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It’s becoming more apparent every game. You can ride with Russell Westbrook anywhere.
He was last seen all over the court in the 48th minute he played of the Thunder’s marathon win in New Jersey. It was the shiniest of the stat sheet-filling performances he’s had this season. But Westbrook’s emergence in the upper stratosphere of NBA stardom through the first part of this season has shown more than just flashes of staying power. He’s played superbly without Kevin Durant, as he did last night, but also with him on plenty of occasions. Teams are carving out more time for him when they scout the Thunder. And it’s not working.
But it’s not just what Westbrook does on the court. It’s how he does it. He’s just a little bit mean. And it means a lot to his team.
Westbrook’s captivating, explosive athleticism gives his game an edge all by itself. A ritual following nearly any game for many of us is searching on YouTube until somebody uploads his latest vicious dunk. The Nets game was no exception. Neither was the game before that. Or the one before that. And to ignite the magical 8-0 run in Game 3 of the Lakers series last season. And so on. He’s the best in-game dunker this side of Blake Griffin, and the only reason why he’s not No. 1 doubles as a good argument for why he maybe should be: he’s half a foot shorter.
And it’s more than that. It’s his attitude when he makes a big play. Sure, just about everyone screams like a banshee when they dunk. (I would if I could.) But Westbrook … means it. You can tell. By all accounts, off the court he’s an affable and friendly guy. But on the court he’s a menace. If you steal the ball, he will take it back, dunk on you, and then yell at you and your teammates as he gets back on defense. And no one really yells back.
So game by game, dunk by dunk and primal scream after primal scream, Russell Westbrook is making himself more irreplaceable. There was really no doubting his future place on the Oklahoma City roster going forward. Everyone knows he’s the Thunder point guard of the present and future. The only question was how much money the front office would have to offer to get him to sign an extension over the offseason.
Now, we know the answer. Sam Presti will probably have to offer almost everything he can. And not only could that pose a problem or five, but how big the problems could be will depend a lot on what happens in CBA negotiations from here on out.
Could the Thunder afford two max players and a quality supporting cast based on current rules? There’s no doubt the Spurs are doing what Oklahoma City strives to do. San Antonio has kept a rotating corps of quality players around its three-man nucleus of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker. But of those three guys, only Duncan is among the top 30 highest-paid players in the NBA right now. The way Westbrook is playing, the Thunder may have two players in that category in a few seasons in Westbrook and Durant. The debate now seems to be whether Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka or James Harden is capable of being the third arm of a Thunder triumvirate. But which one, if any of them, would be able to stick around if Westbrook and Durant are soon earning about $30 million combined?
Or would Westbrook even be able to reach those heights, even if he’s paid max money? Who knows what’s going to happen with the next CBA. I don’t and neither does anyone else who isn’t a part of the negotiations. But it could mean smaller contracts. Because Westbrook isn’t eligible for extension until the summer, he’s pretty much at the mercy of rules that don’t yet exist.
If the CBA doesn’t change very much, then that could be a bad thing for Oklahoma City and trying to keep the band together. Something would have to change. I’ve never balanced Clay Bennett’s checkbook, but I think it’s fair to say the Thunder, as a franchise, doesn’t have pockets near as deep as the Lakers, Celtics, Mavericks and Knicks of the world. The Thunder would have to be so successful in sponsorship deals, merchandising and the rest that it could afford a big luxury tax bill. There would have to be yet more money from yet more suites generated at the still-the-Ford Center. There would just have to be more money.
But there are a few things that have been floated as possible changes to the CBA that could change the landscape significantly. Maybe salaries will take a huge hit, and Westbrook is suddenly affordable. Maybe teams will be allowed to do more to retain their own players without paying financial penalties. Maybe there will be increased revenue sharing. Maybe there will be more money generated from digital media rights.
In the end, the financial negotiations (that continue to threaten the existence of a 2011-12 season at all, by the way) that will rule offseason NBA news could be more important to Oklahoma City from a player personnel standpoint than any other team. With a talent like Westbrook eligible for an extension with Durant already on the books, Green a restricted free agent and Ibaka and Harden close behind, the Thunder’s window for winning with rookie contracts is coming to a close.
I don’t have a doubt Presti will find a way to do something creative. He hasn’t disappointed in the past, as Nick Collison’s recent contract extension showed beyond a doubt. But the more creative Westbrook gets on the court, the more creative Presti will have to be when figuring out Oklahoma City’s future.
@justin
i was just speaking from the perspective of financially being able to keep the guys we have.. whether or not we want to is a different matter, but i'm just saying that if we really felt like this is our group of guys, we could make it happen..
Come on guys, let's just enjoy having two of the top 15 player in the league right now.
TempBoy Brandon :@qrex
i’m just saying, there are teams that are paying a bunch of ‘stars’.. they make it happen.. if we need to, i’m sure between Presti’s financial wizardry, the new CBA, and Bennett and Co’s deep pockets (with multiple energy companies involved, we should have some money), we should be able to make it happen..
The stars still have to fit together. Gasol and Kobe are a great combination. Odom compliments them well, and Bynum (if healthy) makes that a fearsome lineup. Odom can start at PF and Gasol can play C so they don't have lineup / fit issues like we have with Green at PF.
@f5alcon
nice! i knew we had some serious dough.. and with our season ticket sales, upcoming playoff sales, our new Thunder shop and our merch a hot commodity now while Thunder fever is high, i'm sure we are competing with the big boys from a profit standpoint..
@daniel
Well if it was all daisies and sunshine with Cousins we'd have no chance of getting him, he's way to talented for the Kings to deal unless there's off-court issues. It really comes down to how much you trust the culture of the team. The Spurs teams could always handle headcases, they got a productive run out of Stephen Jackson and he's totally nuts. I can't decide if we could handle him or not. On one hand, I think our there's a great culture amongst our players, but it is sort of based on them all being good guys. I'm not sure if Cousins is really a bad kid or not. Either way we'd probably need stronger leadership to deal with him. And I suppose its all a moot point, since I doubt Presti would take the risk, as you said.
f5alcon :@TempBoy Brandonyeah i estimated our ownership group last year at around 3 billion in assets, so not poor like shinn.
Thank God.
@TempBoy Brandon
yeah i estimated our ownership group last year at around 3 billion in assets, so not poor like shinn.
@f5alcon
unless we pull a cindarella 3 of those 10 years and win 3 titles from the lower seed :)
@qrex
i'm just saying, there are teams that are paying a bunch of 'stars'.. they make it happen.. if we need to, i'm sure between Presti's financial wizardry, the new CBA, and Bennett and Co's deep pockets (with multiple energy companies involved, we should have some money), we should be able to make it happen..
@gr8ball83
ibaka is capable of it, but i wouldnt refuse to sign a free agent on the hope that he develops it, id rather sign a free agent and have ibaka also develop than no free agent and ibaka not develop and we are stuck at 5-8 seed for a decade.
@f5alcon
oh I agree, he definitely hasn't yet, it just seems like with his physical tools he should be better at that when he learns the game more, positioning, etc., not saying he will though, stupid Gasol tip in
@TempBoy Brandon
lakers are over cap, we can do it if we go over cap.
@gr8ball83
he hasnt in the games he has started, and his season drb% is only 18.4% I think we need somebody at 20% to be good enough at rebounding.
@DSYIII
brooks could not control cousins.
daniel :
DSYIII :@f5alcon
I know I’m probably alone on this, but I really see Demarcus Cousins as the piece that makes us a dynasty. His off-court issues (which I think stem almost entirely from a lack of respect for those who don’t do their jobs well) are the only things keeping him from being an all-star sooner rather than later, and those are the things that have his value currently low enough we might actually be able to get him without giving up our core(RW,KD,JH,SI). From an on-court perspective he’s the perfect fit
I was really hoping OKC could get Cousins, but after all this news about him getting kicked out of practice and feuding with coaches (only 5 weeks into the season!), I don’t think it’ll ever happen. Presti and the organization have preached on about having a high-character team made up of high-character players, and Cousins just doesn’t fit that (even if his on-court talents would look great in Thunder blue).
yeah, I agree, I was also extremely high on Cousins, I thought he'd figure it out soon enough, but the Kings are a terrible fit with all the other problems they have.
he'll probably figure it out eventually, but it will take him too long and our needs are more immediate.
DSYIII :@f5alcon
I know I’m probably alone on this, but I really see Demarcus Cousins as the piece that makes us a dynasty. His off-court issues (which I think stem almost entirely from a lack of respect for those who don’t do their jobs well) are the only things keeping him from being an all-star sooner rather than later, and those are the things that have his value currently low enough we might actually be able to get him without giving up our core(RW,KD,JH,SI). From an on-court perspective he’s the perfect fit
I was really hoping OKC could get Cousins, but after all this news about him getting kicked out of practice and feuding with coaches (only 5 weeks into the season!), I don't think it'll ever happen. Presti and the organization have preached on about having a high-character team made up of high-character players, and Cousins just doesn't fit that (even if his on-court talents would look great in Thunder blue).
@DSYIII
Theres no way Presti would want him on our team
@TempBoy Brandon
Do the Thunder and the Lakers have the same payroll?
@f5alcon
I know I'm probably alone on this, but I really see Demarcus Cousins as the piece that makes us a dynasty. His off-court issues (which I think stem almost entirely from a lack of respect for those who don't do their jobs well) are the only things keeping him from being an all-star sooner rather than later, and those are the things that have his value currently low enough we might actually be able to get him without giving up our core(RW,KD,JH,SI). From an on-court perspective he's the perfect fit
if the Lakers can figure out how to pay Kobe, Gasol, Artest, Odom, Bynum, and Fisher, I'm sure Presti and Bennett can figure out how to pay KD, Russ, Green, Ibaka and Harden.. especially under a new CBA..
@f5alcon
but nobody wins with all draft picks starting! you would think ibaka would get better at defensive rebounding the more he plays wouldn't you?
RW is playing Jeff out the door. Not many teams can afford to have a lamar odom type player who doesn't do any one thing excellently while competing for a title.
@gr8ball83
lol, im actually ok if we started all draft picks if they were good enough, i just dont see us winning a title without a really good defensive rebounder or post scorer.
KD is still a max player.. a little shooting slump doesn't change that.. :)
@f5alcon
i knew you would like the token thabo starting idea
@Bender
That's just foolish.
@Bender
no way, durant deserved the max, we can have 2 max players
@gr8ball83
if ibaka or aldrich became all star level we could win with what we have.
@Bender
now thats just crazy talk
Does this mean maybe, just maybe, we should have considered a less than max for Durant? I assume that's just crazy talk, but in hindsight would we/should have considered less?
@f5alcon
but if harden is the 6th man ginobli style and thabo keeps starting then he's our token acquisition. done and done. championship.
@ymi17
bowen and nazr were not draft picks of the spurs, if aldrich/ibaka and harden started all 5 of our starters would be draft picks that never played for any other team.
I want the team to compete for titles, and it's possible that they can be an annual contender with just Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook locked up and playing well. But they'll need help. Players who compliment their strengths and weaknesses. We stink on the defensive boards and have nobody who is good on them, and nobody except maybe Cole Aldrich who will ever be really good on them. Just one example.
The roster does not seem built right now with the strengths of its best players taken into account - mostly in the front court. The backcourt seems well taken care of if James Harden becomes productive again.
@dream catcher
That kind of idealism left me as an NBA fan in 1996. :)
@f5alcon The Spurs of the 00s? The 04-05 team had Nazr Mohammed, who is probably Krstic level (though defensive rather than offensive), and Bowen, who had previously bounced around. But that actually MAKES the point that it can be done with out a FA.
@justin
don't you want to see this team win a Championship with the players we have now? Imagine in 2012 we win the Championship with this core of players, you can't script it any better than that, home grown players developing into 1 unit and win a Ring.
Harden, Ibaka, Aldrich, Mullens... these guys can get much better.
KD, Russ, Green... these guys will become smarter, which will reduce turnovers.. these guys will also become more savvy, more clutch, stronger, more refined.. we won't see that "jump", but it's also nonsense to think that these guys won't be even better than they are now..
@dream catcher
Harden and Ibaka have higher ceilings because of their age, but still. There's a cost associated with waiting out their development.
@qrex
thabo and krstic.
do you count kobe as a traded acquisition for the lakers?
justin :@dream
catcher
Work ethic is important, and I’m sure Jeff Green can put up 1,000 three pointers a day in the offseason and perhaps shoot them close to 40% again if that’s all he’s focused on doing. But no matter how hard he works, he’s not going to be a great rebounder as a PF. He’s not going to be a great post defender. These are limitations imposed by his skill set and physique.
Similarly, Thabo Sefolosha probably isn’t going to become a knock down three point shooter. Kevin Durant isn’t going to become LeBron James handling the basketball. Serge Ibaka probably will never be a legitimate center unless he puts on mass. James Harden won’t be a Dwyane Wade type finisher at the rim.
Yeah, Serge has a great ethic. But what if he’s just no good at catching a basketball? Hard work isn’t going to change that much. Once in awhile we’ll see really young players develop new things in their game and hit another level, like what Westbrook is doing now or what Durant did last season. Expecting that from everyone, especially from older guys like Green or Thabo… just won’t happen.
I agree that Thabo, Green, and Maynor probably won't take that leap, but they could still refine their games and be a bit more efficient, be a bit smarter, etc...
Really the only guys on this team besides Durant and Westbrook that I see improving a lot is Harden and Ibaka. Harden has confidence issues, but this season we have seen that when he is playing loose and confident he is a solid 2nd year player. and when you watch Ibaka he is just oozing potential, he gives you flashes of brilliance that makes you think what he could become.
@qrex
depends on the lineup, but 3 unless ibaka starts at center like you pointed out before
@f5alcon
It's actually not roto, although I wish it was. Still have Deron Williams and K-Love on the team as well. Mainly just wanted Durant lol.
Players improve but there an an opportunity cost, also. There is enough flexibility with the roster that changes can be made to acquire a player or more who is already developed to a 'star' level.
@justin
yeah westbrook and durant are execptions to the rule.
@f5alcon
How many of our current starters came as a free agent or via trade? 3?
@Greg
is that an improvement? seems like you are giving up scoring, i mean you could have needs that are resolved with it, so it might be a great trade for you.
@dream catcher
Work ethic is important, and I'm sure Jeff Green can put up 1,000 three pointers a day in the offseason and perhaps shoot them close to 40% again if that's all he's focused on doing. But no matter how hard he works, he's not going to be a great rebounder as a PF. He's not going to be a great post defender. These are limitations imposed by his skill set and physique.
Similarly, Thabo Sefolosha probably isn't going to become a knock down three point shooter. Kevin Durant isn't going to become LeBron James handling the basketball. Serge Ibaka probably will never be a legitimate center unless he puts on mass. James Harden won't be a Dwyane Wade type finisher at the rim.
Yeah, Serge has a great ethic. But what if he's just no good at catching a basketball? Hard work isn't going to change that much. Once in awhile we'll see really young players develop new things in their game and hit another level, like what Westbrook is doing now or what Durant did last season. Expecting that from everyone, especially from older guys like Green or Thabo... just won't happen.
@gr8ball83
he still never played for any other team. What i was getting at was every team has either had a free agent or trade for an established player for at least one of its starters.
Pulled off a 3-team trade in fantasy
Gave up: Melo, Amare, Wall
Received: Durant, Josh Smith, Felton
@dream catcher
that still doesnt mean linear improvement, they could have a big jump like westbrook and not improve further, also not all their issues are correctable. some of them are not going to improve past a certain point.
@f5alcon
didn't we trade for uncle jeff's rights? :)