Monday Bolts – 7.6.09
parade: “I’m not one of those people believing it is so sweet and nice Oklahoma City has a team. I think it’s a bad joke on the league. Oklahoma City still is a one-horse town that won’t sustain its love for the Thunder, won’t attract the upper echelon free agents and won’t be able to keep its own stars. I’m sure there are plenty of fine people in OKC, who enjoy their NBA team. Some even understand the game. But they should know that their team was built on the insults the Bennett ownership group hurled at Seattle.”
OKC to make an offer to Anderson Varejao?: “One rumor circulating is that Oklahoma City might make former Cavs forward/center Anderson Varejao an offer. That doesn’t add up. Sure, he would be a perfect fit for the emerging Thunder. But Thunder GM Sam Presti is best friends with Cavs GM Danny Ferry. They have a buddy-buddy system going strong, and the perception is Presti would not do anything to hurt Ferry’s team.”
Kevin Durant on James Harden: “I see him as a lot of guys,” Durant said. “Brandon Roy is one guy who comes to mind. Paul Pierce, the way he controls his body. He’s not the most athletic, quickest guy, but he’s sneaky athletic. He’ll dunk on you and uses his body very well.” After the pick-up game on Monday, Durant, Harden and other teammates went out to eat. “We got to bond with each other,” Durant said. “He’s a great guy. We’re getting started early. I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Jenni Carlson did some weird Q&A with Harden: “The Q&A” is all about fun questions, and no subject is more fun than your beard. What’s the story with it? James Harden: My whole freshman year of college, I didn’t have it. It didn’t start growing until maybe the summer going into my sophomore year. It was growing everywhere. And I didn’t feel like shaving. There were times throughout the season where I had to cut it because coach said it was getting too long, but … it’s my new look.”
Some interesting notes from the last couple summer leagues: “Kevin Durant averaged 24.0 points during the 2007 summer league before going on to win Rookie of the Year. J.J. Redick led all players in scoring (19.8) in the 2007 Orlando summer league.”
The Good Point compiled a lot of basketball writer’s favorite memories from this NBA season. I took part and wrote something amazing: “There’s really one moment that sticks out above all the rest for basketball fans in Oklahoma City. When David Stern walked to mid-court at the Ford Center and said, “Oklahoma City, welcome to the National Basketball Association”, everything changed for us. We went from perceived cowtown where everybody still went to work in covered wagons to Big League City. We were professional, in the same league with Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Chicago. That’s a lot different than Frisco, Pawtucket, Toledo and Rochester. Opening Night was something we never thought we’d see here. It was a night to let out the emotions and build-up of finally getting a franchise, a night to just celebrate what was on the court. The final score didn’t matter. The only thing that did was that the NBA had come to Oklahoma.”
The Lost Ogle has a funny Thunder-related video: “Last week marked the one year anniversary of the Oklahoma City Thunder leaving Seattle. To mark the occasion, KONG of Seattle thought it would be fun to interview someone from Channel 9 regarding the teams recent “struggles.” Who did Channel 9 choose to represent our city??? The morning traffic reporter.”
A Q&A with Scott Brooks talking about the new players: “Q: What are your thoughts on James Harden, the No. 3 pick in the draft? A: “He was a scorer in college, but he’s more than that. He’s a playmaker. He will help our guys get better and help them get easy shots. Defensively, he has long, active hands. I think he can do a good job of pressuring perimeter players.” Q: What are your early impressions of center B.J. Mullens? A: “The talk is he’s a project-type player, but I look at all our guys (that way). I want Kevin Durant to come back a better player and Kyle (Weaver) and Russell (Westbrook) and everyone else. B.J. is no different. He’s a guy our coaches will wrap our arms around to help him improve, help him get better.”
Interesting column by Sam Amico: “This is a summer that’s expected to pale in comparison to next year’s Free Agent Class of All Classes, with the likes of Wade, James and about 997 other stars coming off the books. Not really, but it sometimes seems that way. So what’s the point? Well, there isn’t one. Other than perhaps this summer will turn out to be even more important than next, as seemingly every team with a major player is doing everything it can to make a meaningful move toward a title. OK, maybe not the Heat. But if anything, the Heaters are a prime example of what happens if you just hang out and watch and don‘t get overly involved. Doing nothing just might tick off your superstar. And no one wants that. Not when 2010 is right around the corner.”
Chris Silva previews the Summer League: “The rookie class of James Harden, B.J. Mullens and Robert Vaden will get its first taste of professional basketball, and also give the coaching staff a barometer of where they’re at in a controlled setting with officiating and against first- and second-year players. The staff will soon learn how much work last year’s rookie class of Russell Westbrook, Kyle Weaver and D.J. White has put in this off-season. International prospects Serge Ibaka and DeVon Hardin will have a chance to show whether they’re capable of helping the Thunder this season, or if they need another year of seasoning overseas. In other words, it’s unfair to say the organization is interested in seeing only a handful of its players.”
