Monday Bolts – 5.18.15
Andrew Sharp of Grantland comparing the Pelicans and Thunder jobs: “This one is tough. Sam Presti is the GM who refused to sever ties with Kendrick Perkins and talked himself into choosing between Serge Ibaka and James Harden, making the wrong choice. He almost traded for Brook Lopez, which would have been disastrous, and he did trade for Kanter, who is apocalyptic on defense. They’ll probably re-sign Kanter this summer, and as long as he’s on the court, it will keep the Thunder from ever scaring the crap out of everyone by going small with KD at the 4. Congrats? Basically, you have to credit Presti for hitting the jackpot in the draft seven years ago. Since then, he’s been sitting at the table with a massive stack of chips, and he’s played a lot of bad hands. This year, he’s all in.”
Stanley Johnson on his interview with the Thunder: “I think they think I’m the best two-way player in the draft,” Johnson said of the Thunder. “And that’s appealing to them, as it is to most people. They really like me. They’ve been watching me since I was in high school. I remember seeing their scout at my practices all the time when I was at Arizona and they know a lot about me. I got coached under Billy Donovan already (at the FIBA Americas U18 ) so he knows a lot about me as well, which makes everything easy. So I think they’re very familiar with who I am and what I do.”
Darnell Mayberry on Durant’s free agency looming over next season: “I’m probably in the minority as media members go, but I don’t think it will impact the season at all. There will be much said and written about it, of course. But none of that noise will matter. I anticipate the Thunder, after this terribly unfortunate season, coming back focused 100 percent on winning a title. Moves already have been made to surround Durant with the most talented team — and perhaps the sharpest tactical coach — he’s ever had, so that kills the potential of a possible “this-team-is-panicking” story line. And Durant wouldn’t dare do or say anything to fan the flames next season, not just to remain politically correct but also because he knows it would take attention away from the team and its mission and put it on himself. So I don’t see it as an issue.”
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com on the Clippers: “The thinking goes something like this: If OKC is genuinely worried Durant will leave in 2016, they have to look to get something in return for him this year. Blake Griffin is from Oklahoma City. The Clippers keep topping out in the second round and might be willing to shake things up. It’s a nice theory. Juicy, too. But neither team has ever seriously discussed it. And Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has made it clear to the entire organization that he wants Griffin to be a part of the franchise for his entire career.”
Arash Markazi of ESPN.com on the Clippers: “Instead, it now becomes the defining disappointment for a franchise that has been defined by disappointments. The tired, old jokes about Clippers curses and jinxes that had picked up dust and cobwebs in recent years were restored to their former luster and are now as relevant as they were before the team’s current unprecedented run of four straight postseason appearances.”