Friday Bolts – 11.18.11

Henry Abbott of TrueHoop with a brilliant piece on the offer that should’ve been accepted: “There may be a certain tolerance out there for an NBA season lost to fixing a broken financial model. Everybody at least understands the idea that the league needs to be on solid financial footing. But with the money issues solved, it’s unfathomable that we might lose a season chasing the unicorn of competitive balance.”

Marc Stein of ESPN.com says KD is in talks with a German team still: “The agent for Kevin Durant confirmed an overseas media report Thursday that the Oklahoma City Thunder star is in talks with BBC Bayreuth about playing in Germany during the ongoing NBA lockout. Agent Aaron Goodwin told ESPN.com on Thursday night that talks between the teams are “ongoing” but said the deal is not in the final stages as described by SPOX.com.”

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com: “There isn’t a lot of legal precedent for a pro athletes’ union winning significant damages against their league, and that’s for a reason. That’s because there have always been, and remain, sound reasons for one side or the other not to want to risk defeat or score too overwhelming a victory. There’s a point where routing your opponent in a sports antitrust action becomes just as big a loss for you, and that point is when you emerge and realize that the people you just annihilated won’t make particularly good partners when it’s over. That’s the thing about mutually assured destruction. By definition, everybody loses.”

A massive list of 2012’s potentially bananas free agent market if there’s not a season.

Chris Broussard of ESPN.com: “The NBA held a 20-minute conference call Thursday to update its owners on the state of the labor situation, according to an ownership source. Commissioner David Stern spoke to the 29 owners (the NBA still owns the New Orleans Hornets) on what the source described as “an update call.” The owners’ strategy going forward was not discussed and no further meetings or calls were scheduled, either among the owners or with the players’ attorneys, the source said.”

J.A. Adande on who he’d start a franchise with: “Kevin Durant. As prolific a scorer as there is in the league, and he’s only 23 years old — four years away from his prime. He’s already learned playoff lessons from Kobe and Dirk. His defense will get better. And he loves the game.”

Had a wonderful time with the TBJ crew in OKC last night. Thanks to all that came out. And for all of you that didn’t… that’s OK.