Cole Aldrich in his latest blog for Dime: Also, you may have heard that I’ve been playing in the D-League for the Tulsa 66ers. GM [Sam] Presti came to me one day and told me he thought it would be a great opportunity to get back on the court and get some serious minutes again … Even though I’m away from the team, I still talk to a lot of guys on the team. I talked to Kevin [Durant] for 20-30 minutes the other day, as well as Royal, Mo Pete and Byron [Mullens]. As I’ve said before, everybody’s really friendly, but Kevin always looks out for me. It’s tough missing the games. I watched the game last night on TV in Tulsa. You gotta watch the games to see what the team’s doing defensively and offensively. I’ve been cheering hard for the guys and want us to win every game. It’s hard not being there, so I’ve been working my butt off here.”
John Rohde of The Oklahoman: “Last season, Thunder starters missed a total of six games, all by center Nenad Krstic. So far this season, starters have missed 10 games. The Thunder is a combined 8-2 without its usual starting lineup of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha and Krstic, and 5-4 with the starting lineup intact.”
The NBA’s top 50 players, according to Sporting News. That was voted on before the season. Westbrook is at 30. Where do you think he’d be now?
KD answered questions on Twitter: “What Is The Most Points You Ever Scored In High School ?(33)” How crazy is that? Just 33 points for KD in high school?
A former Sonic fan can’t help but root for the Thunder.
Chris Silva: “As the Thunder heads into tonight’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre, a place the Raptors have won four of its last five games, let’s take a look at just how successful the Thunder has been away from home this season. The Thunder, which left town on Tuesday with five of its next six games on the road, is 7-2 away from home this season and winners of six of its last seven in opposing arenas. Oklahoma City is 5-0 on the road against Eastern Conference teams and 5-1 away from home when it plays without a member of the starting lineup.”
A clip of The Association is out featuring the Celtics. The Thunder was the first choice but of course, OKC respectfully declined. Darn, because that would’ve been fun.
Aldrich had eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes last night for the 66ers.
Geez, not much out there about the Thunder today. It’s almost as if there was a game last night that captured all the attention of everyone.
@Other Thomas
Ok, thanks for the perspective.
@Crow
System is important to remember when looking at college stats. Washington State played at an abysmally slow pace when Weaver was there, disguising his stats. Also, in the D-league, Weaver has been a good rebounder at guard, although I assume Hobson could be even better. Weaver also moves his feet better on D than Hobson, with Hobson being more of a 3 than a 2. Neither guy is an adept shooter, both guys are above average passers, both are below average athletes and the both have good handles. Obviously they arent the same in all respects, I just think that they would succeed/not succeed that this level for similar reasons.
Oh, and, don't get me wrong, I think it's obvious we need to add a good center on the front line for us to seriously be considered contenders
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
I certainly understand your point of view, even if I'm slightly more optimistic about the roster than you seem to be. Harden doesn't need to be Manu Ginobli to make us a championship team. Above-average starter is certainly well within reasonable range of his potential, given his age, his production after the all-star break last season, and his college career.
Ken Kaniff from Connecticut :
I like how it’s not ok to judge Harden and Thabo negatively based on a 20 game sample yet it is ok to conclude that Thabo is an improving offensive player based on a 20 game sample
I didn't say his offense improved but I said he is much more effectiv when going to the basket and thats what he is doing most of the time this year. hope he keeps that up.
@ daniel: totaly agreed on this one! brooks has got the choice between some more O with Harden or some more D with Thabo so he can change the linup based on the needs for the team during a game.
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
Harden had a great pre-season, I thought it would carry over. Obviously I'm a bit let down by his performance so far this season - particularly offensively. But I'm still looking at the big picture, and understanding that he didn't become a slouch all of the sudden. He has all the ability and size you could ask for from a 2-guard, he has just yet to put it together and play with confidence. I'm not going to condemn him for his play a month into his sophomore season. Would I like it to be better? of course. But when I watch him do I still see a bright future? Yes.
It's just like this entire Thunder team, we show a lot of bright flashes but have yet to put it all together. Wonder why? Maybe because it's a team compromised of 21-23 year olds. The team has grown together, and are learning to win together. I don't see the problem. Our problems have a lot more to do with the C position than SG position, IMO.
@jay
When taking into account that our shooting guard rotation is already playing with two stars in RW and KD, I think they're doing decently now, with the potential to be well above average. Thabo is who he is now- a lock down perimeter defender who is great at rebounding and finishing around the basket with a decent shot. He's the Thunder's version of Bruce Bowen, and I can see him playing decent minutes on a contender. James still has a lot of time to develop, and it isn't too much of a stretch to hope that he eventually develops into a 15-5-3 sort of player, either off the bench in a 6th man role or as a starter. He may not ever end up as good statwise as players drafted after him such as Tyreke Evans or Stephen Curry, but there's no reason to think that he can't be a fantastic roleplayer alongside the stars of the team.
I like how it's not ok to judge Harden and Thabo negatively based on a 20 game sample yet it is ok to conclude that Thabo is an improving offensive player based on a 20 game sample
Greg :@Ken
Kaniff from Connecticut
Harden has improved leaps and bounds defensively, because that’s what it will take to get him minutes on this team (not improving his offensive skillset). He still has all the same talents and athletic ability – court vision, ball handling, beautiful stroke – but now he can defend. He hasn’t played well consistently this year, but he’s made progress where it counts – on the defensive end. The rest will come later, he’s still 21 years old!
Not to mention Thabo has improved his offense – he’s cutting much more, and playing with more purpose on offense – and his jumper looks better. I expect Thabo to hold down the starting spot this year and do well, and then Harden to start next year display his all-around game. 20 games into a second year player’s career you’re already bailing on him? So did you bail on Westbrook last year when he was battling through his early-season struggles?
This post has got to be the biggest case of trying to put lipstick on a pig I have ever seen. Again I ask, have you been watching the same season I have this year? None of your enthusiasm for Harden or Thabo is justified. They are both very middle of the pack and average players at best
To be clear, I was shifting the subject in the last sentence and meant aggressive on shooting / scoring.
Ken Kaniff from Connecticut :@Greg
And Thabo? He is the single worst offensive SG maybe in the whole league, and his D, while above average, is not as elite as people mae it out
its true that thabo istn't as effectiv when he's shooting jumpers but as a few other posters did mention he's much more agressiv going to the basket and thats a good sign. and NBA all defensive seconde team is just above avarage, right?
@Other Thomas
Weaver is an interesting comparison for Hobson.
Hobson had really strong college rebound stats so I was thinking of other comparisons, but was that more because of his team or him? Would you say he was much more aggressive than Weaver in college or just more aggressive than Weaver was in the NBA?
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
Harden has improved leaps and bounds defensively, because that's what it will take to get him minutes on this team (not improving his offensive skillset). He still has all the same talents and athletic ability - court vision, ball handling, beautiful stroke - but now he can defend. He hasn't played well consistently this year, but he's made progress where it counts - on the defensive end. The rest will come later, he's still 21 years old!
Not to mention Thabo has improved his offense - he's cutting much more, and playing with more purpose on offense - and his jumper looks better. I expect Thabo to hold down the starting spot this year and do well, and then Harden to start next year display his all-around game. 20 games into a second year player's career you're already bailing on him? So did you bail on Westbrook last year when he was battling through his early-season struggles?
I guess I don't feel as rosy about the future prospects of what we already have on our roster beyond KD, Russell, and Ibaka
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
In a season or two, we will have a fantastic PG and SF, an average to good SG rotation with Thabo and Harden (assuming Harden develops into a 15-5-3 sort of guy), and a good PF rotation (if Green leaves, then Ibaka, White, and Collison). All that's left is a third star, similar to how San Antonio has Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker. If we can snag a good center like Marc Gasol to be that third piece, I think OKC will be in great position to contend for a championship.
It's very, very hard to have good to great players at every position. Previous title teams have shown that you just need three big pieces to build around with solid roleplayers. We already have 2 of those star players in place, along with fantastic roleplayers in Ibaka, Thabo, Harden, and others. The team just needs to make that final step and grab a big man.
@Greg
I'm talking about SG and C, and no, a Harden/Thabo combo will not get it done. To call our state at SG "great" is baffling. Have you watched this season? If you have, the only thing you're clinging to in justifying feeling "great" about our SG position is some vague hope that Harden will somehow transform into the player we thought he'd be when we drafted him at 3 and instead of the reality of what he's actually showing on the court right now. And Thabo? He is the single worst offensive SG maybe in the whole league, and his D, while above average, is not as elite as people mae it out and in no way does it cover for how bad he is on offense. Teams literally do not acknowledge his existence when we are playing offense.
Sammy :@Bruno
Wallace was probably the best defensive player of the 2000′s. No one in the league is at his level during his prime. But (current) RW and Durant are better than Chauncey and Rip…
yeah, that's what I thought, but I don't think we can win it all with Detroit's formula, that was a singular season and not a formula for success.
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
Not sure which gap you're accounting for, SG or PF, but both of those positions look great to me going forward. Shooting guard - Thabo and Harden, Power forward - Ibaka, White, (mayyybe Green). Center is the only positional gap that is keeping us from chapmionship contention.
So that means we have 2 big gaps in our starting lineup which is preventing us from contending seriously
People keep repeating how we've shown we wish to do things a certain way, like grow the team from within with drafting and developing our own players, no one is arguing that. The question is, is that the right strategy? To me it's not. Presti seems too scared to take a risk. Outside of KD, Ibaka and Russ we have not a single player on our roster currently that could develop into a starter quality player at the position of our need for a contending team. Green could be that piece if he played SF but with us he never will. Harden could hypothetically be a starting SG but he is very meh.
Sammy :@Jeff AllenPresti apparently had a lot of interest in signing Varajao before Cleveland gave him that extension.
Details?
@f5alcon
that's a bingo.
@Crow
In my opinion, having watched both players quite a bit in college, Hobson is a very similar player to Kyle Weaver. In the good ways and the bad. He should be a terror in the D-League, but its unknown as of yet whether he could make a contribution in the pros.
@DizzyDai
I don't know Hobson in depth but his writeups interested me enough to pay attention to his release.
@Jeff Allen
I agree. Basically what I've been trying to say in a nutshell.
Never said I didn't think we would pay a high price for a C, just think it would need to be one of our own players, where we wouldnt have to give up assets to pay a high price for someone. We have shown that we would rather build from the inside. Are you going to argue with all of those free agents we signed over the summer?
@Jeff Allen
Presti apparently had a lot of interest in signing Varajao before Cleveland gave him that extension.
@Bruno
Wallace was probably the best defensive player of the 2000's. No one in the league is at his level during his prime. But (current) RW and Durant are better than Chauncey and Rip...
I don't think we are getting anyone... Presti has his strategy in place... Grow his players and get players through the draft... As much as I would love gasol, howard or even varajao it's not going to happen... I think what we have is what we are going to be working with for the forseeable future... Presti is going to sign green... Dunno what's gonna happen with the contracts so I'm not going to give a price right now.... He is going to keep grooming aldrich to be the center against the lakers when we play them in the playoffs.... And I'm happy that this team with Russ playing at an all-star level... And no one needs to worry about kd. He will be back to his glorious self very soon...
So long story short... No big man from trade or free agent
shiki=4 seasons :
Varejao didn’t help LeBron to win champion,can he help KD to win one?
After Jordan,no team can win champion without great big men like Shaq/Duncan/Gasol/KG.Can KD and Russ copy what Jordan and Pippen had done?
Detroit did it with Ben Wallace as Center, who's a defense / rebounding guy much like Varejão is.
of course Wallace was a better rebounder at his prime, but still, he's not elite in the sense that Shaq, Duncan or KG are.
and the 2007 Spurs had Francisco Elson and Fabricio Oberto next to Duncan.
@blade_
I thought about putting Green in there, but I'm not sure Cleveland would want to trade for him since he's about to hit RFA when they could just go and sign him outright. Aldrich is cheaper and signed for a longer term, plus they get the cap space next year (from the expirings) if they want to make a run at Green then.
Tiny Gallon and Darington Hobson got dropped by the Bucks. I kinda had my eye on Hobson during the draft. I hope he can come back from his injury.
@Sammy: not quite, but allmost. ß is some kind of leftover from old german and is called "sz" and is only used after letters a, e, i, o, u. But anyway ß and ss is pronaunced the same ;-)
And I would trade vor Verejao in a second, I think he could help this team without plays run for him and he can play C without pounding the zone. But I don't think Presti will do that as Verejao is probably too similar to Nick C and I don't think CLE would do that if we don't put Green in the trade. Gambling for FA is not a good thing if the right trade comes ur way.
@gr8ball83
I'll go out on a limb and suggest that before Aldrich reaches a point where he could be a legitimate starting C on a contending team, we would have to waste a few more years of Westbrook's and KD's years. Like Bill Simmons said, when you have a top 5 and a top 15 player, you are ready to contend whether you like it or not. So to me, with every passing day we waste Westbrook's and KD's greatness by not trying to surround them with the appropriate pieces which will enable us to contend
Varejao didn't help LeBron to win champion,can he help KD to win one?
After Jordan,no team can win champion without great big men like Shaq/Duncan/Gasol/KG.Can KD and Russ copy what Jordan and Pippen had done?
@gr8ball83
Dallas had the #1 offense in the league in 2006, that's why they didn't need a terrific big man.
@Sammy
yeah they probably would take durant for bogut straight up.
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
I'll go out on a limb and suggest that aldrich could average 9 and 9 playing the minutes dampier played and dirk plays more like durant than a power forward so i don't see the big difference
Point is that our owners and presti better be ready to pony up some cash for an above average big man unless they're content with just being competitive and not a serious threat
@gr8ball83
I think they had Dampier and I'm pretty sure he had a price tag in the range of Varejao. I could be wrong.
@Mark!
I raise your +18 win trade with this +26 win trade:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=33nom62
@gr8ball83
Erika Dampier?
@gr8ball83
Their PF was Dirk. Their C was Eric Dampier, who was decent that year (and who parlayed his performance into a huge contract)
@Sammy
Yeah outside of Lebron or Dwight, I can't think of any team that wouldn't trade what it took to get KD.
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
didnt dallas make the finals (and some would argue had the title stolen from them, but i hate the mavs so i liked it) without a high priced big man? who was their center/power forward that year?
Wilkins got sign by the Hawks.
@Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
Ken Ken Ken... why you trying to be all rational?
My trade idea is still the best. No one can top it's combined impact + simplicity.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=37xn5kp
@f5alcon
Pretty sure that if we offered Bogut for KD straight up, the Bucks would take it. Good centers are hard to find, but so are once in a generation scorers :)
@Sammy
no, i wouldnt, i dont think bogut is available at all, even for durant, because good centers are so hard to find.
People on this site just don't get the basics. If you want any big man who is slightly above average, they WILL come with a price tag that is high. otherwise we can just stick with the bargain priced big men forever and see how far we go. I'll let you in one a secret: we won't go too far that way.
You want to contend? You better have a high priced big man. That is a non-negotiable part of the game for you if you want to contend. We aren't going anywhere paying $3-4 mil for the likes of Collison and DJ White.
Varejao is indeed a bargain at his price and he does fit our needs perfectly. Would I rather have Dwight Howard? Yes, but it's not gonna happen. So we better come to terms with all the realistic players we could acquire, and varejao is in that category.