A Lawrence, KS writer looks at all the pro Jayhawks chances of getting to the Finals next year: “Nick Collison, Oklahoma City 
Thunder – The No. 3 pick in this month’s draft (whoever it is) certainly will help the cause and the Thunder have a few other nice, young pieces — most notably Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook — but, realistically, this team is still a long way from challenging for an NBA title. If this nucleus stays together and develops and if they can find a way to add a veteran presence somewhere down the road, this team could be one of the hotter clubs in 3-5 years. But for now the thought that Collison and Co. have a shot at winning it all just seems ridiculous.” 35-1? Hey, that’s pretty good!
NBADraft.net on the Combine: “No projected lottery player was more surprising at the combine than James Harden. Many scouting reports on Harden say that he’s not athletic, but his results say otherwise. First, he recorded a 37” vertical and reached the same maximum height (11’8.5”) as Blake Griffin. Second, he ran a 3.13 sprint, which was only one hundredth behind speedster Ty Lawson, and repped 17 on the bench press. It’s been reported that the Thunder are considering him at #3. With no more reservations about his athleticism, is this enough for Harden to leapfrog Rubio?”
First it was the Spurs. Then the Blazers. Now the Magic? Geez Darnell, who’s path are we not following?: “The process that Thunder general manager Sam Presti often speaks of in Oklahoma City is playing out before our eyes in Orlando, where only after five years of rebuilding has the Magic positioned themselves to force their way into this year’s NBA Finals. Orlando’s road took luck, patience, foresight and a few shrewd signings and trades. But it’s a journey that proves the Finals isn’t only reserved for NBA royalty like the Magic’s heavily favored opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers, or last year’s champs, the Boston Celtics, who traded their way to a title.” I guess those paths are all the same in the sense a once bad team is now a good team. So if OKC is following that path, then great.
OKC, among a few other teams, is going to work out Rubio: “One of the more interesting tidbits of information coming out of the pre-draft workouts the last two days in Oakland is word that the agent for Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio is suddenly amenable to participating in interviews and individuals workouts with a select number of teams – the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder and Kings. Sources told me that, at this point, Rubio’s agent, Dan Fegan, is limiting the visits to the teams with draft picks 2-4. Given the fact that Jrue Holiday and Jonny Flynn are moving up on most mock draft boards, this makes sense. Plus, Rubio didn’t play particularly well in his season finale. Holiday is expected to return to Sacramento for a second workout, Tyreke Evans is scheduled to work out here next week, and Flynn shortly thereafter. Since the Kings have been unusually accommodating to the media this year – in the past, the team refused to reveal which prospects were working out, and allowed no media access to the workouts – this should be a very interesting few weeks.”
A nice story about Nick Collison from his hometown paper: “The upside for Collison was the move put his family – he and wife Robbie have a 3-year-old daughter, Emma – within driving distance of his parents in Iowa Falls and the in-laws in Kansas City. The downside was that he’d fallen in love with the mountain ranges and temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest. “Summer’s beautiful,” says Collison, who rented in Oklahoma while keeping his offseason home in Seattle. “It’s 80 degrees, no humidity, lots of sunny days in the summer. I can move to Oklahoma City and get traded tomorrow, get traded somewhere else. Eventually, you’ve got to find a place you like and live there and just figure (the rest) out after that.” Not that he’s complaining. It’s Big 12 country, and the Thunder, despite struggling to a 23-59 record, are still firmly within the honeymoon phase locally. Collison and his wife even threw a fashion show this past winter – “It was pretty much my wife, I don’t obviously know the first thing about fashion,” he allows – to raise money for a local charity that promotes HIV awareness.”
Speaking of, watching the Red Sox play the Tigers last night, I noticed something – Kevin Youkalis and Nick Collison may be the same person. Seriously, throw a monster goatee on Nick and shave his head and you have Youk. Maybe that’s Nick’s offseason conditioning program. Playing first base for the Sox. Have you ever seen them both in the same place? I haven’t. (And yes, evidently I am obsessed with look alikes.) Anybody? No?
What to do with the 25th pick?: “Option 4: Take a center – This only happens if Ohio State’s 7′1″ project B.J. Mullens slips. Some NBA scouts think he could be a Tyson Chandler type of player with great size and very limited offensive ability. Most, though, are not enamored with him. At this late point in the draft his project status is not really a hindrance, because if he fails, there weren’t many better options and at least you go down swinging. Josh Heytvelt, a 6′11″ post player out of Gonzaga, is the only other center prospect I could see sneaking into the first round and that’s a long shot.”
I knew it was coming and so that’s why I wrote this. But Chad Ford dropped a rumor about Ben Gordon in OKC yesterday: “Mitchell (Chicago): Please tell me Ben Gordon is staying in Chicago. SportsNation Chad Ford: If he can find a team willing to give him the money he wants … he ‘s gone. I’ve heard OKC has interest. And the Pistons do too if they can find a way to pay him and a big man like Boozer.”
Here’s a shock – mock drafts are meaningless: “I think nowadays, with so many internet outlets covering the draft, you know who the top draft picks are going to be just by looking at the media,” says Blake. “You know Blake Griffin’s going to be one of your top guys coming into this year because you’ve seen him play last year. For us to get a feel for who we want to go see – the guys we call ‘must-tracks,’ meaning we have to track them, get a look at them, monitor them because they’re going to come out – last year that was Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, you know those guys are going to be up there. Then it’s fueled by a lot of other scouts who actually go to a lot of games, and they’re going to spit that out to the media, as well. In terms of people like Chad Ford, Chad has only a few people who will talk to him and that’s where he gets his information because he doesn’t go see a lot of games. Then you have Draft Express, with guys who are actively going out there, and they do a really super job with what they do. How accurate they are, you never really know.”
FreeDarko kicks off its draft coverage with some good stuff: “Next Russell Westbrook: Rodrique Beaubois. Post-Pietrus (both We Believe and now), where is France in FD Geographical Rankings? Behind Germany (Dirk, Anthony Randolph, Donte Greene) surely.”
DX on James Harden’s impressive workout: ”James Harden tested out far better than anyone could have expected, which will likely cause teams to pay keener attention to his athleticism in competitive workouts. Harden’s 37″ max vert tied him with a player than many consider one of the best athletes at the wing position in this draft in Terrence Williams, and had his 31.5″ no step vert bettered him by a full inch. This is a clear case of a player testing well above the level teams project him at. The best example of that is in Harden’s 11.10 lane agility time, with is only .01 seconds behind the time posted by arguably the quickest point guard in the NBA, Chris Paul. Harden also showed good strength on the bench, throwing up 17 reps, but also recording the highest body fat percentage amongst wings with 10.1%. Those tossing around Brandon Roy comparisons were likely surprised by Harden’s speed and strength, Harden topped the Trailblazers franchise player by 11 reps on the bench and beat him by .14 seconds in the ¾ court sprint. However, Roy out-jumped Harden considerably, posting a 40+” max vert three years ago.”
DeMar DeRozen to OKC?: “One rumor that’s been making the rounds is that the Oklahoma City Thunder could make DeRozan the third pick in the draft, putting him alongside Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook in one of the most promising young lineups in the league. DeRozan likes the sound of that, even if it is premature to actually predict such a move. “That would be great. It would feel good to be in a lineup like that. Kevin Durant’s one of the best players in the league, and that would be an opportunity to help build a program from the ground up. I think we could put Oklahoma City on the map as a top team in the next few years. Playing with a star player would also really help my career. Playing with someone like Kevin Durant, who’s been there and remembers what it takes as a rookie to get where you want to go, that would be great because he just did it. I’d love to play with Kevin and help him build his team up.”
DeJuan Blair was also impressive at the combine and showed some serious athleticism: “It didn’t take long to find a couple of players with measurables similar to DeJuan Blair, as past draftees Craig Smith and Paul Millsap both fit the bill on most levels. Blair posted a lower body fat percentage (12%) than Smith (12.2%), and compares well to Paul Millsap in his numbers across the board. His max vert of 33″ was half an inch better than Millsap’s and while Millsap did marginally better in the no step vert (Blair jumper only 26″ which explains some of the issues he’s had at the rim against good shot blockers) and ¾ court sprint, Blair did three more reps on the bench, finishing with 18 reps, and was .17 seconds better than Millsap in the lane agility drill, finishing in 11.5 seconds. Considering where Blair likely started his trek towards fitness, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to undergo a Craig Smith-like transformation and come into the Summer League looking significantly more fit and moving better because of that.”
Damien Wilkins just completed his degree (Congrats Damien!) but there was this little tidbit: “Still, the ball has bounced well for Wilkins over his NBA career. Five years into a career most didn’t give much of a chance, Wilkins is closing in on almost 100 career starts, and plays most of the game for the Oklahoma City Thunder on an average night. He enters 2010 with one season remaining on his contract, making him one of several free agents available for next summer’s market. “Everyone is going to be trying to sign both me and LeBron next summer,” Wilkins said with a chuckle. James’ free agent signing will likely be the largest in NBA history. That’s not to say Wilkins’ new signing won’t have plenty of zeros behind it. The former Georgia star pocketed a reported $3.1 million for the 2008-09 season alone.” I guess Damien doesn’t have any intentions of opting out. (Kicks dirt.)
A nice feature on D.J. White from his hometown paper: “As he ran out onto the shiny, freshly polished maple-wood court at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, D.J. White rushed a few forced breaths. The National Basketball Association rookie’s stomach was tied in knots, nervous about guarding one of the greatest power forwards the game has ever seen. In just his second career game with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the former Hillcrest High School standout was matched up against the San Antonio Spur’s 11-time All-Star, the 6-foot-11 Tim Duncan.”
Deadspin has a long list of players dubbed “The Chosen One” at some point or another. One of those being Russell Westbrook in 2008. Can someone refresh me on this? I don’t remember him or anyone else ever tagging him The Chosen One.
One other item in favor of Sam Prest in a Thunder uniform...
He absolutely excels at head games. For instance, during a tight moment in a game, he just casually mentions to the man he is covering "I notice that you favor your third metatarsil when cutting left". This, of course, totally destroys the opponent for the remainder of the game. Between the self-consciousness about their own movement and the extreme distraction of trying to figure out what a metatarsil is - well, they're toast from that point on.
@Nix
"Hit the blue Reply button next..."
Hey, I knew that! I knew that already. I knew that before you were born! I just like... typing, ok?
Sigh. Ok, I didn't know that. Thanks.
But I woulda figured it out on my own, eventually, one these decades, dammit! (cripes, I really am a dope :( )
@daniel@Royce
Haha, To get the:
Hit the blue Reply button next to their comment instead of just typing @Royce
You cwazy dude.
correction:
yeah, Samuel Adams most likely! [drum roll - rimshot]
there, fixed.
@Royce
"I also hear he can touch net and has been known to slap the backboard"
LOL. That is precisely the kind of loser thing that I really would do when around a basketball court. Heh.
"dude’s got hops"
yeah, Samuel Adams most likely!
@daniel
I also hear he can touch net and has been known to slap the backboard during pregame warmups. In other words, dude's got hops.
@Royce
"Maybe Sam Presti should just draft himself to play shooting guard"
Scuttlebutt is that Presti can bench 50 lbs SIX TIMES IN A ROW. So obviously, strength is not an issue (tho, you have to keep in mind, agents tend to inflate these kind of numbers...)
I can picture Presti driving a fair amount or stopping for the mid-ranger. I guess I could picture him doing a catch n shoot 3 too but for some reason I don't think that was his dominant play. He certainly has chosen drivers to be his main players. Who as a consequence of driving end up shooting a real high rate of mid-rangers. To the detriment of team eFG%. at least so far.
Excessive goofiness. I like that. I feel like that could be a new penalty in football.
"Personal foul, excessive goofiness, No. 27 on the offense. 15 yards from the spot of the foul. First down."
@JaxRagingBileDuct (what a moniker!)
"before I completely derail this thread and get banned forever…"
dude, if anyone was to get banned for silly posts and derailing threads, it would be moi. Fortunately, Royce would never do such
[interruption - this post terminated by administrator. User cited for excessive goofiness - lifetime banishment commencing...]
I heard Presti can fly and actually gives his draft picks golden gems that allow them to be phenomenal basketball players...
That's the kind of mystique I want my GM to have...
Rob Hennigan shot from everywhere I get the impression, as often as he could.
At 10-12 pts a game I'd guess Presti was more like a third option. Maybe a little like Green but on the perimeter. And admiring or envious of the Durant and Westbrook types?
@Crow
We need some tape on this Presti kid, NOW.
Funny thing is, he's young enough to still play. Heck, I wonder if he can play a little still...
Royce, what I want to know but haven't found is whether Presti had a 3 point shot. That might (just might, not saying it is a huge factor) help understand his mindset or ultimate destination with regard to the 3 point shoot a bit better. It is never mentioned in writeups of him as a player and if he was real good as an outside shooter I think that would have spread along with the other Presti mystique stuff that somebody helped spread.
One last trade idea, before I completely derail this thread and get banned forever...
We draft Hasheem Thabeet. We give his height to Nick Collison. Nick becomes the hardest working 7 foot 3 inch Center of all time, doubling his rebounds and tripling his blocked shots. We ship Hasheem to Europe to play with Ibaka. Hasheem gets to play at Nick's height, in a league where his talent is about average. He'll enjoy a nice career with good money and plenty of playing time, rather than sit on a bench for 10 years watching other guys play.
Maybe Sam Presti should just draft himself to play shooting guard. He was a decent player at Emerson... at least according to his Wikipedia page.
Hello folks, my name is Nanu-Nanu. I am from the future. I hear that you earthlings of Oklahoma regionality are extremely interested in the outcome of the 2009 NBA draft. Being from the future, I can tell you exactly whom Sam Presti has chosen to join the OKC Thunder roster. And the winners are...
Oh, excuse me. My flux capacitor is running low. I must quickly dash back to the future before they completely drain. Later!
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
In a way, I'm almost glad you don't.
I kind of wish I had photoshop skills right about now.
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
My favorite part is how you're evening up the trades, a la the actual NBA trade rules. These are great.
The next in-team trade I make is between Swift and Green. Jeff keeps all his normal talent, but get's Robert's height. He's no longer playing out of position, and his matchups with other teams is a nightmare. To even things out, Jeff also has to take on the red afro hairdoo and the tattos and the emo fingernails, making him the weirdest looking african american ever.
Robert gets to shed his freak show routine, and return to normal life as an average citizen, except with a very cool 3 year NBA salary in his backpocket. To sweeten the deal, we give him an assistant coaching position with the Drillers.
@Royce
"That’s the worst."
Yeah, but I'm separating the human stuff from the basketball court. I'm perfectly capable of saying "X is a great guy" and then follow it up with "but I don't want him on my team". That's pretty much Wilkins. His productivity last season was horrible and he has no future with the Thunder.
In that light, I feel generous and sympathetic to a writer who was trying (really hard) to say nice things about Wilkins pro career. I guess you could call it a 'sympathy hug' because Wilkins really is a nice guy and I know perfectly well he's on his way out. He'll be mostly on the bench until Presti finds some way to unload him. Yeah, yeah, he makes more money sitting on a bench in a week than I probably do in a year, so my sympathy has its limits, of course...
@Kev
Excellent way to look at it. And I think that's what I subconsciously have always preferred, but never really realized. I think that's why I was so high on Ty Lawson. He's just a good ballplayer. (He has dropped considerably though in Joe and I board though...)
But then again, Westbrook fits the mold of just being an athlete (though I know you don't really like him Kev). I think there's a balance to find. A guy that has the ability, but also has the wherewithal to play smart basketball.
excellent point by Clark and Royce - you can't just draft athletes - you have to draft basketball players . . . the people on my list (Griffin, Curry, Rubio, Harden) are all basketball players . . .
Derozan
Holiday
Thabeet
Evans
I'm not convinced . . .
Jax Raging Bile Duct :Here’s a trade that I’d love to see; swap jumpshots between Damien and Thabo. To even things up, we’ll also trade hairstyles, and extend Damien’s contract for another 3 years.
Interesting thought there. That would make a nice player. Plus Damien would look like Shaft if he fro'd it out.
I wonder else would make a good trade on the team. Interesting...
Here's a trade that I'd love to see; swap jumpshots between Damien and Thabo. To even things up, we'll also trade hairstyles, and extend Damien's contract for another 3 years.
@daniel
That's the worst. When a stinky player that does nothing for you but get a paycheck is really a great guy. It makes it hard to dislike him.
But then I see him jack up three straight jumpers and turn it over twice and I don't care if he just built an orphanage, he stinks.
@ClarkMatthews
"I guess there haven’t been many “average” nights for Wilkins."
Yeah, if that article was a photo, you'd have to call it "air-brushed".
Still, it didn't bother me too much. Wilkins seems like a great guy. He put up with his extensive bench warming with about as much tolerance as any player could be expected to, supported his teammates like crazy, and still says nice things about Oklahoma and OKC. So I'll forgive an overly generous article about him.
At some point, athleticism only gets you so far. You need skill and ability.
And besides, evidently the other guys are pretty athletic too.
I'm agreeing with everyone that DeRozen makes no sense. Big deal that he's supposedly super-athletic. That was Billy Knight's rationale for taking 6'9" swingmen year after year after year. The Hawks sucked year after year after year. It wasn't until they brought in a real point guard to make those athletes a cohesive unit that they finally made the playoffs.
@Clark Matthews
Ha, exactly what I thought. Seemed like the article was TRYING to make it sound like Damien is a successful NBA player. Reminds me of the coach handing out postseason awards to his little league team and gets to the kid that only played the last three minutes of each game because he was so terrible. "And, Damien... Damien always had a smile on his face. Just a great attitude all the time..."
"Five years into a career most didn’t give much of a chance, Wilkins is closing in on almost 100 career starts, and plays most of the game for the Oklahoma City Thunder on an average night."
I guess there haven't been many "average" nights for Wilkins.
@Kev
"don’t forget the scoreboard!"
Especially since it incorporates new technology for projecting subliminal messages. (oops, I wasn't supposed to leak that information!)
@Kev
HAHA!
@Royce
don't forget the scoreboard!
@daniel
Absolutely. People will get past the small market stuff because the team and the organization are outstanding.
DeRozen says:
"That would be great. It would feel good to be in a lineup like that. Kevin Durant's one of the best players in the league, and that would be an opportunity to help build a program from the ground up. I think we could put Oklahoma City on the map as a top team in the next few years. Playing with a star player would also really help my career. Playing with someone like Kevin Durant, who's been there and remembers what it takes as a rookie to get where you want to go, that would be great because he just did it. I'd love to play with Kevin and help him build his team up."
Great quote. I know I'm repeating myself, but once again, I have to say that the notion OKC won't be able to find enough players willing to play in this town is looking extremely weak. With KD and a strong organization - that is a VERY strong pull for many.
@Kev
Yeah, not a fan here either.
Derozan???
LOL
Another guy that supposedly is tops athletically - Curry beat him in several categories (bench reps, lane agility, nostep vert, and sprint) -
throw in an inconsistent shot as well . . .
where would he play?? Why would Presti take him over Harden???
makes no sense . . .