Wednesday Bolts – 7.31.13
Bill Simmons: “Have you ever impulsively bought a piece of furniture you didn’t really need — like a coffee table or something — and within three weeks, you begrudgingly realize that it doesn’t fit in with everything else in the house? And that you blew it? And should stick that dumb purchase in the garage, where it belongs? But you get all stubborn about it, so that coffee table lingers in your house for an extra three years before you finally suck it up and do something about it? That’s Perkins for Sam Presti. He had multiple chances to stick Perk in the garage and just wouldn’t do it.3 Last October, they shopped James Harden over just doing nothing, making one more title run, and then either (a) trading him, or (b) keeping him and amnestying Perkins. (Mistake No. 1.) Then, they dealt Harden for 50 cents on the dollar4 without forcing Houston to take Perk’s contract in the trade. (Mistake No. 2.) And this summer, they never amnestied two years and $17.6 million of Perk to add some much-needed free-agent shooting. (Mistake No. 3.)”
Steve Perrin of Clips Nation puts the Thunder’s offseason on blast: “But I’m baffled at how little emphasis has been placed on the loss of Kevin Martin, the Thunder’s third best scorer last season. And by the way, the phrase “third best scorer” doesn’t really do justice to the situation. Durant and Westbrook accounted for 4,183 of OKC’s 8.669 points last season, over 48%, by far the highest percentage for any duo in the league. But Martin kicked in another 1,077 points, and unlike Ibaka who contributed 1,055, Martin is actually able to create some offense by himself. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the Thunder have three of the least offensive-minded regulars in the entire NBA. There were 14 players in the entire league last season who played more than 1,500 minutes while scoring fewer than 10 points per 36 minutes. Three of those 14 players — Thabo Sefolosha, Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison — play in Oklahoma City.”
KD tweets: “Just got boo’d at a dodger game! My life is complete”
Berry Tramel: “Sorry, I can’t get excited about Ryan Gomes, who apparently is signing with the Thunder. Mike Miller? Absolutely. Dorrell Wright? OK. Derek Fisher? Fine. Ryan Gomes? Nope. A 6-foot-7 small forward who is a career 35 percent 3-pointer doesn’t fit the Thunder needs. Gomes always has been a good defender, but does the Thunder need a wing defender who’s not a great offensive threat? Let’s see. Thabo Sefolosha. DeAndre Liggins. Andre Roberson. I love defense as much as the next guy — OK, I love defense way more than most next guys — but the Thunder doesn’t need four wingmen whose forte is defense.”
Simmons in part two: “Fact: If you made a “Best Forwards in Basketball” list right now, LeBron and Durant would go first and second, obviously, followed by Carmelo Anthony, Paul George and Dirk Nowitzki. If Kevin Love is healthy, I’d have him sixth, followed by Blake Griffin seventh.8 You know who’s eighth if you threw out salaries and just based this list on “What am I getting every night on both ends RIGHT NOW if I need a quality forward to play 36 minutes a night for me as my best or second-best player on a playoff team”? That’s right, Josh Smith. You’d take him over Serge Ibaka, Anthony Davis and everyone else except mayyyyyyyybe David West.”
