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Howdy, folks. Welcome back to Layup Lines. It’s Sykes. Let’s talk a little golf and basketball.
Lots of folks have been, rightfully, up in arms following the merger of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.
So now, what we’re left with is a PGA Tour that is firmly in the grip of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, just as LIV Golf once was. For fans of the sport, this can be a hard pill to swallow.
Yes, this public investment fund is there to diversify the country’s economy as the well runs dry on fossil fuels that have driven Saudi Arabia for so long. There’s obviously lots of money there to spend and many organizations will gladly take it.
But, at the same time, this is also a country with an abhorrent human rights record. The families of 9/11 victims are suing Saudi Arabia to hold it responsible for the attack. The Saudi public investment fund that is now bankrolling the PGA Tour also owned planes used in the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This is who owns golf now.
NBA fans, if you’re uncomfortable with that, you’d better get used to it. Because it’s probably coming to your favorite league, too.
The NBA welcomes this. Last year, the league’s board of governors instated a rule change allowing sovereign wealth funds (looking at you, PIF) to buy up to a 20 percent stake in any team. The door is quite literally wide open.
Adam Silver is letting everyone know it, too. Silver was asked about the PGA Tour merger on the Dan Patrick Show and potential investment from the Saudi PIF coming to the NBA. Here’s what he had to say, via The Athletic.
“I hear the comments about sportswashing. On the other hand, you’re talking about it, others are talking about it. … In the same way the World Cup — the football World Cup, soccer World Cup — brought enormous attention to Qatar. I think people learn about these countries, learn about what’s happening in the world in ways they otherwise wouldn’t. So I think the media does its job.
“But … now talking specifically about the NBA, where we’re such a global sport, I think people are a little too dismissive these days about the benefits that come from the commonality around sports.”
The only word I can find that feels appropriate for these comments is disappointing. We obviously know this isn’t the case now, but Adam Silver had once built the NBA up as the progressive league in sports. When cash is involved? You can cast all that aside. So many moments have shown us that. This is certainly one of them.
But, here’s the thing. Can you blame him, though? By and large, this is the attitude that pretty much everyone is taking on. The NBA is obviously open to it. The PGA Tour just did it after saying it wouldn’t. The WNBA probably will someday, too. The WTA and the ATP probably will, too. Several organizations in soccer already have. And Uber. And Twitter. And lots of other companies that you probably love.
The message is this: Sure, it might feel a bit icky taking this check. But, y’all, do you see this check? The money is just far too much to pass up — morality be damned.
That’s sad. It’s gross. But it’s our reality. Unfortunately, sports fans, you should probably get used to it.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
The Denver Nuggets caught all of us by surprise today by making a trade. Yes, you read that correctly. In the middle of the NBA Finals. Shouldn’t they be focused on pick-and-roll coverage or something?
Regardless of the timing, though, this is actually a pretty smart deal. Here’s why:
“It matters because of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. The league and the NBA Player’s Association agreed to a new deal in the midst of this season that implements more punitive penalties for teams like the Warriors, Clippers and others that choose to spend deep into the tax.
That matters because once teams pass that second luxury tax apron, they’ll lose access to key roster-building tools like the NBA’s taxpayer mid-level exception. They also will be prevented from signing players who have been waived during the season if that player’s previous salary was larger than the midlevel exception.”
Maybe we should see more NBA trades in the Finals. The Nuggets are trendsetters.
One to Watch
(All odds via Tipico.)
Nuggets (-3.5, -160) @ Heat (+140), O/U 211.5 8:30 PM ET
The Miami Heat have their backs up against the wall facing a 2-1 deficit against the Nuggets with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray both on a tear. These are the exact sorts of games the Heat somehow find themselves winning. I’m not saying they’ll win outright, but I do think it’ll be a close one. I’d take Miami +3.5.
Shootaround
— Christian Braun, the most surprising X-factor so far of the NBA Finals. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.
— Everyone should be calling for the Mavericks’ 10th pick right now. Prince Grimes has some good suitors for it here.
— Stephen A. Smith really said Nikola Jokic isn’t known for his post-game. Robert Zegklinski couldn’t believe it either.
— Maxwell Lewis has to have one of the most fascinating stories in the NBA draft this season.
Enjoy the weekend, folks.
