THE MMQB's Tim Rohan noted the Raiders had Oakland native and former NFLer Marshawn Lynch at their facility on Wednesday, and with rumors of the former RB coming out of retirement, the Raiders "need to make this happen." Acquiring Lynch would "help the Raiders mend their relationship with their Oakland-area fans just long enough so that, when the Raiders leave for Las Vegas in a few years, there won’t be a pitchfork-wielding mob chasing them out of town" (MMQB.SI.com, 4/6).
STARTS AT THE TOP? In N.Y., Marc Berman writes after Knicks Owner James Dolan's altercation with a fan Tuesday night, Dolan "repeatedly threatening to bar a fan" from MSG is "something the NBA Board of Governors should discuss during its meetings that continue Friday." Berman: "If Dolan has any beefs, it cannot be with his team’s ridiculously loyal fans" (N.Y. POST, 4/7). Also in N.Y., Frank Isola writes Dolan is "too thin-skinned for his own good and is more obsessed with his image than the Knicks' record." Isola: "That’s the culture at MSG. Winning is not the top priority. Protecting the owner and making money come first" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/7).
GOLDEN COMPASS: In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes under the header, "Lakers Can Win By Losing, So That's What They Should Do." The Lakers "need to be bad enough to win a top-three lottery pick in this June’s draft or they will lose the pick" to the 76ers because of their years-old Steve Nash trade. The NBA is the "only professional league where a single player can entirely change a team’s fortunes." Plaschke: "That lottery pick is gold." The Lakers "must find a way to lose" (L.A. TIMES, 4/7).
