Just when I was about to one-up David Stern and take my old Rucker team for an overseas jaunt to play the best the Canary Islands has to offer, I’m remanded, er, reminded the irregular season is just a week away.
And so, I suspected, it might be perspicacious yesterday to take a cursory look at the preseason precincts; and, lo and behold, three of them are perfectly proportioned.
Memphis is 7-0 after downing the Hornets last night, while both Utah and Orlando are 6-0. The Magic, apparently thinking exhibition beat-downs are worth more at trade-in, devoured competitors by a total of 150 points.
Be that as it may, it’s the west’s unlikely unbeatens who’ve captivated my cataracts.
Not that it’s a big surprise Jerry Sloan’s sect has lost none of its spirit, smarts or selflessness, but, still, shouldn’t there be some sort of observable drop-off when the uppermost layer of the roster has been gutted like a carp?
Four of last season’s core Jazz members are pitted while Mehmet Okur is recovering nicely from an Achilles injury. Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews executed change-of-direction money moves, whereas injured Ronnie Brewer was bequeathed to the Grizzlies at mid-year for luxury cap purposes. All but Matthews (Portland) are now gainfully employed by Chicago.
Thanks in large part to vice president Kevin O’Connor’s (perennially) well-researched decisions, nothing tangible or subtle suffered in the translation to the called up reinforcements.
Low docks operator Al Jefferson, branded last season as being damaged goods (i.e. washed up) by the misinformed was the featured veteran acquisition, followed by Raja Bell, Earl Watson and Francisco Elson. Gordon Hayward — chosen No. 9, overall, the slot the Knicks relinquished to the Suns in 2004 as part of the privilege for having Stephon Marbury grace their franchise — Jeremy Evans and Ryan Thompson are the rookie additions.
Given the opportunity, was there ever any doubt Sloan wouldn’t adopt Hayward, the pasty pet of Butler’s magic carpet ride to the NCAA title game last March? Was there any player available more qualified to mesh effortlessly in his Old Testament system?
The 20-year-old may look like he needs to be proofed at the library, but he’s All Aptitude, Attitude and Assertion . . . as the Lakers will attest. Sunday night at the Office Supply Center, Hayward busted out for 26 points (8-10 FG, 10-11 FT) and five rebounds in 33 minutes.
OK, so Hayward’s practice recital and the final result were principally inconsequential. All I’m saying is, while the uniform names may have been changed in the Great Salt Lake, the harmonic song remains the same.
Not for nothing, but should this trend continue for the next two dozen or so seasons, I might have to believe Sloan actually has a clue.
For now, I’m reserving judgment.
That brings us to undefeated Memphis, celebrating its 10th season removed from Vancouver, (paging Brian Winters, Brian Taylor and Brian Wilson) and returning the nucleus of a team which won 16 more games last season than the previous one. Because I’m such a positive person, I choose to glance over the Grizzlies’ nine-loss stretch stagger of their last 11 that pretty much took the bounce out of Graceland, but not the elasticity in Michael Heisley’s checkbook.
Confronted with persuasive suspicion that an opponent was prepared to present restricted free agent Rudy Gay with a maximum 5-year offer sheet, frontloaded with a $20 million payment due upon signing if the Grizzlies decided to match, Heisley shrewdly bid $81.6 million.
Petitioning the league to realign his team to the Eastern Bloc would be even shrewder.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, two sources confirm the team prowling round the Grizzlies’ back stairs was the Nyets. By the way, had the Nyets drafted DeMarcus Cousins versus Derrick Favors, I have no doubt Carmelo Anthony already would have a New Jersey address.
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Column contributor Rasheid McCorvey claims Gilbert Arenas “makes Nate Robinson look mature. Eddy Curry will be able to do two push-ups in a row before Arenas actually gets it.”
News Flash: Dante Cunningham (10 points, eight rebounds) started at center the other night against the Golden State turnovers and did not require knee surgery afterward. Stephen Curry committed eight of his team’s 27 mistakes, detracting somewhat from his 11-assist production.
For the record, David Lee had none of the 27, turning in another striking effort — 17 points, 11 boards, five assists. The Warriors haven’t had a rebounder like Lee since Larry Smith got mean.
Warning to Knicks fans: Do not fantasize at home what it would’ve be like having Lee play alongside Amar’e Stoudemire and Danilo Gallinari.
This just in from column contributor Fred Smith: “Before last night’s game, the appropriate way for the Yankees to remember the late Freddy “Sez” Schuman would’ve been with a moment of noise.”