Friday Bolts – America Edition
Zach Harper of CBSSports.com on Thabo’s deal: “And what do the Hawks get out of him if his defense isn’t up to snuff? The Hawks really need a creator on the wing to help out and Sefolosh can’t do that at all. If the plan is to make him the starter for this team, it just doesn’t feel like this is a proper signing. If he’s going to be a role player off the bench, then it’s not a bad gamble but a third year seems unnecessary. They gave up Lou Williams to the Raptors to have extra cap space and they’re settling by using it on Sefolosha. They need him to be able to shoot. Grade: C”
Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com in a 5-on-5: “If Oklahoma City signs Gasol, and if it means replacing Kendrick Perkins in the starting lineup, I’m definitely intrigued by what that might mean for the Thunder.”
Anthony Slater on Mike Miller: “He makes sense for the Thunder and, in many ways, the Thunder makes sense for him. OKC is a title contender, which is a must for the two-time champion. It has playing time to offer at shooting guard, with a void left after Thabo Sefolosha’s expected exit. And it offers a potential paradise for a sharpshooter, with Durant and Russell Westbrook serving as the type of dynamic playmakers who open up wide-open shots. When healthy during his three seasons in Miami, Miller thrived in that type of offense, feeding off LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.”
Sekou Smith of NBA.com on Thabo: “Sefolosha was a mainstay in that Thunder lineup during that franchise’s rise from lottery outfit to legitimate contender, working alongside the reigning KIA MVP Kevin Durant and All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook. The Hawks have an offensive specialist on the perimeter in veteran shooter Kyle Korver. Sefolosha gives them kindred spirit on the defensive side and a player versatile enough to fit into whatever small-ball, Spurs-lite scheme Budenholzer has in mind for the future. Once again, Ferry is loading the cupboard with great fits at reasonable prices, the same as he did last summer when the Hawks were flush with cap space and spent wisely (if at all).”
Shea Serrano on the Spurs is must-read.
Ethan Sherwood Strauss of ESPN.com: “It’s a testament to the power of Bryant’s play and status that the Lakers bid against their own future in paying homage. It’s also a testament to how denial can be corrosive to goals. The Lakers (and Bryant) suffered an inability to accept that Bryant’s body couldn’t cash the checks his legend kept writing. In contrast, the Spurs (and Duncan) have long accepted that Duncan can’t keep functioning as the main reason for success, that his minutes need lessening, that his roster needs furnishing. An acceptance of reality, combined with Duncan’s willingness to play the part of someone who wins at his own literal expense, extended San Antonio’s title window.”
