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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 22 June 2019
Analysis: The hat game takes away from the NBA draft

By TIM REYNOLDS Not having a mechanism
AP Basketball Writer in place for these trades to
When the careers for play- be done on draft night —
ers like De'Andre Hunter or even the ability to pre-
and Jarrett Culver are long tend that they're done —
over, when they look back not only can be puzzling for
at the scrapbook of their fans, but it even can deny
basketball lives, they will some players their ideal
more than likely see photos welcome-to-the-NBA mo-
of draft night. ment as well.
And they'll have the same After all, they'll never be
reaction. drafted again.
"Why did I have that hat "It's kind of different," Culver
on?" said. "I'm just happy to be in
It'll be a fair question. the NBA and have this op-
A plea to the NBA: Going portunity. It's a lot of work to
forward, do everyone a fa- be done. So wherever I end
vor and let common sense up, I've got to stay true to
prevail. myself and give whatever
The NBA has some fairly team I'm playing for every-
strict rules that get followed thing I've got."
on trades, and there are What makes this worse is
a lot of reasons why some De'Andre Hunter, of Virginia, leaves the stage after being selected with the fourth pick overall by that it isn't just affecting
trades that were agreed the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA basketball draft Thursday, June 20, 2019, in New York. draft night.
to in recent days can't be Associated Press There are summer leagues
executed until the new starting in Sacramento and
league year starts on July about joining the Atlanta trade, and so on, and so in the Davis deal. Hence, Salt Lake City on July 1,
6. It's why Anthony Davis is Hawks while wearing a on. A handful of trades, the potential for confusion. and then the full-scale NBA
still a member of the New Lakers hat. Culver is going mostly ones where draft July 6 isn't an arbitrary date. Summer League starts in
Orleans Pelicans. While ev- to Minnesota, and wore rights to soon-to-be-rookies It represents the end of the Las Vegas on July 5. Miami
eryone believes he is a Lak- a Phoenix hat when he or even future picks were league's annual morato- is playing in the Sacramen-
er, he really is still a Pelican walked across the stage. exchanged, got done rium period, which is basi- to league, and it would
and will be until his trade to This went on all night long. Thursday night and didn't cally about a week to do have been a nice perk for
Los Angeles can become Guys were getting traded need to wait until the new some accounting and au- former Stanford forward KZ
official in a couple weeks. left and right, and very few league year. The biggest diting for the previous year Okpala — California born
But since everyone knows of the deals could be of- deals, like the Davis trade, — including the determina- and raised, went to college
the trades are happening, ficially announced — or cannot be completed until tion of what the "Basketball there as well, an All-Pac-12
why pretend otherwise? even spoken about by the new salary-cap year of- Related Income" or BRI for player last season — to get
The draft — a five-plus-hour teams — because they ficially begins on July 6. the just-concluded season his first taste of pro ball in his
ordeal on Thursday night aren't finalized. And the Davis trade is now was. home state.
— had so many great mo- "It's a little weird," Hunter a precursor to other trades. That moratorium is also Can't happen.
ments with players crying said. The Pelicans traded the why players who agree to Okpala is going to be a
and rejoicing for college It's a domino effect, too. No. 4 pick, which became free-agent deals starting member of the Heat, but
teammates, along with The Lakers-Pelicans trade Hunter, to Atlanta without on June 30 won't be able not until July 6 and long
plenty of confusing mo- affects certain other deals, technically owning it yet to officially sign until the after the start of summer
ments. Hunter was talking like the Pelicans-Hawks since it is part of the payoff league year starts on July 6. play. He's not alone.q

Delle Donne scores 29 as

Mystics rout Aces 95-72

By The Associated Press fourth quarter by scoring Dallas (2-5) led by nine
Elena Delle Donne had 29 the first seven points for a points entering the fourth
points and 11 rebounds, 79-61 advantage to put quarter, but Phoenix (2-5)
Ariel Atkins added 19 the game away. made four 3-pointers in the
points and the Washington A'ja Wilson scored 28 points first three minutes to pull
Mystics beat the Las Vegas on 11-of-14 shooting for Las to 53-52. The Wings scored
Aces 95-72 on Thursday Vegas (4-4), which had a the next 12 points to seal it
night. two-game winning streak as the Mercury went score-
Delle Donne scored 10 of end. Liz Cambage added less for nearly six minutes.
Washington's first 21 points 14 points and six rebounds. Leilani Mitchell led Phoenix
and the Mystics (6-3) led WINGS 69, MERCURY 54 (2-5) with 12 points.
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) shoots between 30-19 at the end of the first ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Brittney Griner added 11
Dallas Wings center Imani McGee-Stafford, left, and Allisha quarter. She had 16 points — Kayla Thornton had 18 points and blocked four
Gray, right, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game at the break as Washing- points and 11 rebounds, shots to move into a tie
Thursday, June 20, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. At left is Wings for-
ward Theresa Pleasance (55). ton led 51-39 after being Theresa Plaisance added with Lauren Jackson for
Associated Press ahead by as many as 15. 12 points and 11 rebounds third on the WNBA career
Washington opened the and Dallas beat Phoenix. list with 586.q