Isiah Thomas recently shared a story about watching a young Kevin Garnett and wanting him for the Raptors. It is a nice thought, like imagining what life would be like if I had bought that vintage leather jacket in 2011. Garnett in a purple pinstripe jersey would have changed things, but instead we just have the memories of what did not happen.
The reality of being a basketball fan is often just sitting in traffic while thinking about tax implications. We hear the front office is not exactly eager to spend draft equity just to duck the luxury tax. It is a bit like my car, which needs a new muffler, but I am just going to drive it quietly and hope the neighbors do not notice.
The Big Men and the Taxes
There is talk about getting a bench-caliber big or perhaps a shooter who actually makes shots. Goga Bitadze and Day'Ron Sharpe are names that come up, but the price might be too high for a team avoiding the tax. Avoiding the tax is a very responsible adult thing to do, similar to choosing the sugar-free jam because it was on sale.
Jakob Poeltl looks good to me lately. He stands in the right places and catches the ball, which are two things I often struggle with at the grocery store. People want more, but sometimes a solid seven-footer who knows his limits is all you can ask for in this economy.
Moving Pieces and Quiet Evenings
Jaren Jackson Jr. is going to the Utah Jazz, which feels like a move that happened in a parallel universe. Memphis is different now, and Utah is always there, being mountainous. It does not affect us directly, but it reminds me that players move around like furniture in a house where no one can agree on the layout.
Someone on the internet gave away tickets for the game tomorrow in section 308. They wanted them to go to a kid or someone who has never been to a game before. That is a kind gesture, honestly. I hope that kid enjoys watching the shot clock and the mascot, because the actual game can be a lot to process sometimes.
We are just trying to get through the week without losing by thirty points. If we can find a shooter or a backup center without giving up our future, that would be fine. If not, we will just continue to exist in this space between winning and whatever the opposite of winning is called. My uncle calls it building character, but he also thinks the earth might be flat.