Monday Bolts – 8.2.10
Want to work for the Thunder? There’s a job opening right now for Website Publications Coordinator. Go go go!
Darnell Mayberry gives reasons why CP3 isn’t coming back to OKC: “At this point, any desire to see Paul in a Thunder uniform is a clear lack of respect for Russell Westbrook. Management affirmed its belief in Westbrook by passing on Ricky Rubio in the 2009 NBA Draft, and last season Westbrook promptly squashed the “is-he-or-isn’t-he” debate over whether he’s a point guard. After putting together the best playoff performance of any Thunder player, Westbrook now enters his third season well-established as one of the league’s best young floor generals.”
Jared Dudley worked out with Serge Ibaka: “Just got done with a mornin workout at Impact with Thunders own Serge Ibaka. I new he was athletic but i was very impress with his shooting.”
One writer wonders if the Bulls are the Thunder of the East: “Chicago is built to deliver the same greatness. Rose will showcase his shoe-defying speed with and without the ball, Noah will block shots and get in your face about it and role players will be solid overall. Tom Thibodeau will instill a powerful defensive focus, just as Scott Brooks does for the Thunder.”
Susan Bible of HoopsWorld has a breakdown of the Thunder’s current roster: “One of the real advantages is that the young players should return as better players. The fact that the Big Three (Durant, Westbrook and Green) were invited to mini-camp for Team USA and survived the first cut to 15 players going into training camp in New York won’t hurt. Two other facts about this team contribute heavily to its previous success and will lead them next season: 1) the versatility of its players; most of them can play multiple positions giving them match-up flexibility, and 2) the chemistry and unselfishness between the players is off the charts. Add a rising superstar or two, and a winning formula is emerging.”
Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that Rich Cho has selected two assistant GMs and is just working out contract details. Of course, some are wondering if Troy Weaver is one of those. From what I hear, he’s not.
Also, Quick has a nice feature on Cho: “He knows his time to order is approaching and he wants to make an informed decision. It mirrors his reputation as a basketball executive. When he was an assistant general manager under Rick Sund in Seattle, Sund recalls many a time when he asked Cho about acquiring a player on another team. Shortly after, Cho would present him with as many as 10 options on how to acquire that player, each scenario complete with whether he wanted to use one, two or three players to make the acquisition, and the salary cap implications for each scenario. Research. Options. Input. It’s the Cho way.”
I’ve gotten a bunch of great questions for the mailbag and it should be put together soon. Thanks for all the emails.
