Friday Bolts: 8.3.18
Russell Westbrook hosts 6th annual Why Not? camp (PHOTOS): “6th Annual Why Not? Basketball Camp at Jesse Owens. Love to come home to LA and give back to the kids in the neighborhood where I grew up!!! #whynot”
Brett Dawson speaks with rookie Hamidou Diallo about his role, contract: “‘We haven’t even spoken about a role yet,’ Diallo said. ‘We’re still playing pickup ball and stuff like that, still training. Guys are just coming in, veteran players, and trying to teach us as much as possible as early as possible.’
On paper, Diallo is an unlikely rotation player. He’s 20 years old, hasn’t played an NBA game and is on a roster that replenished its wing depth in the offseason with the additions of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Abdel Nader.”
Jerry Tipton (Kentucky.com) has a different perspective on Diallo: “Diallo acknowledged the culture shock that comes from a person New York City born and bred now about to live in Oklahoma.
‘I’m from New York,’ he said. ‘So definitely any city I probably go to — unless it’s L.A. or Chicago or a couple other of those major cities — it’s going to be a little culture shock. For the most part, Kentucky prepared me for it. So I’m cool. It’s a cool city. Cool people.
‘And it’s just like being back here. We’re the only professional team in town, and everybody supports us. So it’s just like being here all over again. So it’s cool.'”
Scott Davis (Business Insider) on why Carmelo Anthony will have to do what he couldn’t for the Thunder: “That role is something Anthony himself hasn’t been excited to embrace. Over the past year (basically, since he left the Knicks), Anthony has bristled at the idea that he would take a lesser role on a team to better fit.
When asked about the idea of coming off the bench shortly after being traded to the Thunder, Anthony asked, “Who, me?”
Anthony averaged career-lows in points per game and field-goal percentage last season but did adopt the role as a spot-up shooter and third option with the Thunder. He didn’t perform it particularly well, but on the court at least, he seemed willing to take a backseat to Russell Westbrook and Paul George.”
Keith Smith (RealGM) explains why Abdel Nader was cheaper for the Thunder than an undrafted rookie: “Nader is actually cheaper for the Thunder to keep than adding an undrafted player. Because undrafted players count towards the tax for the two-year veteran minimum, OKC saves a little cash with Nader’s one-year veteran salary. That deep on the roster, the upside is minimal.”
Around the League: More images of Giannis looking jacked … Harrison Barnes eats kota for the first time … Nate Robinson signs in Lebanon … Steph Curry names his Mt. Rushmore of handles
