Wednesday Bolts – 7.23.14
Sekou Smith of NBA.com: “Durant left home as a teenager and spent a year in college at Texas before being drafted by Seattle and then moving to Oklahoma City when the franchise relocated there. He’s become an integral part of whatever community he’s lived in each and every time. And who knows what goes on for Durant and the Thunder over the course of the next two seasons. If LeBron’s homecoming doesn’t result in any titles or even a trip to The Finals, the decision will be panned universally outside of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. A would-be trend could be over before it gets started.”
Ben Golliver of SI.com on strange summer league moments: “For the rest of his life, former Syracuse forward C.J. Fair will be able to tell his friends and future grandkids that he posterized someone so badly that his opponent cried. Some context is required: The undrafted Fair (who was playing for Dallas) dunked over Raptors rookie Bruno Caboclo, a virtual unknown from Brazil who was surprisingly selected in the first round of the June draft. Caboclo, a baby-faced and long-armed 18-year-old, has upside for days, but his youth was exposed a bit after the highlight slam. He was first involved in a brief shoving match and then whistled for a technical foul. After returning to the bench, he covered his eyes with his jersey and put a towel over his head as he tried to compose himself. Reports indicated that the meltdown might have resulted from a misunderstanding over the technical foul, as Caboclo’s English is limited and it’s possible he thought he was ejected. He was also said to be upset because the Raptors were being routed.”
KD and Justin Bieber got brunch.
Amin Elhassan of ESPN Insider on top remaining free agents: “I’m a little surprised that Marion’s free agency has gone the way it did; I thought some playoff-caliber team (think Washington Wizards after losing Trevor Ariza) would look to secure the veteran defensive ace for short-term money. Marion brings defensive versatility, active rebounding and decent (but not great) spacing, as well as a knack for garbage points around the rim off broken plays and offensive rebounds. His age (36) might have scared some suitors off, and he has never been known as one to make salary concessions.”
