Monday Bolts – 8.31.15
Amin Elhassan of ESPN Insider looking at KD contenders: “While OKC’s big three has remained intact, the supporting cast has arguably deteriorated over the years. Thunder general manager Sam Presti is one of the shrewdest leaders in the game, but 2014-15 was not a banner year in terms of management — from giving up a first-round pick for Dion Waiters at a time when his value couldn’t be lower, to matching a massive offer sheet to Enes Kanter despite his abysmal deficiencies that seem to make winning an event that happens in spite of his presence, not because of it. Throw in a new head coach in Billy Donovan who’s attempting to make the jump from college to the pros and Westbrook’s own impending free-agency saga (he’ll be unrestricted in 2017), and there’s at least some cause for concern for OKC’s future.”
Darnell Mayberry on Billy Donovan after his national titles: “The Gators went 206-83 in Donovan’s final eight seasons, recording seven 20-win seasons, four straight Elite Eight appearances and in 2014 a school record 36-3 mark and one last trip to the Final Four. In those final eight seasons, Donovan carried a different perspective. That empty feeling from all those years obsessed with chasing titles had changed him, matured him.”
Ben Rohrbach of BDL on Dion Waiters: “Still, Waiters is 23 years old, and his scoring chances should improve with the presence of a healthy Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. Even if the same case was made when he played alongside LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, it doesn’t make the argument less valid. For the record, 80.4 percent of Waiters’ looks were “open” on the playoff-bound 2014-15 Cavaliers, compared to just 47.5 percent on the lottery-bound 2013-14 edition, per NBA.com/stats. If that’s the case, Waiters must start making those shots, since he certainly did not last season, when he shot 39 percent when considered either “open” or “wide open.” He also has to commit to defense, making for a whole lot of ifs this season — the most powerful of which could be: What if Waiters realizes his considerable potential in 2015-16, becomes the scoring option OKC has so desperately lacked these past few years and helps the Thunder to a title? How much would he then command in restricted free agency when the salary cap spikes $20 million next summer?”
Russell Westbrook married long-time girlfriend Nina Earl last weekend.
Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel: “About the only way the cap space would be there for Durant is if Whiteside doesn’t play up to near-max money, and ditto with Wade. And if Whiteside and Wade are in any way down, how exactly would that entice Durant (unless Bosh and Dragic are at All-NBA levels)? Look, I would not rule out (or rule in) anything 11 months before 2016 free agency. But I believe a realistic approach to the process could prevent heartache down the road.”
