From Distance: Questioning Value and Things

Four point play….

1. On the nine hour train ride I had yesterday to Innsbruck, Austria, I went into a cryptocurrency internet deep dive. With literally hundreds of various coins to research and fantasize about, the nine hours actually went by pretty quickly.

Obviously, the coins themselves have varying levels of intrigue. Unlike in yesteryear, these “coins” require more than an appreciation of metallurgy to fathom the lasting implications they will have. A level of programming literacy is necessary to appreciate their beauty. Gotta admit, after a bit of research, it’s not as though I am fluent in blockchain lingo, or really understand the degree to which a full node differs from a master node.

The intricacies of the design technology is surely the awe of those who truly understand the programming feats of these coins. I certainly don’t qualify there. And yet, there is much to consider.

Thinking about the potential of the “Internet of Things” is incredibly entertaining, slightly frightening, and all together wild. It naturally brings the AI question to the soon to be “connected table.” How long before various appliances are to be considered the “hands and feet” of a centralized computer intelligence? The “things” don’t need to be individually sentient if enough tech is connected.

Some of the currencies are said to have more potential for the future connection of things. How, exactly, those currency universes promote or style that future system will demand another long train ride.

Still, the most immediate and lasting sensation from my deep dive is a feeling of hope. The most basic and somewhat boring hope comes from the possibility of easy money. The more lasting hope comes from the technological advances inherent in this race.

It may seem like a modern dotcom boom, but the players are investing more in function than marketing. Yes, it is prudent to consider the market “hotness” of the various coins, but the real investment lies in the kind of tech being established.

Bitcoin has name recognition, and for good reason. To the masses, it has achieved “Rollerblades” or “Kleenex” status at this point. An ubiquitous name used improperly for all cryptocurrencies, regardless of accuracy.

It is the behemoth, and currently being heavily reviewed by governments both at Davos and otherwise. Bitcoin isn’t going anywhere, it just remains to be seen whether it is just entering its prime or whether it peaked earlier than its ultimately superior peers.

Bitcoin reminds me a bit of an old-school bruising center. It still gets the job done, is more physically consistent and durable than the many other coins around it, and yet soon may become obsolete on account that it can’t move quickly enough for the modern(transaction) game.

Like an old center, it spends its time on the block(chain) unable to move quickly from one end of the floor to another. It seems only a matter of time before the game passes by the original brand.

That being said, until the other coins can be easily purchased without first having to go through Bitcoin conversion, bitcoin will live on. You can’t teach size!

Eventually, the open-source technology of many of these coins will win out. If a currency can truly function without a centralized hub, then that positional flexibility will make global transaction both easier and more difficult to track.

Yet, like with most big business, ultimately, the best technology is likely to be purchased by the best market brand name. The little guy will be absorbed, bought off, or destroyed.

2. With that uplifting thought, I get to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Or should I say, I get to these Cleveland Cavaliers. Who knows who will be on the team two weeks from now.

It was reported by seemingly dozens of sources that the Cavs are on “one yard line” in acquiring veteran combo guard, George Hill. Apparently, Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye are the guys who would be sent to the NBA’s wasteland.

Like most people, I would assume that the Kings would quickly negotiate a buyout for Channing Frye. He’d be a great random piece for the OKC Thunder. They are athletic enough everywhere else to make up for some of Frye’s limitations while benefiting greatly from his floor spacing.

Whatever happens, I hope Channing gets a chance to ball and/or have fun. By the numbers, he has been one of the best players the Cavs have had this season. That hasn’t seemed to matter in the slightest to Ty Lue over the past month.

If it drives us crazy to watch an effective player ride the pine while completely awful guys get minutes in his place, I can only imagine how poor Channing feels. What a pro’s pro.

3. As far as Iman Shumpert is concerned, I am thrilled at the prospect of him taking his talents elsewhere. While it is true that Shumpert hasn’t had a hand in the recent Cavalier slide, he has stunk up the joint plenty enough for me in the past.

I laughed rather maniacally when approximately two seconds after his insertion into the Spurs game, Shump pulled up for the deepest two point shot one can attempt. Of course, he didn’t make a single pass on the possession. Bombs away, Shump!!! The ridiculous Kings would be happy to have you.

George Hill has been understandably frustrated up in Sactown. I can’t say that it seems that he has handled it particularly well, but considering he doesn’t have much of a reputation as a malcontent, is a favorite of Gregg Popovich, and is in the middle of his prime, I will assume that the Kings confusion was just too much for him.

Former Utah Jazz PG George Hill isn’t having a wonderful time

He knew what he was doing when he left Utah to sign the big deal in Sacramento. But can you blame him? This way, he gets the big deal and can be traded to a contender. Well done, Hill, even if it took a few months of torture to get there.

4. Okay, maybe I’m getting carried away. The deal isn’t done and the Cavs still have to figure out some way to deal with Isaiah Thomas’s destruction of all that is good and holy on the defensive end of the floor.

Even if the reports weren’t true that IT was the one who railed against Kevin Love, I would still be wholly for trading or cutting Thomas. In case anyone forgot, I don’t think he is good. Nor was he was good in last year’s playoffs either when everyone was going crazy over his numbers.

The reality of it is simple. Against real competition, IT isn’t a plus player in the NBA. The Wizards in last year’s playoffs were not real competition. Go back and watch the defense being feigned in that series. It was a joke.

We can talk about IT’s injury as though that is what has drastically changed his career, but that isn’t really quite accurate. The guy was a problem in the locker room in Sac-town and PHX, had a good year with a fantastic coach in Boston, and now is neither the best version of an already flawed player, or seemingly a good teammate.

He was never going to get the Brink’s truck or any other currency delivered to him. I wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up in the Euroleague as early as next season. Yes, he has been that bad.

Jordan Clarkson has also been on the Cav’s radar this week. Count me as one who doesn’t really love his game. Since there haven’t been any names attached to the potential deal, I won’t go far enough to say that I am against Clarkson joining the Cavs. If nothing else, potentially putting Clarkson and Hill on the team moves IT and Rose further down the depth chart.

I’d certainly be down to acquire Larry Nance Jr. That he is on the Lakers’ trade block at all says a lot about their current decision making process. He has his father’s ability to leap off one foot or explode off of two. This one is particularly fun considering the dunkee.

Maybe we are all watching the kid through Larry Senior’s rosy glasses, but Junior seems like he is on his way to a long and productive career.

Then again, that is the way of it when evaluating early returns. Maybe Nance Jr. peaked early and the best investment strategy is to get out now. Hard to know with these things. Fortunately, our coffeemakers and ironing boards will have some advice about it soon. The Internet of Things.