Monday Bolts – 10.15.12

Kevin Arnovitz of TrueHoop on Russell Westbrook and Jordan Brand: “Over the past quarter century (gulp), the Jordan Brand launched a business that would become an economic tentpole for sports. The brand has plenty of competition and no shoe can lend legitimacy to a professional player simply by signing them, but being a starter on Team Jordan, so to speak, is a nice, sexy résumé item for a budding superstar, given the legacy of the brand and its namesake, That’s one reason Russell Westbrook’s jumping to the Jordan Brand was deemed a big deal — for both star and brand.”

Spencer Lund of Dime: “Westbrook is no Jordan. That much is clear even if you discount everything but the first four years of MJ’s career, before a time when MJ was winning titles and became a worldwide name that still is deified today. MJ shot more efficiently and was a better defender through those early years than Westbrook’s been with OKC. But Westbrook’s bull-headed approach, his competitiveness and startling athleticism off the dribble drive, all mimic the young Jordan that hadn’t yet figured it out either. As Russell Westbrook enters his fifth season on a team that’s favored to come out of the Western Conference, he faces many of the same questions Jordan faced: Can he share the ball? Will he forfeit some offense for the betterment of the team? Like his new label-mate, the only thing Westbrook can do is go out and prove them all wrong. There are few players that better personify the Jordan Brand’s ethos.”

Eddie Maisonet of SB Nation: “Either way, the expectation of signing Harden by Halloween is irrelevant, outside of the sheer desire to put the Harden talk to bed so we don’t have to worry about it. However, why put anything in stone now if you don’t have to? Right? Unless the Thunder believe that the trio of Durant-Harden-Ibaka are good enough to build around, and that Harden is replaceable, I can’t see a scenario where he doesn’t return. If they do find him replaceable….then the league’s greatest beard will be playing for a team that isn’t worth a damn at all, and that would be a damn shame.”

KD’s take on the man jumping from space yesterday: “Wow just seen Felix Baumgartner jump from the edge of space! #couldnthavebeenme..my pants woulda smelled like a dump truck lol congrats”

Changing the draft.

It’s Devin Durrant.

Russell Westbrook in a Q&A about Jordan Brand: “Q: Does Michael Jordan still handpick the players he wants to represent his brand? A: Yes. I think so. To my knowledge, I think he wants guys that relate to the brand. I don’t think they want too many guys. But they want guys that relate to the brand. Q: Did he ever reach out to you personally? A: Nah, not before the process. A little bit (afterward). I didn’t get a chance to holler at him though. But he tried to reach out. Q: Wait a second. If Michael Jordan calls, you take his call. A: (Laughs). I didn’t know. I didn’t know what it was, who was calling.”

James Harden comes up quite a lot in this guide to flopping.

Happy five years, HP.

David Aldridge of NBA.com on Harden’s extension: “The $58 million question — that amount being the max amount a player will get in an offer sheet from an opposing team if he’s not signed to an extension. Oklahoma City says all the right things regarding Harden, but the Thunder are looking for a way not to pay a third player a max deal. There is no way Harden won’t get a max offer from another team next summer, though. So OKC can pay him now, or pay him later. Or trade him. But that would just bring back more salary and rip the locker room apart.”

And on Maynor’s: “The Thunder missed Maynor last season after he tore his ACL, and he’s been full go so far in training camp. But the issue isn’t Maynor’s knee any more; the issue is OKC’s finances. Forget what a potential new deal for Harden would mean: even with its current payroll commitments, the Thunder may not be able to break even even if they make several Finals in a row the next few years. So OKC will almost certainly wait until next summer and see what the market sets for Maynor’s value. In the interim, the Thunder will see how much more money it can wring out of the local economy, and if the details of the league’s revenue sharing program somehow change them from a payer to a receiver.”

KD with most like to play with Larry Legend.

Darnell Mayberry with preseason thoughts: “Kendrick Perkins is sidelined all preseason while recovering from wrist surgery. That’s given third-year man Cole Aldrich a chance at ample playing time as the temporary starter. So far, Aldrich has made the most of his opportunities, recording double-doubles in both of the first two preseason games. He also tallied three blocked shots in each game. Aldrich has been erratic yet awkwardly effective. He’s displayed a functional jump hook with both hands, tenacity as a rebounder, a willingness to set physical screens to free up shooters and improved awareness defending the pick and roll. The downside to Aldrich is he still isn’t great in man post defense, and he fouls at an alarming rate.”