The Six Things We’re Watching – Part 2

Now more than one month since the shutdown, every day without the NBA has felt longer and longer. That said, we’ve done our best at Basketball Insiders to help sate your yearning for sport.

Spencer Davies already brought you Six Things we’ve been watching to help fill that basketball-sized hole in our hearts, and today we’re going to bring you six more, as it would only be a pleasure were we to help further distract you from the doom-and-gloom that has settled in amid the coronavirus pandemic.

So, without further ado, here are another Six Things We’re Watching.

The Last Dance

It’s here. In this desert devoid of sports, the NBA has provided every fan with an oasis in the long-awaited docu-series, The Last Dance, set to premiere tonight.

From ESPN:

“The 10-part documentary series takes an in-depth look at the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty through the lens of the final championship season in 1997-98. The Bulls allowed an NBA Entertainment crew to follow the team around for that entire season, and some of that never-before-seen footage will be featured in the documentary.”

So, a 10-hour chronicle of a team that defined a generation, Jordan’s last hurrah en-route to his sixth title, second three-peat and the dynasty’s swan song. And there’s NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN footage?

Every sports fan should be excited (and thankful for the real-world reprieve). But this, in short, is a basketball fan’s ultimate dream.

We know the gist: Jordan led Chicago, as he always did, into battle, earned his sixth ring in as many tries and promptly retired (again) as the rest of the team was stripped down and sold for parts. But there’s so much that fans don’t know, so much that was left unsaid.

An exclusive look into the locker room of any NBA team is special, let alone that of a dynasty near its end. But there’s so much that could come to light: how heavy was the atmosphere behind closed doors? Was there much truth to the disconnect between Jordan and Scottie Pippen leading into the season, and if so how much? What crazy Dennis Rodman stories do we not know about? The list could go on and on and on.

Whether reliving it or experiencing it for the first time, The Last Dance should prove a treat for everyone. And, stuck inside, it’s not like any of us have anything much better to do than watch greatness unfold.

It’s Time to Play: Who Wants to be Head Coach of the New York Knicks!

Only the New York Knicks could maintain the status quo amidst a global catastrophe. It’s not exactly a good thing for Knicks fans, but it’s status quo nonetheless.

During what has amounted to our in-season interim, the Knicks have already begun the search for their next head coach. David Fizdale was dropped after a 4-18 start, while Mike Miller’s pre-shutdown record of 17-27 doesn’t inspire much confidence in his candidacy beyond the 2019-20 season, should it resume. So, who does that leave them with?

Mark Jackson, a New York native, has been a name oft-floated when vacancies have opened up in recent years. Kenny Smith, like Jackson, is from New York and has made his desire to someday coach in the NBA clear. The Knicks could look to poach someone from the college ranks, a la Jay Wright, John Calipari or former Knick Patrick Ewing.

Or, Knicks president Leon Rose could turn to a familiar face: Tom Thibodeau.

Over the last few weeks, Knicks-Thibodeau rumors have started to churn. Ian Begley of SNY.tv has reported that “several coaches and people” expect Thibodeau to be named the next head coach, while ESPN’s Frank Isola reported that he would be “among the favorites.”

Not only does Thibodeau have a history with the team, having served as an assistant from 1996-2004, but he and Rose have a history of their own from Rose’s time as an agent with the Creative Arts Agency (CAA). And, despite an unceremonious exit from Minnesota, Thibodeau has proven a capable head coach, if not a controversial one.

Whether you agree or disagree with his process, Thibodeau has proven himself a winner; the former Coach of the Year has a career record of 352-246, good for a .589 win percentage that would rank sixth among current NBA coaches trailing only Nick Nurse (.712), Steve Kerr (.702), Gregg Popovich (.676), Billy Donovan (.610) and Erik Spoelstra (.593). With that in mind, Thibodeau would seem like a good fit to finally help the team right the ship.

Adam Silver’s Next Move

There may be “optimism abound” regarding an eventual NBA resumption, but it’s hard to imagine anything returning to normal in the United States any time soon. With that in mind, what could Adam Silver’s next course of action be?

It isn’t perfect, but Silver could look to mirror Major League Baseball’s current proposal: the supposed ‘Arizona plan.’

As currently suggested, the MLB would move their operation exclusively to Arizona and their many spring training ballparks. There, the season would commence, sans fans, while teams would exist in a mini-isolation bubble, confined to a hotel and away from their families. Players, meanwhile, would be social distancing throughout, sitting at least six feet apart in the stands rather than together in the dugout.

Again, it isn’t perfect; no player, in any league, would want to be separated from their family for weeks on end. But the idea could, at the very least, serve as the prototype or a potential roadmap that many thought would come via the CBA. Silver has already made it clear that “everything is on the table.” Meanwhile, the idea of a Las Vegas-bound postseason tournament, without fans in attendance, is already under consideration, while David Aldridge has reported that “the hope” is that immediate family would be able to accompany players.

While Las Vegas is an obvious destination, but where else could Silver look to reinstate the season? Why not Disney World? Regardless of the venue, any basketball — or sport, at this point — would be much anticipated and appreciated.

You Should Probably Watch the NFL Draft

You may not care very much about the NFL. You may even go out of your way to avoid it.

But, come Thursday, your eyes should be glued to the feed coming from Roger Goodell’s basement. If not for the draft, then you — and anyone involved in sports — should watch to see the process in action.

With COVID-19 cases seemingly rising every day, it would have been impossible for any draft to proceed as normal. But the show must go on, and so, much like the WNBA, the NFL has gone digital. With the entire league set to convene via conference call, Thursday’s success — or failure — could go a long way in determining how others, the NBA included, proceed through the continued coronavirus pandemic.

While there’s optimism that the season may resume in some capacity, the NBA may have no other choice but to seek alternative draft protocol should that pandemic continue to threaten into the summer. They, and you, should and can only hope the NFL’s process goes as smoothly as possible.

If not, it may be a long while before we see any sort of return, even if momentarily, to sports-normalcy.

#SendMeBackSunday: The Hornet-Warriors Trade that Never Was

If, amidst your quarantine (or even once the world is back to normal), you’re looking for a quality sports respite outside of The Last Dance, I’d suggest you (safely) pick up a copy of Ethan Strauss’ The Victory Machine.

Aside from the behind-the-scenes gossip you never knew from the last half-decade that was the Warriors’ dynasty — because, let’s be honest, we’re all interested in some juicy gossip right about now — you get to read about stories like this:

“… the Warriors attempted to trade Steph Curry and Klay Thompson for Chris Paul in 2011. It was far from the only time Curry was shopped, but in this instance, the deal was very close to completion. (Bob) Myers made the offer and Hornets GM Dell Demps was receptive. The catch was Chris Paul, who wanted out of New Orleans but had no intention of playing for the woebegone Warriors.”

Not sure about you, but the thought of Curry and Thompson sporting the now New Orleans Pelicans’ colors over the Warriors’ blue and gold is enough to tide me over for a while. And, I’m sure, make anyone a bit sick one way or the other.

The Chinese Basketball Association’s Further Delayed Restart

With their season set to resume Apr. 15, the larger sporting world looked on as the Chinese Basketball Association moved to restart operations. Their effort would serve as a guide to others on how to approach such a task amid the coronavirus pandemic, their success something other leagues could build toward or strive for.

Instead, with the CBA on hold until at least July, their failure should only serve as a bad omen should any other league look to re-open relatively soon.

Now, every league is headed into uncharted waters. The fact that China, which has been on lockdown since January, isn’t comfortable with the idea of organized sport at this point should only further dampen any hope of sports returning any time soon in any country that has struggled in their COVID-19 response, including the U.S.

While their optimism may be well placed, Silver and Co. face a long road back to return to play, perhaps one more lengthy and more arduous than any could have predicted back in March.

We don’t know when, or even if, the NBA season would resume. But, until then, we here at Basketball Insiders hope we’ve helped everyone cope — not only with their sports layoffs, but with the larger stresses of life that we’ve all endured in recent weeks.

And, until we’ve managed to escape the bizarro world that has been 2020, we hope that everyone can stay safe and healthy!