Monday Bolts – 8.25.14
: “I mean, yeah, I’ve definitely seen improvements now from summer league. But there’s still a long way to go. I’m on the right track, though, I guess you could say that. But as I’ve said before, it’s still a part of what I’m learning. They’re still developing it. That’s one of the main focuses, but it’s still based around defense.”
Anthony Slater on the 66ers: “Tony Katzenmeier was a trainer for the 66ers. He’s now part of the Thunder’s medical staff. Steve Scalzi was a video analyst for the 66ers. He’s now part of the Thunder’s video staff. Glenn Wong was a video analyst for the 66ers. He’s now part of the Thunder’s management staff. “We see the D-League team as an extension of the Thunder organization,” Presti said. “The people that work in the D-League are members of the Thunder. They’re integral to a lot of the different aspects of our offseason work and are expected to be a part of our day-to-day process.” For players, the D-League has become a budding minor league system. But it’s also turning into a breeding ground for all sorts of positions within an NBA organization. And the Thunder is at the forefront of that movement.”
KD says he’s never acting again.
Joe Atmonavage of Hoops Habit on Perry Jones: “Of course Jones has things to work on. He needs to continue to get stronger in order to defend in the post. A big knock on him coming out of college was his motivation and that could be something that is holding back his minutes. Being ready and playing hard when his number is called is certainly something Jones must do if he wants to have an impact next year. I really do think Jones can be an impact player next year. It would be silly for the Thunder, or anyone else, to give up on Jones this early in his career. Finding new wrinkles to make your team better is not a bad thing (cc: Scott Brooks) and Jones can potentially provide that.”
Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider on the Love deal: “The Cavaliers’ window to win is now, while James is the league’s best player, and Love’s versatility makes him one of the best possible offensive complements for the four-time MVP. Further, it’s hardly like Cleveland is sacrificing its future by dealing for a 25-year-old player. Health aside, Love is a sure thing, which is something that can’t be said of Wiggins. That’s why I estimated earlier this offseason that Love’s trade value — the value of his performance minus his likely salary — was far greater than the value of the typical No. 1 pick. There is an important caveat to that analysis: It assumes that Love re-signs with the Cavaliers, which isn’t yet a sure thing. The risk Cleveland is taking here is that things unexpectedly go south and this becomes a repeat of one of the few trades for a superstar gone bust in recent years: Dwight Howard to the L.A. Lakers. In that scenario, giving up Wiggins would be a disaster for the Cavaliers.”
Projections for the top 10 centers next season. Where’s Perk??