Monday Bolts: 8.7.17
The Thunder released its preseason schedule: “The Thunder tips off its 10th preseason on Oct. 3 versus the Houston Rockets in Tulsa at the BOK Center. The club will head back to Oklahoma City for two contests, starting on Oct. 6 when it hosts the New Orleans Pelicans. The NBL’s Melbourne United comes to Chesapeake Energy Arena on Oct. 8, which marks the third time the Thunder has played host to an international team in OKC. The preseason concludes with a trip to face the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 10.”
Fred Katz had a Q&A with Enes Kanter: “I see trade rumors all the time, especially about me. The year I got traded to OKC, I played that year and then after every year, I heard the rumors. ‘Enes Kanter is getting traded. Enes Kanter is getting traded.’ I can’t say enough how much I love the fans [in Oklahoma City], how much I love the organization, all the people there. I see them like family. I really see them like my family. But if it happens, it happens. I can’t do nothing about it, because it’s not in my hands.”
Patrick Patterson spoke with his hometown newspaper about the decision to join the Thunder: “Oklahoma City was one of a handful of teams that contacted me,” said Patterson, who worked his basketball camp Tuesday at HHS. “A lot of them were coming at me with more money than what Oklahoma City offered, but they were offering opportunities to come off the bench, something I’ve done the last several years. Oklahoma City offered me a chance to start.”
Victor Oladipo spoke with SportsCenter about playing with Russ: “I witnessed probably the greatest single-man season in NBA history and I learned a lot I can take with me for the rest of my career.”
Business Insider introduces Chris Brickley — offseason trainer for Enes Kanter & more: “In a luxury gym in New York City in early August, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Enes Kanter spins and misses a wide-open, left-handed layup and screams in frustration. Brickley quickly reassures him — he missed the shot but the footwork was perfect. It was a good rep. Kanter, drenched in sweat, goes back to work. Later on, after completing a circuit involving layups, mid-range jump shots, and pull-up threes with nary a miss, Brickley doesn’t let Kanter bask in the glory or catch a breath. They move to the right side of the floor to repeat the same drill.”
Nick Gallo on Raymond Felton: “Most likely, Felton will run the Thunder’s second unit in 2017-18. Skill level and explosiveness aside, he’ll have a lot in common from an ethos standpoint with the Thunder’s starter at that position. Over the years, Felton has experienced more than his fair share of Russell Westbrook, another guy who has no problem being straight up. “That’s one battle that you don’t look forward to coming in here, playing against him,” Felton recalled. “He brings it every night. He’s going to give it his all. So I look forward to playing with a guy like that because I play the same way.”
A Warriors blog reviews Oklahoma City’s revamped roster: “I expect the Thunder to be a top-four team in the West, joining the Warriors, Rockets, and Spurs as the conference’s best squads. They could even be the second best team if George excels on his new team, and their bench outperforms expectations. If any team under its current roster construction defeats the Warriors in the Western Conference playoffs, I’d bet it would be this one. But if this season goes poorly, it is possible that both Westbrook and George are playing in different uniforms in 2018. The Thunder better not screw it up.”
Paul George was turned away from the Drew League yesterday: “The famed Los Angeles-based Pro-Am league actually declined Paul George’s request to play in a playoff game on Sunday because his participation would have violated league rules. NBA insider Nate Jones was at the Drew League playoffs on Sunday and shared that George tried to show up and play in one of the second-round playoff games but was turned down.”
More on Steven Adams and his New Zealand golf tournament:
