After 64 years, Minnesota basketball fans can finally be glad they’re not cheering for the Lakers

The last notable act for the Minneapolis Lakers was using the second pick 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 shortly afterward. The Lakers quickly became powerful when they paired West with Elgin Baylor, who had two seasons of greatness in Minneapolis.

By the time the NBA returned 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 when things started to get a little worse for the franchise after winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, there had never been a time in the six decades since Bob Short led the Lakers that fans of Minnesota basketball could beat their chests and shout, “I’m glad we’re not stuck with those ridiculous Lakers anymore.”

A big reason for this was the Woofies’ long periods of ridicule. And when they did have a standout on their side, it was the Lakers — featuring Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal — who knocked out the top-seeded Timberwolves in six games in the 2004 Western Conference Finals.

Forever the orphans of our lost Lakers.

And then came this spring, when the same Denver team that had defeated the Lakers in five games in the first round was eliminated in a miraculous seven-game series by the Timberwolves in the quarterfinals.

Finally, we could feel a little arrogant here in Minnesota even when the Western final against Dallas didn’t go as hoped.

And then came Tuesday in Los Angeles, followed by Wednesday in downtown Minneapolis.

First, the Lakers introduced draft picks Dalton Knecht and LeBron James Jr. It was also a chance for new coach JJ Redick to display that trademark Duke smugness. You know, the quality that makes all true Americans cheer on the Dookies every March, even though their godfather of righteousness, Mike Krzyzewski, is no longer their coach.

As you know, LeBron’s oldest son has the unfortunate nickname “Bronny.” His parents should have given him that nickname when he stopped crawling and started walking.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, so the sarcasm just drips off when you say that “Bronny” averaged 4.8 points per game in one year at Southern Cal, which earned him a four-year contract with the Lakers.

Redick, an NBA veteran with coaching experience limited to high school, said Bronny earned the contract he was about to receive through “hard work.”

And then Redick suggested he would take advantage of this Lakers innovation:

“The player development program we are trying to put in place is holistic.”

Oh please, overseer of modern sports clichés that start with coaches, are then passed down to players, and then adopted by select media, don’t let this Dookie successfully integrate the word “holistic” into the speech.

Please don’t let Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah point this out to Eagan, or these “intentional” decisions might become “holistic.” That means I’ll have to punch myself in the forehead more often.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Timberwolves’ two draft picks were introduced at the Target Center. Neither was selected because his father was still active and was considered one of the top three or four players of all time.

How refreshing it was: No need to sugarcoat it, because it was clear that basketball boss Tim Connelly had done the seemingly impossible: landed two players who were almost guaranteed to have long-term value. He did it when he entered the draft at No. 27 with three first-rounders still to be made from the Rudy Gobert trade.

Rob Dillingham came in at No. 8 because of assets that had to be transferred in 2030 and 2031. A small, explosive guard — destined to learn from Mike Conley and then replace him. And Terrence Shannon Jr. at No. 27, not as fast but perhaps as strong and creative as Anthony Edwards.

Connelly was asked one question by the media. He sat there, taking it in, perhaps thinking of the next move that would come out of nowhere, even for “Woj” or “Shams” and other scoop monsters.

And the coach, Chris Finch, who had risen through the obscure ranks of the British and Belgian basketball teams, was there too – as straightforward as ever.

He let “culture” slip out once, just a mild 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 that we’re no longer stuck with those ridiculous Lakers?”