Monday Bolts – 10.26.15

Erik Horne on Serge Ibaka: “Yes, there have been frontcourt players that can make respectable

amount of shots from 3-point range and block shots at a high rate on the level of Ibaka, but that list is small and comprised of players who are footnotes in league annals, players who burned out quickly or never possessed the athletic upside of the Thunder stopper. Entering last season, there was trepidation about Ibaka, already one of the best mid-range shooting frontcourt players in the league, expanding his game out to the 3-point line. That fear was subdued by Ibaka hitting 37.6 percent from 3-point range even though he increased his attempts from 60 to 205. His shooting percentage overall dropped, but it was clear that Ibaka opened up his game to another unforeseen positive. The experiment exceeded all expectations.”

Zach Lowe of Grantland: “It makes too much financial sense, even for a player who makes bank on marketing deals. Durant could reenter free agency in the summer of 2017, when the cap will likely jump from about $90 million to $108 million — lifting max-level contracts up with it. Durant by then will have completed 10 seasons, the magic point at which a player’s max contract can soak up 35 percent of the cap — up from 30 percent for players in the prior experience tier. Add it up, and Durant stands to make something like $35 million to $40 million more going this route, instead of signing a long-term contract at the first chance this summer. He could sign with another team and still get almost this much cash, but because of Bird rights and other cap minutiae, it’s mechanically easier to re-sign with the Thunder. That would also align Durant’s real free agency with those of Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, giving the trio another chance to win the ring together before deciding on their futures.”

Great Flip Saunders story from Tim Bontemps.

USA Today’s season preview: “July 1, 2016, is a date the Thunder faithful have been dreading for years and a date just about every fan — of every team, in every city — has been looking forward to: the day Durant becomes a free agent. Will he pull a Kobe Bryant and spend his entire career on one team? Will he follow the likes of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony and fly the coop? It’s safe to say that it will depend on how successful Oklahoma City is this season.”

So Nike made some KD2DC-ish shirts.

KD is excited about Gregg Popovich coaching USA Basketball.

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com: “Kevin Durant looks like the Slim Reaper again, tossing a scythe through fields of defenders. Russell Westbrook is once again Skynet activated, the bench is the best it has ever been in the Durant era, and Dion Waiters even hit shots. The Thunder had questions about how they’d adapt to a new coach in Billy Donovan and the early returns are crazy good. It’s more about the energy and determination they’re playing with than the actual performances. The way they’re playing matters more than how they’re playing, if that makes sense.”