The last notable act for the Minneapolis Lakers was to use the second choice in the 1960 NBA draft to select Jerry West, a guard from West Virginia, on April 11, 1960.
The move to Los Angeles was approved soon thereafter. The Lakers became quickly powerful when teaming West with Elgin Baylor, who had two seasons of greatness in Minneapolis.
By the time the NBA returned here with the Timberwolves in 1989, the Los Angeles Lakers had appeared in the NBA Finals 17 times. In their first 50 seasons in L.A., the Lakers represented the West in the NBA Finals 25 times.
And even as things became much leaner for that franchise after its back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, there had not been a point in six decades since Bob Short vamoosed with his Lakers that Minnesota basketball fans were able to pound their chests and bellow: “I’m delighted we’re not stuck with those ridiculous Lakers anymore.”
A main reason for this had been those long stretches of ridiculousness for the Woofies. And then, when they did have brief excellence on their side, it was the Lakers — with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal — who eliminated the No. 1-seeded Timberwolves in six games in the 2004 Western Conference finals.
Always the orphans to our departed Lakers.
And then came this spring, when the same Denver team that beat the Lakers in five games in the first round was eliminated in a wondrous seven-game series by the Timberwolves in the quarterfinals.
Finally, we could feel slightly haughty here in Minnesota, even when the Western finals vs. Dallas didn’t go as hoped.
And then came Tuesday in Los Angeles, followed by Wednesday in downtown Minneapolis.
First, the Lakers were introducing draft choices Dalton Knecht and LeBron James Jr. This was also a chance for new coach JJ Redick to show off trademark Duke smugness. You know, the quality that makes all true Americans root against the Dookies every March, even though their godfather of righteousness, Mike Krzyzewski, is no longer coaching them.
As you know, LeBron’s oldest son carries the unfortunate nickname “Bronny,” which the parents should have dropped when he stopped crawling and started walking.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, so it only makes the sarcasm drip more successfully when mentioning that “Bronny” averaged 4.8 points per game in one year at Southern Cal, thus earning him a four-year contract with the Lakers.
Redick, an NBA veteran and with coaching experience limited to middle schoolers, said Bronny had earned the contract he was about the receive through “hard work.”
And then Redick suggested he will benefit from this Lakers innovation:
“The player development program we’re trying to build is holistic.”
Oh, please, overseer of modern sports clichés that start with coaches, then passed on to players, then grabbed onto by selected media, don’t allow this Dookie to successfully integrate “holistic” into the speech.
Please don’t allow the Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to take note out there in Eagan, or making those decisions that are “intentional” could soon become “holistic” — meaning, I’ll have to punch myself in the forehead more often.
Wednesday, the Timberwolves had a noon introduction at Target Center for their two draft choices, neither of whom was selected because his father was still active and one of the three or four greatest players of all-time.
How refreshing it was: No need to pour on the sugar, because it was clear that basketball boss Tim Connelly had done what seemed impossible — bring in two players almost guaranteed to be long-term assets. He did entering the draft at No. 27 and three first-rounders still to render from the Rudy Gobert trade.
Rob Dillingham came through assets to be surrendered in 2030 and 2031 at No. 8. A small, explosive guard — destined to learn from Mike Conley, then replace him. And Terrence Shannon Jr. at No. 27, not as quick but perhaps as strong and creative as Anthony Edwards.
Connelly got one question from the media. He sat there, took it in, perhaps thinking about the next move that will come out of nowhere, even for “Woj” or “Shams” and any other scoop monsters.
And the coach, Chris Finch, up through the obscure ranks from British and Belgian basketball, was there — straightforward as always.
He did let “culture” slip out once, only a slight irritation if not repeated incessantly. We’re lucky to have this guy from the trenches — the opposite of Duke — running this club.
Finally, 64 years later, it can be said:
“Isn’t it great we’re not stuck with those ridiculous Lakers anymore?”