- Well wouldn’t you look at that. The ESPN “Worst Ever” tracker is missing a team.
- David Thorpe has Russell Westbrook at No. 2 in his latest Rookie Watch: “All of which makes Russell Westbrook‘s rise more impressive. He’s fourth in this class in minutes played, yet he has been able to advance his game every month. He is now playing at a level equal to Rose and Mayo, and he has even been better in some areas. Most importantly, Westbrook has helped his team earn four wins thus far in January — equal to Chicago’s win total this month and three more wins than Memphis has in 2009. Of course, having Kevin Durant as a teammate is a big help, but Westbrook was huge in three of those wins. He is playing like a legit ROY candidate now. I expect Rose and Mayo to regain their edge and finish the season in grand style. Both of them were ready for this season long before it started. They have the pride and smarts to figure things out and get themselves going again. But the question is, when will Westbrook hit The Wall? And when he does, will it knock him down for good or just prove to be a temporary obstacle?”
- Ball Don’t Lie, Behind the Box Score: “This game should have been fun, and maybe it was the six hours of basketball-watchin’ talkin’, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I dug seeing the Thunder play well, and attack attack attack, but it just doesn’t feel legit against that Warrior “defense.” That’s not said in retrospect, either. It felt that way during the actual, close, contest. Kevin Durant missed some shots, but 27 and 12 boards and five assists … yes. Jeff Green, very active, very nosy, game-winning bank shot that you know he didn’t call, 26 points in 32 minutes. And Russell Westbrook? This cat can ball. Strong as hell, 30 points and seven assists, and Sam Presti really nailed this one. Gutsy call that looks like one of the bigger draft steals of the last decade. Nobody had this guy going at fourth overall except for Presti, and it looks wholly deserved at this point.”
- A Q&A with ESPN’s Ric Bucher: “This is my new favorite team, because I love the chemistry, I love the transformation and the way they’ve played since the coaching change. I love seeing a young team that is excited about playing together and is playing loose and free without any pressure and clearly enjoys being on the floor playing. And that’s what I see from the Thunder right now.”
- Maybe this is why OKC shot 91 percent from the line last night and got rid of those 13-24 nights: “White, a rookie, hasn’t suited up for the Thunder all season, sidelined by jaw surgery. He still hasn’t been cleared to practice. But every player on the roster participates in coach Scott Brooks’ post-practice free-throw contest. Each day, Brooks pits one player against another in a one-on-one competition. Players receive two points for a swish, one for a made free throw that touches the rim. They alternate shots. First one to 21 wins.”
- Change. Change. Changechangechangechange. SI’s Steve Aschburner offers some suggestions for the league: No more allotting Ping-Pong balls in inverse order of record. Let’s tier it: the worst 10 teams, the middle 10 teams and the top 10, with teams on each tier getting the same number of chances. That removes much of the advantage in tanking — the fifth-worst team would feel no pressure to lose more frequently — and the break between Nos. 10 and 11 would be close enough to playoff qualifying that a few more balls wouldn’t matter either.
@Tobasco
Yeah, that's my ideal pick too. Westbrook, Harden, Durant,Boozer,Krstic- Weaver,Peterson,DJ White, Swift or Ibeka, and Jeff Green doing the Posey/Ginobli starter's minutes from the bench thing. Looks like a playoff team to me.
@okcnba
Mo Pete has two more years at 6.4 and 6.7 million per. He will come cheaper than that in year three if we want to keep him, though we should be stocked with young sharp shooters by then with all the draft picks and other trade options we have.
Weaver is neutral or positive with everybody but Durant and Collison.
Weaver has played so little yet is in 22 of the team's best on raw total +/- lineups. Westbrooks has 14, Green 10, Durant just 4.
Why does the team do so poorly with Durant? Why does good with almost everyone Weaver suffer when with Durant? Durant probably plays against starters heavily, maybe the most heavily so that is probably some of it. But it is not the end of the story. They still have a problem when, where and with who to play with Durant. The offense is a tenth of a point worse with him than without and the defense is 11.3 points worse with compared to without. SF is better but maybe more time with the subs would be better too. But if Presti is building around Durant that part isn't working. The other parts are working far better without him than with.
James Harden is moving up the draft charts at a fast pace , and may fit the Thunder's needs better than Griffin.
Basically, we are filled at Power Forward, Small Forward, and Point Guard. We just signed Krstic and everyone is high on Collison, so I wouldn't expect us to go after a big Center. The main position we need is a Shooting Guard, because Desmond Mason is our weakest starter by far. I really wouldn't have a problem with Hedo Turkey glue or Ron Artest in that position (just going off of Royces list, I really have no idea about the FAs this year). Both are excellent players. Turkey Glue is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and Artest is one of the best defenders. And honestly, I don't care how bad a person was in the past. Steven Jackson was kicked out of Indiana and he turned out to be a great addition to the Warriors, and turned out to be a team leader. Sure, Artest is crazy, but he's older now and I don't think he'll start anything....as long as we're winning, anyway.
Otherwise, if you need a scorer, just get somebody out of the D-League. There's lots of journeymen scorers that can be used for quick help.
I said before on Joe's blog I'd look close at CJ Watson.
Probably not on Kleiza.
Ariza would be fine if you needed a SF but they don't. Maybe he could play SG though.
Presti probably won't take any free agent over 27 for a significant role and Kristic's 25 1/2 years may well be abo'ut the real line. Maybe he makes one exception for a key piece or makes exceptions in the bench. I'll have to see it first though.
Jax, the specific player pair info can be viewed here
http://www.82games.com/0809/0809OKCP.HTM
Steve H :
I’m still hoping they make a serious play for Boozer. If Miami pulls the trigger on the Marion/O’neal trade they won’t be able to afford Boozer- O’neal’s giant contract runs through 2010. Besides, they didn’t bring Beasley in to be a bench player for the next five years. Griffin would be great, but that is just pie in the sky. 25% shot if we have the worst record- and I honestly don’t see us staying in the cellar for much longer (though the schedule helps- bulk of our cupcake games are behind us). I’m hoping they can work a sign and trade with Utah before the deadline for Collison and Swift? Watson? Utah would come away with at least a quality back-up PF. Right now the Jazz are looking to come away with nothing. The Thunder should actually be an attractive option for Boozer- more under the cap money than anybody else has to offer, and a couple of stars on the rise to run with. And why the hell hasn’t New Orleans traded us Mo Pete straight up for Chris Wilcox? They desperately need a back up PF for THIS year- and we need a veteran 2 guard that can hit the 3. Their salaries match- Mo Pete isn’t getting any PT anyway, and they are going over the cap next year by approximately EXACTLY what they will otherwise have to pay Peterson. Looks like a no-brainer to me.
Interesting thought on Mo Pete. How long is his contract?
I'm still hoping they make a serious play for Boozer. If Miami pulls the trigger on the Marion/O'neal trade they won't be able to afford Boozer- O'neal's giant contract runs through 2010. Besides, they didn't bring Beasley in to be a bench player for the next five years. Griffin would be great, but that is just pie in the sky. 25% shot if we have the worst record- and I honestly don't see us staying in the cellar for much longer (though the schedule helps- bulk of our cupcake games are behind us). I'm hoping they can work a sign and trade with Utah before the deadline for Collison and Swift? Watson? Utah would come away with at least a quality back-up PF. Right now the Jazz are looking to come away with nothing. The Thunder should actually be an attractive option for Boozer- more under the cap money than anybody else has to offer, and a couple of stars on the rise to run with. And why the hell hasn't New Orleans traded us Mo Pete straight up for Chris Wilcox? They desperately need a back up PF for THIS year- and we need a veteran 2 guard that can hit the 3. Their salaries match- Mo Pete isn't getting any PT anyway, and they are going over the cap next year by approximately EXACTLY what they will otherwise have to pay Peterson. Looks like a no-brainer to me.
and now they are benching him... nice.
Yeah, Dumars tricked him into staying at the Palace.
Ah, I didn't realize that. Thanks Brian. Shucks. He would've been good.
Royce
Hamilton was signed to an extension this year by Joe Dumars the DAY before Billups was traded, so he will be unavailable. Hes exactly what we needed. A veteran shooter/ defender to compliment Durant.
I plan on writing something about this soon actually. I think OKC needs to play its cards just right this offseason. A lot of people want to jump out and go after big time players because of all the cap room. But being in a small market, you have to be shrewd. One big mess up can set you back big time.
The big names out there are Kobe (early termination option), Carlos Boozer (player option), Rip Hamilton (ETO), Mehmet Okur (ETO), Jermaine O'Neal (PO), Shawn Marion (unrestricted), AI (unrestricted), Ron Artest (unrestricted), Lamar Odom (unrestricted), Sheed (unrestricted), Jason Kidd (unrestricted), Mike Bibby (unrestricted) and Hedo Turkoglu (ETO).
Out of the "big names" I don't really see anyone I want all that badly. Carlos Boozer would surely be the biggest and best fit, but he lives in Miami and I'm guessing he goes there. Plus, if the Thunder gets No. 1, Blake Griffin fills that spot fine. I like so-called "character" guys and I think you stay away from headaches. That eliminates guys like AI, Artest and Rasheed. I do think Rip Hamilton could fit in well with the Thunder. He's got a beautiful mid-range game, and maybe he'll terminate his deal since he's not starting anymore. He's getting up there in age a little (he's 30), so maybe something like three years for $20 mil. That might be short-selling him, but again, he's 30. But maybe he could move down to the two and really fill a void. And heck, there's Grant Hill if he hangs around.
A couple under-the-radar guys I kind of like are Trevor Ariza (unrestricted) and Marquis Daniels (unrestricted). You should be able to get them relatively cheap, and Daniels could fill the two and score there. But he's terribly inconsistent. Ariza strikes me as a quality guy off the bench. Good energy and good finisher.
There's not a ton out there. Like the Hornets did in 2006, OKC has to be careful and make wise moves. The Hornets filled needs with Tyson Chandler and Peja. They didn't make any outlandish moves and go over the top. The Thunder has a nucleus built around four key players, so management is banking on those guys being the foundation. I'm not sure you mess with it too much, trying to bring in a huge name. But then again, Sam Presti knows what he's doing and I really don't.
And don't be surprised if you see a lot of this in a later post...
Royce and/or Joe...(or Crow,Zorgon,Brian, or just about anyone)
Do you guys see anyone in the 09 free agent list that reaches out and grabs you?... Someone that you think Presti ought to go after?... I dont know... I look at who might be available and it just doesnt do anything for me... Am I missing something or someone?
Yeah, I didn't get all warm and fuzzy looking at the FA list either. But here's the big thing. We aren't going to have the worst record in the NBA at the end of the year. I would bet it will be Sacto, and maybe Washington. Sacto is terrible. They haven't held an opponent under 110 points in 5 games. The ping pong balls are all in God's hands in the Lottery, so I wouldn't bet that Griffin is a lock that's for sure. I hope Presti is scouting the rest of the draftees.
I would have to think that with all the picks and cap space, that Presti could target a guy and trade for him. He was a trading machine last season. 28 days to the trade deadline.
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Great Modern Stat sites like 82Games.com, Basketball-reference.com and basketballprospectus.com are good starts. (I prefer 82Games.com the most). Check out the little tab at the top (Modern Stats 101) for an explanation about most of the new hoop stats.
Also, the +/- is new to basketball this year, and regular box scores on ESPN.com and NBA.com are keeping it now.
Westbrook-Weaver does fabulous, +13 per 48 minutes. I’d give that several hundred minutes of field testing the rest of the way. They won 85% of their first 87 minutes together.
Where do you get your stats from Crow? I'm new to the basketball stats game, and never knew figures like that were available anywhere. The old fantasy baseball guru in me perked up a bit when a previously unknown stat category made it's appearance. I'd be interested to follow along.
Make that 9 minutes last night, not 12 (and not my suggested 15).
Most likely to see it late 1st or early 2nd quarter.
Westbrook-Weaver about 9 minutes against NJ, before that zero against Detroit, zero against Utah. Maybe they have just really discovered it. Check what happens from here.
He'll stay... He's a team guy... over the next couple of years he'll develop a relationship with Westbrook, Green, and coach Brooks... this team is only getting better... he wont want to leave that... If he were a bright lights, big city, big ego guy I'd say he'd leave... but that is not what any of the three are... Westbrook, Green, and Durant are high character, team oriented guys...
and again... I believe OKC will develop into a destination where players want to play... and Durant and Green will confirm that when they choose to sign extensions...
Thanks Royce. You might be right about Weaver as a stretch as a future starting SG but that would be maxing out value if it worked. But within the rotation you can match him up with Westbrook a fair amount, Westbrook-Weaver mainly against reserves or some time with Weaver at SF against the right matchups. 15 minutes a game. That's all I am calling for right now instead of 5 or less average to date. Looks like they used it about 12 minutes or so last night so maybe they see the same thing and agree.
Thunder in playoffs in spring 2011 or real real close, decent chance Durant stays. Maybe.
Thunder less than 35 wins then, much much less and he probably goes to 5th year and then unrestricted free agency to see his options, on the court and off (business and personal). He probably isn't going to make the decision based on the last $20 million or so of his player deal that the Thunder could give him beyond what other teams can at least immediately, especially given the off the court money he could gain in a bigger market.
Great stuff Crow. And I totally agree. Weaver needs some more minutes with Westbrook. I don't think he will ever be a starting two guard, but he strikes me as a potential indispensable role player.
Westbrook's isn't going to hit the wall, at least the rookie wall. He might hit a wall called Bynum or Howard or Ming or whatever and get knocked down but he probably just bounces up.
Westbrook has one of the highest player win% for his minutes per game on court for team. Second highest actually .. to Weaver. Westbrook-Weaver does fabulous, +13 per 48 minutes. I'd give that several hundred minutes of field testing the rest of the way. They won 85% of their first 87 minutes together. Weaver is shooting 69% FG next to Westbrook. Why not run wild with it and see what happens?
@Sam
Ian Thompson of SI addressed that and he gives a better answer than I could:
"The timing here is interesting. The owners will seek a new collective bargaining agreement with the players in 2011. Under the current terms, Durant will be, at most, a restricted free agent, enabling the Thunder to match any offer he receives.Unless he has an unexpected falling-out with team management, he won't be going anywhere. It could be in his best interests to sign an extension with Oklahoma City under the terms of the current agreement, because the new CBA (to be negotiated in 2011-12) is expected to be less accommodating to the players, who are likely to face shorter contracts with smaller annual raises."
And what strikes me about Durant is that he just loved playing basketball and I don't think he craves the spotlight or playing in a big market. He's already said he wants to stay in OKC as long as possible and while obviously, that's the right answer, things like him saying he shouldn't be an All-Star this year when in fact he's probably the top three in the Western Conference tell me he's more about team than he is Kevin Durant.
If OKC can pay him what a bigger market can, he'll stay. I'm convinced.
Sam :
Anyone think KD will still be in OKC in 2011?
I do. Most people not from Seattle seem to think so.
Anyone think KD will still be in OKC in 2011?
Oh, I see what you're saying there. That's a good point. I was just thinking of it as a three game suspension. Good point.
Royce- Well, on a small scale, maybe. But if say, Ron Artest got suspended 30 games for a fight, should they only suspend him for the away games? And would there be a special exception for "Marquee" players like Lebron and Paul, but minor players like Earl Watson and Joel Pryzbilla have to sit out on the road? I don't know, I think there's just too many minor things involved and that we shouldn't create exceptions just because of TV.
As for the unlegit win, I'm not saying that the Thunder should be sulking in a loss, I'm just saying that they should fine tune for the next time they play the Warriors, who will in all likelihood have Bellinelli, Ellis, Wright, and Biedrins back. The Thunder are 2-1, in my opninion, because they've faced Warriors Lite. I'm not taking anything away, just saying, be prepared.
Brian- Never say never! I lived my whole conscious life with the Warriors being a miserably horrible team just to experience that one magical season where we beat the Mavericks----I was at Game 1 in Dallas. Now, this current team probably won't make the playoffs unless they can somehow re-acquire Baron Davis, and will probably descend into chaos once the offseason starts and undergo a regime change. But, 30 years from now, who knows? Chris Cohan (the owner, who is no better than Jim Dolan) can't live forever!
What's sad is that we have to even consider ways to prevent teams from tanking... Professional sports franchises and professional sports athletes who havent the pride or character to compete to the best of their ability have no place in professional sports... The whole idea of tanking for a chance at a higher pick in the draft is just cowardly... some may argue that it is a smart strategy... I say cowards...
The Warriors chances of ever being good again are over. Rowell and Nelson took all of Mullin's power. Chris Mullin built GS from the ground up.
I actually like the suspension idea. Especially for fans in places like OKC that have one chance to see a player like LeBron or Dwight Howard, if they were suspended for some reason, that would be a bummer to miss.
It's not like suspensions happen all the time. But in the rare case, I kind of like that idea.
And in my mind, the win is legit. The scoreboard read OKC 122, GSW 121 at the end of the game and the win column clicked over to "nine." I don't care who the Warriors weren't playing with. The Thunder didn't have Kevin Durant against the Magic earlier this year. Does that mean Orlando's win wasn't legit? (Besides, I think Dwyer was reffering to all of OKC's points and the fact GSW plays defense like a matador, instead of referring to injuries as for it not being legit.)
Some of Steve Aschburners suggestions are straight up retarded. No Rook-Soph game? Players must smile by contract? Suspensions served only at home games? Getting rid of the lottery system? Less court markings? I have a feeling the last one is Minnesotas fault. Wow. Just....ugh.
The Thunders win against the Warriors not legit? Obviously, I'm glad someone caught it but me. No Andris Biedrins or Brandan Wright leads to extreme Warriors suckiness. I can guarantee you that the Warriors did a lot more with what they had than the Thunder did....but I've ranted on this too much. It's just that Thunder-Warriors games are like the Super Bowl to me, so I read into it pretty deeply and write way too much.