Friday Bolts – 10.30.15

Anthony Slater: “Donovan will have about 30 people in attendance on Friday, a mixture of family

and friends. More Gators fans are expected to attend. Long-time Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley said there’s a curiosity surrounding the return. The paper is sending someone on the two-hour trek south to cover it. But in general, the majority of the Gainesville community is solely focused on the football game in Jacksonville.”

Brian Windhorst on “dead money”: “Gilbert Arenas hasn’t played for the Orlando Magic since 2011 — or in the NBA since 2012 — but he will get $12 million from them this season as part of a $64 million buyout. Getting him off their books allowed the Magic to kick-start a rebuilding project. In 2005, the Mavericks released Michael Finley and ate the final three years and $52 million of his contract using what was known as the amnesty provision, saving them tens of millions in luxury taxes. Because of a clause in his contract, the Mavericks paid Finley off in annual installments over the next decade.”

Kind of weird for the Thunder to not have anyone on an under-25 list.

Juliet Litman and Chris Ryan talk plenty of Thunder here.

Jonathan Tjarks for Real GM on Thunder-Spurs: “The Thunder got the full Enes Kanter experience on Wednesday, as he finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds on 11 shots, yet had a plus/minus of 0 in his 24 minutes on the floor because the Spurs repeatedly attacked him in the two-man game, in the post and off the ball. If Oklahoma City can somehow find a way to minimize his defensive issues when playing next to their Big Three, they will score so many points it may not matter what anyone else does. Against San Antonio, this is where Tim Duncan’s ability to beat Father Time is huge – the Thunder have to keep Ibaka on Aldridge which means forcing the weaker of their two interior defenders on Duncan. If he can force Nick Collison into the game and keep the younger, spryer and more offensively gifted Oklahoma City big men on the bench, it would be a huge win for the Spurs.”

Here’s Howard Beck discussing his recent piece on The Lowe Post.

Erik Horne: “Waiters, however, said Thursday this is by far the most comfortable he’s felt in his NBA career, calling the Thunder a ‘brotherhood.’ … After spending the first 2 1/2 years of his career with Cleveland, Waiters said his time with the Thunder has been unlike anything he’s experienced thus far in the league. He seeing the significance of hanging out during the day or going out with teammates — little comforts that go a long way. ‘We’re always together,’ Waiters said. ‘There’s always genuine love, not just on the court but off the court, also. I think that plays a key role in everything in our success on the court.'”