellent to each other.
