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11/10/2026

An Apt Curtain-Draw.

Patty’s NBA rise was equally odds-defying and much-deserved. A stand-up, consummate pro off the hardwood and an all-world sharpshooter in every which way, he went from Canberra roots (and Kokatha / Dauareb-Meriam descent) to premier role player. Not to mention his FIBA & Olympic excellence in the green and gold will remain forever ballyhooed.

I remember his early Portland days as a 55th pick scratching and clawing for a roster spot because he and Seab Marks (current Nets GM, fellow Kiwi, and 11-year NBA vet) were teammates for 6 months. A rare trans-Tasman NBA union where they assisted each other a grand total of 7 times.

Mills spent two years in Portland while tearing the G-League to shreds, then played in the NBL as well as China in 2011-12 due to the NBA lockout uncertainty. But a Tony Parker injury kept the door to an NBA return ajar. He joined San Antonio in March 2012 in what blossomed into a 10 year partnership involving 8 Playoff berths. He was a hand-in-glove fit both culturally and systemically as a selfless, low-maintenance shot-maker in the backcourt.

Mills currently plays in France for LDLC ASVEL after a stint in Spain’s Liga ACB earlier this year.

Patty was one of the rare cases where a pair of late-season explosions in meaningless April affairs were parlayed into real staying power. The Box Score from Patty’s 34-5-12 performance in the 2012 regular season finale that helped make a name for himself:

Date: April 26th 2012
Score: Spurs 107 - 101 Warriors
Respective Records at this juncture: Spurs 50-16, Warriors 23-43

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Patty Mills - 34 PTS / 5 REB / 12 AST / 14-25 FG / 4-10 3PT
DeJuan Blair - 22 PTS / 13 REB / 10-19 FG
James Anderson - 19 PTS / 7 REB / 7-17 FG
Derrick Byars - 8 PTS / 8 REB / 2-9 FG
Boris Diaw - 5 PTS / 7 REB / 4 AST / 2-2 FG
Cory Joseph - 4 PTS / 5 REB / 4 AST / 2-12 FG

Chris Wright - 25 PTS / 8 REB / 11-14 FG
Jeremy Tyler - 16 PTS / 9 REB / 7-19 FG
Klay Thompson - 17 PTS / 5 REB / 6 AST / 6-16 FG / 2-7 3PT
Charles Jenkins - 16 PTS / 7 AST / 3 STL / 8-13 FG
Mickell Gladness - 14 PTS / 9 REB / 7-10 FG
Dominic McGuire - 11 PTS / 8 AST / 5-11 FG

11/09/2026

Sigh … Here we go again

The notion that if Sam Presti calls enquiring about one of your young players you should hang up and reassess is rooted in truth. In Sacramento’s case, it is a simple question of whether you trust Doug Christie or Sam Presti’s opinion more.

Nique falling out of the Kings rotation this early is asinine. Unless he did something morally contentious or glaringly out of line behind closed doors, there is no sane rationale for him to be 14th in the pecking order of this roster. Shoutout to Leaky Black and Emanuel Sharp though - they are getting theirs despite coming at Nique’s expenses.

Funnily enough, Clifford was drafted by OKC 24th overall last year before being promptly redirected to Sac-Town for a 2027 protected first rounder as the Thunder had too many cooks in the perimeter kitchen. 17 months later, the Kings ostensibly pull the plug on the Clifford experiment and Presti re-enters the fold for a move that bears resemblance to the Jared McCain addition (albeit lower profile).

A cursory glance at his rookie numbers might have some thinking he’s nothing special, but efficiency, advanced data, and even counting stats on a team as patently execrable as last year’s Sacramento squad can be tossed out the window.

I had Nique 17th on my 2025 Draft Board, an older rookie (set to turn 25 in February) who played in a weak college conference during his fourth and fifth seasons. He can do everything in doses - bury spot-up treys, rip past closeouts with ease, turn his back to defenders to rummage inside the arc, all the while packing a punch athletically. His defense is not shut-down, but it is calculated and swarming. Clifford still possesses lower-end starter upside.

OKC has gone from loaded to depleted on the wing thanks to injury luck and the second apron, but snagging a multi-purpose wing like Clifford for a pair of second round picks has Presti’s managerial DNA all over it. This is not just a patch-up for the medium term, but it also fortifies their perimeter options going forward. The number of teams that could’ve benefitted from such a deal is a long list, but Presti’s proactivity wins the day once again.

11/06/2026

The Balletic Bruiser.

Lofton’s name first started circulating at Louisiana Tech, a 6’6” 275-pound frame that drew Zach Randolph comparisons and earned him the monicker “Gen Z-Bo”. He was part-bruiser, part-finesse finisher, as for every shoulder-barging lay-in there was a graceful turnaround jumper.

He dove head-first into the 2022 Draft, departing college as a sophomore, making the most of the two-way pipeline after his name went uncalled. Fast forward to Summer League and he is manhandling Chet Holmgren (his ex-U19 USA teammate) in a bowling ball-vs-beanpole battle for the ages that was painfully one-sided every time they clashed in the painted area.

Putting the No. 2 pick in the goal aside, Kenny still had a mountain to scale in order to prove he belonged. He had conditioning, archetype, and a still-burgeoning jump shot working against him, but he had already shattered glass ceilings so there was hope aplenty on the horizon.

Lofton was predominantly G-League bound his first two seasons (2022-24) where he put up 23-10-5 and made All-NBA G League First Team both years.

In the majors, he racked up 45 games - 39 for Memphis, 2 for Philly, and 4 for Utah. Kenny’s extended action only ever came in inconsequential April showings, most notably his 42-point, 14-rebound performance against an OKC team that started Jared Butler, Olivier Sarr, and JRE in the 2023 season finale.

He currently plays in Israel after completing two full seasons in China where he was an All-Star and a 2026 champion.

The Box Score from Kenneth’s Jazz scoring high in L.A.:

Date: April 12th 2024
Score: Jazz 110 - 109 Clippers
Respective Records at this juncture: Jazz 31-50, Clippers 51-30

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Kenny Lofton Jr. - 27 PTS / 9 REB / 8 AST / 10-16 FG / 7-7 FT
Keyonte George - 14 PTS / 5-15 FG
Luka Šamanić - 11 PTS / 6 REB / 4-9 FG
THT - 12 PTS / 5-12 FG
Darius Bazley - 12 PTS / 5 REB / 5-7 FG
Johnny Juzang - 12 PTS / 4-6 FG

Bones Hyland - 20 PTS / 5 REB / 6 AST / 7-17 FG / 3-11 3PT
Daniel Theis - 14 PTS / 7 REB / 6-9 FG
Amir Coffey - 16 PTS / 6 REB / 6-15 FG
Brandon Boston Jr. - 10 PTS / 5 REB / 4-12 FG
Ivica Zubac - 10 PTS / 5-6 FG

11/05/2026

Jacky Cui, the One-Goaltend Wonder.

The first undrafted Chinese player to grace the NBA hardwood since Mengke Bateer (and seventh Chinese NBA player ever), my One-Basket Wonder series has never featured a goaltend. But two points is two points, and history will not remember E.J. Liddell’s overzealous contest.

Yongxi ran the summer gauntlet in 2024 - Summer League with Portland, training camp with Brooklyn - and rode the wave to a two-way contract as a 21 year old. He was a media darling with an animated demeanor, which helped garner an ovation at Barclays Center during his debut.

Cui played 10 minutes across 5 contests before a torn ACL while playing with the G-League’s Long Island Nets in mid-December abruptly ended cut his season short and forced the Nets’ hand in terminating his contract a few days later. He has since returned to China’s CBA where he plays for the Guangdong Tigers.

Cui’s father, Cui Mingguang, was a well-known streetball player in Southern China as well as a former pro. His basketball upbringing involved attending a Basketball without Borders camp at age 16, before attending and graduating from the NBA Global Academy in Australia. He is still only 23 years old.

The Box Score:

Date: December 2nd 2024
Score: Bulls 128 - 102 Nets
Respective Records at this juncture: Bulls 9-13, Nets 9-13

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Josh Giddey - 20 PTS / 13 REB / 11 AST / 5 TOV / 9-17 FG / 1-8 3PT
Nikola Vučević - 21 PTS / 10 REB / 8-11 FG / 3-5 3PT
Matas Buzelis - 20 PTS / 5 REB / 7-10 FG / 4-5 3PT
Zach LaVine - 18 PTS / 4 AST / 7-13 FG / 3-7 3PT
Ayo Dosunmu - 16 PTS / 6 AST / 7-13 FG
Talen Horton-Tucker - 11 PTS / 4 REB / 3-8 FG / 2-5 3PT
Jalen Smitjh - 8 PTS / 5 REB / 2-5 FG
E.J. Liddell - 2/1/0/0/0 in 4 mins

Dennis Schröder - 16 PTS / 10 AST / 7-15 FG / 0-6 3PT
Dariq Whitehead - 18 PTS / 6-10 3PT
Shake Milton - 14 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 6-17 FG / 2-4 3PT
Tyrese Martin - 15 PTS / 5 REB / 5-12 FG / 3-8 3PT
Trendon Watford - 12 PTS / 5 REB / 4-7 FG / 3-5 FT
Nic Claxton - 11 PTS / 8 REB / 5-10 FG
Keon Johnson - 8 PTS / 3-10 FG / 2-6 3PT
Cui Yongxi - 2 PTS / 2 REB / 1-6 FG / 0-3 3PT in 6 mins

11/04/2026

From Missing Piece to Gone-Missing.

Hayward’s NBA career cratered in a matter of mere months. He went from putting up a modest 15-4-4 on the hapless Hornets with a lucrative contract value to outright benched during Playoff action. Charlotte diverted him to the upstart Thunder in exchange for a trio of back-benchers while he was still nursing a calf strain for a few more weeks.

The operating theory of the consolidation seemed ironclad. A well-travelled wing with Playoff reps who could dribble, pass and shoot while spelling SGA and J-Dub as a part-time load-bearer, spearheading bench units for half a quarter at a time. But the reality was unforeseeably discordant.

26 regular season appearances (17 MPG) later, Gordon was a non-factor. He struggled to recalibrate to a diluted role, seemed apprehensive to let it fly, and all-in-all felt out of place. By early August, he officially retired.

Hayward’s star-crossed NBA tenure start-to-finish should be viewed through the lens of what could have been, rather than what was. Forces beyond his control bogged down, and arguably ripped away, his prime years. His development in Utah was near-perfectly linear, and a freak accident upended his trajectory just as he minted All-Star status. From 26-year-old, Swiss army knife No. 1 option on a competitive Playoff team to involuntarily re-jigging his identity as a player overnight.

The Box Score from Hayward’s Thunder-high 18 points vs San Antonio:

Date: April 10th 2024
Score: Thunder 127 - 89 Spurs
Respective Records at this juncture: Thunder 55-25, Spurs 20-60

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
SGA - 26 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 10-18 FG / 5-5 FT
Josh Giddey - 20 PTS / 12 REB / 7 AST / 7-12 FG
Gordon Hayward - 18 PTS / 6-8 FG / 2-3 3PT / 4-6 FT
Jalen Williams - 10 PTS / 7 REB / 3 STL / 5-11 FG
Chet Holmgren - 9 PTS / 6 REB / 3-8 FG
Jaylin Williams - 8 PTS / 8 REB / 2-2 3PT

Zach Collins - 20 PTS / 7 REB / 8-17 FG / 2-5 3PT
Sidy Cissoko - 14 PTS / 5 REB / 4-7 FG / 5-7 FT
Tre Jones - 13 PTS / 6 REB / 7 AST / 3 STL / 6-14 FG
RaiQuan Gray - 13 PTS / 5-8 FG / 3-5 3PT
Sandro Mamukelashvili - 0 PTS / 11 REB / 0-8 FG
David Duke Jr. - 6 PTS / 7 REB / 4 AST / 2-8 FG

Thou shalt not forget Jamison Battle’s 15 point meteor shower in the final 2 minutes to prompt the Lakers to pull their ...
11/03/2026

Thou shalt not forget Jamison Battle’s 15 point meteor shower in the final 2 minutes to prompt the Lakers to pull their back-end bench mob and reinsert their lead unit.

The Box Score from Nate Robinson’s performance:

Date: December 19th 2014
Score: Nuggets 109 - 106 Clippers
Respective Records at this juncture: Nuggets 11-15, Clippers 18-8

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Nate Robinson - 20 PTS / 5 REB / 6-11 FG / 4-9 3PT / 4-7 FT
Wilson Chandler - 16 PTSA / 5 REB / 6-16 FG / 2-9 3PT
Ty Lawson - 10 PTS / 14 AST / 3-6 FG
Timofey Mozgov - 13 PTS / 8 REB / 6-8 FG / 1-1 3PT
Kenneth Faried - 14 PTS / 7 REB / 6-9 FG
Arron Afflalo - 12 PTS / 4 AST / 4-14 FG / 4-5 FT
Danilo Gallinari - 10 PTS / 2-4 3PT

Blake Griffin - 32 PTS / 12 REB / 9-20 FG / 14-18 FT
Chris Paul - 17 PTS / 5 REB / 15 AST / 3 STL / 8-17 FG
DeAndre Jordan - 11 PTS / 14 REB / 5 Stocks / 4-7 FG / 3-7 FT
Jamal Crawford - 20 PTS / 7-15 FG / 5-5 FT
Matt Barnes - 16 PTS / 4 REB / 8-10 FG
JJ Redick - 8 PTS / 2-8 FG / 1-5 3PT
Chris Douglas-Roberts - 2 PTS / 1-3 FG

11/02/2026

Long Two enthusiasts rejoice.

This is the third time I have used the hypothetical death beam shtick that Max Kellerman once prophesized to be pointed directly at Earth. The first two occasions being Anthony Tolliver and Thon Maker. Consider all three posts mutually exclusive, or perhaps they’re alternate universes. Nevertheless, the earth’s cataclysm will be averted by way of a twine-tickling deep two all the same.

Luckily for us, the only annihilation we will ever be privy to is that which Brandon Bass inflicted on helpless low-men defending the pick & roll. Had Max Kellerman invoked Brandon Bass’s name, it inevitably would’ve been Stephen A. on the chopping block instead - can’t fire someone so sound of mind.

By the numbers, it is entirely factual that Bass was automatic (relative to his peers) on 2PT jumpers beyond 16 feet. His career 45.3% on said looks is almost identical to serial long two taker, and maker, Jason Smith that I’ve featured before. By comparison, Luis Scola, LaMarcus Aldridge & KAT shot 44.1%, 42.8% and 44.6% respectively from the same distance (obviously with varying degree of defensive attention, but useful analogues nevertheless).

The Box Score from the third clip featuring a tried-and-true incisive Rajon Rondo bounce pass to the shooting pocket:

Date: November 30th 2014
Score: Spurs 111 - 89 Celtics
Respective Records at this juncture: Spurs 12-4, Celtics 4-10

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Danny Green - 18 PTS / 6 REB / 3 STL / 7-13 FG / 4-9 3PT
Tim Duncan - 14 PTS / 8 REB / 2 BLK / 4-12 FG / 6-6 FT
Boris Diaw - 15 PTS / 7 REB / 5-6 FG / 3-4 3PT
Kawhi Leonard - 14 PTS / 8 REB / 2 BLK / 5-9 FG
Aron Baynes - 13 PTS / 5 REB / 5-8 FG / 1-1 3PT
Manu Ginóbili - 7 PTS / 5 TOV / 2-6 FG
Matt Bonner - 6 PTS / 6 REB / 3-9 FG
Cory Joseph - 8 PTS / 4 AST / 3-7 FG

Jeff Green - 16 PTS / 6-16 FG / 3-4 FT
Rajon Rondo - 2 PTS / 6 REB / 10 AST / 1-5 FG
Evan Turner - 12 PTS / 4 REB / 5-11 FG
Tyler Zeller - 7 PTS / 10 REB / 2-5 FG
Jared Sullinger - 9 PTS / 7 REB / 4-11 FG
Brandon Bass - 10 PTS / 3 REB / 2 Stocks / 5-7 FG
Marcus Thornton - 10 PTS / 4-10 FG / 2-5 3PT
Avery Bradley - 11 PTS / 4-9 FG
Dwight Powell - 6 PTS / 3-4 FG

11/01/2026

Put it in Reverse.

Back when hapless mediocrity was made bearable and intermittently fun with high-profile draftees, a sprinkling of veterans and an exuberant local broadcast with an indelible catch phrase. As always, the Sac-Town faithful were unceasing in their energy/attendance.

The early 2010s were the beginning of my teenage years and I pretty much lived on NBA.com (RIP Sekou Smith). I had eyes everywhere, but the ‘11-12 Kings were particularly easy to root for.

Marcus Thornton at the peak of his bucket-getting, post-ROY Tyreke, bull-headed Boogie, a young & ascendant 60th pick in IT, the feast or famine Jimmer experience (mostly famine), the low-maintenance frontcourt platoon of Chuck Hayes (FNBA Follower), franchise icon Jason Thomspon, & J.J. Hickson.

Donté Greene never panned out, but he certainly inspired belief. A 6’11” small forward with sneaky bounce and decent footspeed, the long-range shooting never rose to the level requisite of a combo-forward that lacked the brawn to hold his own inside.

Donté walked so GG Jackson could run. Both were oversized swingman that gravitated towards the perimeter rather than the paint, both were one-and-done prospects that had comparably ridiculous >25% usage rates, and both slipped on Draft night.

After 4 seasons in Sac-Town, he played in Puerto Rico, China, Dubai, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, & Tunisia.

Date: March 18th 2012
Score: Kings 115 - 99 Wolves
Respective Records at this juncture: Kings 16-29, Wolves 22-24

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Marcus Thornton - 25 PTS / 5 REB / 4 AST / 4 STL / 8-20 FG / 2-8 3PT / 6-6 FT
Isaiah Thomas - 18 PTS / 6-10 FG / 4-6 3PT
John Salmons - 15 PTS / 7-14 FG
Jason Thompson - 13 PTS / 10 REB / 5-6 FG
Chuck Hayes - 12 PTS / 8 REB / 5-7 FG
Donté Greene - 11 PTS / 7 REB / 5-9 FG / 1-5 3PT
DeMarcus Cousins - 9 PTS / 2-8 FG / 5-6 FT
Jimmer Fredette - 6 PTS / 3-11 FG / 0-5 3PT

Kevin Love - 21 PTS / 11 REB / 7-20 FG / 6-6 FT
Derrick Williams - 16 PTS / 9 REB / 5-8 FG
Michael Beasley - 13 PTS / 7 REB / 6-16 FG
Luke Ridnour - 13 PTS / 5 REB / 5-13 FG
Martell Webster - 14 PTS / 4-7 FG / 5-5 FT
Anthony Randolph - 10 PTS / 9 REB / 5-8 FG

10/31/2026

A bit of back-to-the-basket bravado.

Cole “like LaMarcus but not spelt the same” Aldrich made a living for 8 years as a dependable back-up five-man. Patrolling the paint, manning the boards, setting bollard-like screens, and sporadically banging bodies in the mid-post or low block. Tailor-made for a transitory phase of the NBA where the modern spatial revolution hadn’t quite fully taken hold. A setting where the likes of Kosta Koufos, Timofey Mozgov, Omer Asik remained additive.

Cole stuck around because of fundamentals, sound instincts on both sides of the ball, and not just being big, but playing big. You rarely see post touches of this ilk anymore. The short-roll is the new back-to-the-basket. The nail is the new low block. For better or for worse.

In 2018-19, Aldrich headed to China to play for the Tianjin Gold Lions (not to be confused with Lannister armor) where he averaged 19 PTS and 14 REBs a night. He opted to take a break from basketball in 2019, but after coinciding with the Covid , he ultimately retired shortly after entering his 30s and having a child.

A 2008 NCAA Champion and 2010 lottery pick, Cole’s No. 45 jersey was hung in the rafters at KU in 2018.

The Box Score from the play where Cole bested Dwight Howard with a baseline off-hand hook:

Date: March 16th 2016
Score: Clippers 122 - 106 Rockets
Respective Records at this juncture: Clippers 43-24, Rockets 34-34

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
DeAndre Jordan - 23 PTS / 16 REB / 2 BLK / 8-8 FG / 7-13 FT
JJ Redick - 25 PTS / 7-15 FG / 5-9 3PT / 6-6 FT
Chris Paul - 15 PTS / 4 REB / 16 AST / 2 STL / 5-13 FG / 5-6 FT
Jamal Crawford - 14 PTS / 7 AST / 4-9 FG / 2-6 3PT
Luc Mbah a Moute - 12 PTS / 4 REB / 6-7 FG
Austin Rivers - 12 PTS / 4-8 FG / 2-5 3PT
Wesley Johnson - 12 PTS / 5-5 FG / 2-2 3PT
Cole Aldrich - 2 PTS / 1 STL / 3 BLK / 1-1 FG in 10 mins

James Harden - 33 PTS / 5 REB / 8 AST / 8 TOV / 11-23 FG / 5-10 3PT / 6-8 FT
Trevor Ariza - 16 PTS / 6 REB / 4 AST / 5-11 FG / 2-5 3PT
Michael Beasley - 16 PTS / 8 REB / 7-12 FG
Jason Terry - 11 PTS / 5-10 FG
Montrezl Harrell - 8 PTS / 4-7 FG
Dwight Howard - 6 PTS / 7 REB / 2-4 FG / 2-4 FT
Patrick Beverley - 7 PTS / 3 STL / 3-5 FG

History repeats itself 57 years, 8 months, and 24 days apart (21,085 days total to be exact).Micah Potter was a hell of ...
10/30/2026

History repeats itself 57 years, 8 months, and 24 days apart (21,085 days total to be exact).

Micah Potter was a hell of a waiver pickup for Portland. One of the more underappreciated replacement-level bigs in the NBA - a genuinely adept floor spacer and a bankable low-man defensively (as far as back-ups go). It appears he and Branden Carlson have officially minted Yang Hansen as their fifth string center.

P.S. The box score below features Dave Lattin, who was part of the boundary-breaking 1966 UTEP Miners team led by Don Haskins who won the NCAA title. Given we’re all hoop fiends around here, I implore anyone who hasn’t watched “Glory Road” to do so. My pick for the best basketball movie ever made - a great re-telling of one of the best sporting runs in history.

As always, shoutout to StatHead.

The Box Score from Gary Gregor’s trusty 1 and 2 back in ‘69:

Date: February 6th 1969
Score: Cincinnati Royals 124 - 103 Phoenix Suns
Respective Records at this juncture: Royals 30-26, Suns 13-43

Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
Oscar Robertson - 31 PTS / 13 REB / 11 AST / 10-17 FG / 11-16 FT
Fred Hetzel - 32 PTS / 5 REB / 4 AST / 13-21 FG / 6-9 FT
Walt Wesley - 15 PTS / 19 REB / 6-16 FG
Al Tucker - 16 PTS / 8-12 FG
Adrian Smith - 11 PTS / 6 AST / 4-12 FG
Pat Frink - 7 PTS / 3-10 FG
Bill Dinwiddie - 4 PTS / 6 REB / 0-5 FG / 4-4 FT

Gail Goodrich - 38 PTS / 8 AST / 14-29 FG / 10-12 FT
Dick Van Arsdale - 27 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 7-18 FG / 13-13 FT
Jim Fox - 10 PTS / 16 REB / 4-13 FG
Dick Snyder - 16 PTS / 6 REB / 4 AST / 7-17 FG
Neil Johnson - 4 PTS / 10 REB / 2-5 FG
Dave Lattin - 3 PTS / 7 REB / 4 AST / 1-3 FG
Gary Gregor - 1 PTS / 2 REB / 0-5 FG / 1-2 FT

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