Monday Bolts: 5.1.17
Brett Dawson on the Thunder’s Offseason Questions: “Under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, Westbrook is eligible for a five-year contract extension worth up to 35 percent of Oklahoma City’s salary cap over that span. That projects to about $219 million. It’s more than any team other than the Thunder can offer Westbrook if he hits free agency in the summer of 2018. But does Presti feel pressure to get a deal done this summer? OKC can ill afford to let Westbrook walk in a year. Westbrook has said he loves Oklahoma City. But does the Thunder need to show him that it can get back to title contention in the short term — and show him long-term viability? And how does Presti do that without significant cap room this summer?”
New Zealand Herald gets tough on Steven Adams: “The Kiwi was at times an able supporting player while Westbrook completed one of the more amazing individual seasons in recent history. At others, he was little more than a bystander with the best seat in the house.”
Beat writers rank all 42 of Westbrook’s triple-doubles: “It’s not easy to rank all 42 of Russell Westbrook’s regular-season triple-doubles, but Thunder beat writers Brett Dawson and Erik Horne set out to do it anyway. There’s no ranking system. Instead, our experts took into account Westbrook’s overall performance, the importance of the game within the season, the historic significance of the triple-double and the quality of the opponent.”
Tulsa World’s Bill Haisten on the pressure surrounding Sam Presti: “Be it in the June 22 NBA draft or through free agency, OKC general manager Sam Presti must find a difference-maker. There’s got to be at least one newcomer who can alleviate the pressure on Westbrook to be great every night.”
Lil Wayne brings out Russ at OKC concert: “As Wayne cruised through his verse from Chance the Rapper’s “No Problem,” Westbrook was bopping his head and dancing on-stage. During the hook, Wayne orchestrated an “M-V-P” chant in honor of Westbrook’s transcendent season.”
New Toy: Great breakdown of the OKC cap situation from What’s The Cap. Very visual, cool features. Still in its Beta, but a useful tool for those curious about the Thunder’s finances headed into the offseason/moving forward.
Russ Has a New Hat, Apparently:
Russell Westbrook on Instagram with a new hat. I'm into it. #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/TdaxTHPMH7
— Up The Thunder (@UpTheThunder) April 30, 2017
Daily Thunder over the weekend