Friday Bolts – 9.26.14

Kurt Helin of PBT on Reggie Jackson: “That’s all swell. However, with a tough point guard free agent market right now (how long did Eric Bledsoe’s deal take, for example) there is no need for the Thunder to overpay. The more likely outcome is the Thunder lets the league set the market for him next summer, then they match. Even if it is a little more than they are comfortable with there will be a fast-rising salary cap with the new television deal coming in to cushion that blow. Jackson wants to start and he could get that chance this year. For the past three seasons Scott Brooks started Thabo Sefolosha at the two guard spot and that made some sense as he defended well and stretched the floor with his three point shooting. But last season Sefolosha lost his shot and his usefulness deteriorated. By the playoffs Scott Brooks was playing Jackson and Russell Westbrook together as a backcourt and by the end of the Spurs series he was starting. But that was not enough against San Antonio.”

Jon Hamm for NewsOK on the difference between Jackson and Harden: “This is what makes Jackson’s situation different. It’s unlikely he would command the Designated Player designation from any team. That’s no knock on Jackson, whose excellent performance has created this dilemma. However, he’s not in the same Mesosphere with the likes of Paul George, Blake Griffin, John Wall or Kyrie Irving. Those players are also members of the prestigious Designated Player club.”

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com with a great LeBron piece: “The Cavs organization will remember the James who liked to joke around and plan pregame routines and then run away when ownership and the front office came to him when they needed real help. It wasn’t that James failed as a recruiter for free agents and coaches his first time in Cleveland, it was that he wasn’t even interested in taking part. Those days are over. James will have his fun and involve teammates; that’s why he has become so well-liked in the league. But you better execute your job because James will execute his. With how he’s positioned himself, he has all the power to make any changes if he deems them appropriate. This is who James is now. Just ask Nike. The company has a nine-figure deal with James, but when last year’s version of the shoe wasn’t performing the way he demanded, there was hell to pay behind the scenes and on stage. James just stopped wearing the model. The Cavs are about to learn all of this firsthand as James is about to apply a giant culture shock.”

Anthony Slater on Jackson: “Jackson’s value spiked during last year’s breakout season, when he morphed into one of the league’s best bench players. And his price tag increased even more this offseason, when comparable peers such as Chandler Parsons, Gordon Hayward and Eric Bledsoe got massive deals. Jackson has openly admitted to following those negotiations closely. It’ll undoubtedly make him harder to keep. But Jackson, unlike Harden, is not a max player. He’ll come a bit cheaper. And he wouldn’t fetch as much as Harden did in a trade, making it less likely the Thunder would be persuaded to deal him before he’s tossed into restricted free agency next summer. And if the contract negotiations drag into next offseason, the Thunder will have a bit more financial flexibility than in the past. The salary cap is projected to continue its rise. Kendrick Perkins’ $9 million contract will be off the books. Some spending money will be available.”

OKC Blue coach Mark Daigneault in a Q&A: “The second thing, in terms of development, is that I’ve always felt strongly that development is a very holistic thing. It’s not just about a player improving their skill level. It’s not just about a player improving their ability to impact the team or the ability to keep their body healthy or improve their body or improve their athleticism. It’s all those things put together, plus more. It’s a spiritual element. It’s a mental element- their ability to think like a professional every day. It’s an emotional element. That would be just my philosophy on development – none of those things in isolation are development, it’s how they work in synergy. As a coach, if you neglect one of those areas, you’re going to be missing a part of that players’ development. Some players need parts of those more than others. I think that’s part of our job as a staff, to identify that.”

Perk is out the first two weeks of camp.

James Herbert of CBSSports.com: “Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti told reporters on Thursday that he’s not trying to trade Reggie Jackson, who is eligible for an extension before Oct. 31 and will otherwise become a restricted free agent next summer. This is where we should probably remember that, a couple of years ago at this time, Presti was talking about how much the organization wanted James Harden to stick around and how much the Thunder valued him. This isn’t the same situation — Jackson isn’t about to get a maximum contract from anybody — but we should keep in mind that, while there’s no reason to say anything but nice things about him right now, Presti will ultimately not go beyond a certain price to re-sign Jackson. And if a trade offer comes in that makes sense, Oklahoma City will consider it.”