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I’m a big fan of wasting time watching NBA mixes and through the numerous YouTube rabbit holes I’ve climbed down whilst doing so, I haven’t stumbled across too many good James Harden ones. But wouldn’t you know it, this one just popped up a couple days ago and it’s very solid. Especially with Steve Kerr’s outstanding comment to kick it off.
Kevin Love/Instagram
If you missed it, SB Nation’s Andrew Sharp told you today how James Harden is why you should pretty much love America. And as if to say, “YOU KNOW IT AMERICA,” Harden struck this pose for Team USA’s picture in Barcelona today.
Go ahead, create your own caption on this one. I’m feeling Harden going all Gus Fring on the world here.
Andrew Sharp of SB Nation writes that James Harden is kind of the greatest: “And James Harden is kind of the greatest. There are a lot of ways to “do” fame and fortune and outrageous talent, and different people handle it in different ways. But with all due respect to DeShawn Stevenson’s in-home ATM, nobody in today’s NBA does it better than James Harden, who seems determined to have more fun with this stuff than anybody in the world. All of which is to say, there’s a lot we could talk about with Harden and how he became a member of this Olympic Team, but I think it’s probably better to take a step back here. Remember what’s really important, you know? What’s really important is that James Harden is probably the best, most self-explanatory argument we have for the United States being a zillion times cooler than any other country.”
Bill Simmons using Game of Thrones to recap the NBA summer: “One of the show’s cockiest quotes goes to Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti, who made the Finals, then followed that up by drafting Perry Jones (this year’s big feast-or-famine post-lottery pick) and signing Hasheem Thabeet (for the veteran’s minimum, but still). Both moves reeked of a little “I don’t care if everyone else is scared off, I can fix this, I’m Sam Effing Presti!!!!!” swagger. I thoroughly enjoyed them. By the way, no TV show ever used beheadings and severed heads more effectively than Thrones — it really makes you long for the days when you could celebrate a big win by putting your opponent’s head on a stake.” Keep Reading…
Team USA rolled Great Britain 118-78 in a tuneup in Manchester, England. Nothing all that notable from it, but the people you care about — Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden — all played reasonably well.
Durant finished with 13 (while also missing two easy layups), Westbrook 15 points and nine assists and Harden with nine points, three assists.
And oh yeah, Westbrook did that really cool thing where he jumps super high and throws the ball in the rim super hard. I always like that play. Team USA should run it more often.
Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
The Thunder have already had a pretty successful offseason by default, but it could get a whole lot better. The future is in doubt in Oklahoma City with extensions for James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor on the to-do list. There’s potential to enter luxury tax hell and potentially a Sophie’s Choice coming for Sam Presti.
It’s not all over if extensions aren’t done this summer though. All that would mean is the player(s) would enter into restricted free agency next summer, which would sort of let the market determine value. But at the same time, you open the door to the possibility of a brash, deep-pocketed owner throwing big time dollars somewhere. So locking up sooner than later is preferred.
Both Harden and Maynor seemed to indicate sacrifices could be made to keep this thing together and I don’t doubt they’ll try. But we’ll have to wait and see. How likely are these things to get done? Or even one of them? Keep Reading…
Tom Ziller of SB Nation on the Lakers: “But a team with that profile wouldn’t be anything like an overwhelming title favorite. A team with that profile probably wouldn’t rate higher than the team that smoked them in the playoffs this spring, the Thunder. Or higher than the team that smoked the Thunder, those pesky Miami Heat. Unless something derails those two clubs, you can keep the dynasty talk in your back pocket. The Lakers would be a legit title contender so long as Nash (38 years old) and Kobe (closing in on 34) were highly productive, but they wouldn’t likely be a championship favorite in any season, let alone multiple seasons. Landing Nash and Howard would be great, but wouldn’t renew the Lakers dynasty.”
Hasheem Thabeet on what the Thunder coaching staff has told him: “They just told me that I have to be ready to work. That’s my focus right now, just come in and be able to work each day and get better every day.” Keep Reading…
Shayne Lee for CNN.com on the Dream Team vs. 2012: “The general consensus appears to side with Jordan and Barkley. In informal online polls, an overwhelming majority of the public favored the Dream Team over our current Olympic Team in a hypothetical matchup. Judging by the polls, pundits and prognostications on the issue, few seem to be taking Kobe’s sacrilege seriously. But I do. In fact, I believe Kobe Bryant’s team would not only win, but also win comfortably. What makes this social scientist so sure?”
Mike Kurylo of Knickerblogger: “Logically there is no reason to be a Knick fan, and yet you, we, persist. By acknowledging we are Knick fans we publicly support the moves of the organization. By watching MSG or buying Knicks gear we give our monetary support to the team. And by staying Knick fans we share the same stubborn traits that continues to make this team doomed to failure. So as Knick fans we not only agree with James L. Dolan, but in some deeper way, we become him.” Keep Reading…
Oklahoma City’s Offseason Grade: On a curve
As other teams ran the free agency rat race — overpaying for talent, making deals, signing veterans looking to chase a championship — the Thunder had a very Thunder-like offseason.
Uneventful.
All it amounted to was trading Nazr Mohammed, Derek Fisher and Royal Ivey for Perry Jones III, Hasheem Thabeet and Hollis Thompson. An upgrade? Hard to know with the unknowns of two rookies and a bust, but it’s probably at least a push.
What the Thunder do lose though is three very solid veteran voices. Obviously Scott Brooks and Sam Presit feel that between the experiences of the last couples seasons along with a few older guys like Nick Collison and Kendrick Perkins that the Thunder have plenty of it. Because no more Fisher, no more Mohammed, no more Ivey. That’s 38 seasons of NBA experience replaced with three, and those are all from Thabeet. Keep Reading…