Wednesday Bolts – 6.24.15
Russ Bengston of Complex on the new KD8: “Take the heel counter as an example. Deep into the design process, Chang had to rethink them, as what he’d come up with was too close to one of Kobe’s designs for Durant’s taste. Sketching one night, he was inspired by Durant’s latest tattoo—a saber-toothed tiger on his right calf. Which, of course, comes back to Durant himself. ‘Obviously the saber-toothed [tiger] was around in the ice age,’ Durant says, ‘and I feel I’m a cold-blooded killer.’
Cam Payne in a Q&A: “I don’t know what to think. I’m just ready for it to happen. I can’t wait till June 25, because I mean, like you said, people have been talking about trades and all this other stuff, and I have no control over it. So I’m just sitting here waiting and listening, and I just can’t wait. I’m happy, but I’m just impatiently waiting.”
This is a good Russell Westbrook shirt.
Chad Ford’s “Grade A” mock 2.0: “The Thunder really need a long-term backup point guard behind Russell Westbrook and I think Payne is the best fit for the Thunder here. He’s a pure point guard, great at the pick and roll and finds a nice balance between scoring the basketball and shooting the ball. I actually have Jerian Grant rated slightly ahead of Payne, but for the Thunder needs, I think he’s the better choice. As for Vives, he’s another draft-and-stash candidate. A pure point guard with great size who just lacks elite athleticism.”
Great compilation of mock drafts at Reddit.
Berry Tramel: “The evidence is clear. Most NBA superstar point guards come from the high lottery, not the low lottery. But the Thunder doesn’t need a superstar point guard. It needs a future backup point guard. Cameron Payne might fill the bill. If Cameron Payne indeed becomes the next George Hill, the Thunder would be pleased to have him.”
Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com re-drafts 2011: “Obviously, Klay Thompson was the ideal call here — and a steal at 11. However, if Klay Thompson wasn’t available and Kanter was, the Warriors should have taken the strong big man who can score on the block and rebound reliably.”
Anthony Slater: “Drafting a wing this year would create a potential logjam and could spook Abrines away from making the leap. Morrow and Roberson are already under contract through the next two seasons and Singler is likely to sign a multi-year deal in July. But there’s only two point guards currently on the Thunder’s roster and one of them, D.J. Augustin, is entering the final year on his deal. OKC has been rumored to be heavily interested in Murray State point guard Cameron Payne. Should he fall to 14 – his stock has reportedly been rising – he could slide into the third point guard slot for a year and learn under Augustin with the idea of soon succeeding him. There’s less clutter at that spot. And, in the long term, that looks to be more of a fit come Thursday night.”
