Saturday Bolts – Weekend Edition
A couple of good stories came out late yesterday that I didn’t want anybody to miss…
Stephen Curry had an interesting Q&A with The Baseline: “The Washington one is set, and after that it’s still open. We’re in talks with a lot of teams trying to get the right schedule going for the last week and a half. Beyond Tuesday in Washington, I don’t have anything set yet. CL: Last time we talked, you mentioned the Thunder … SC: Oklahoma City, Portland and … I think that was it. CL: There was another one, the Bucks. SC: Oh, Milwaukee. We’re still talking to all those teams. I don’t really know what’s going to happen beyond Tuesday.” So Curry is going to work out with OKC and the fact he’s to work out with Portland means they may be trying to move into the lottery to get him.
Darnell Mayberry on the history of UCONN big men: “The list is long but not so illustrious. It contains familiar names like Emeka Okafor and Charlie Villanueva but also includes forgettable faces such as Travis Knight and Jake Voskuhl.It’s the fraternity of big men from the University of Connecticut. Some have gone on to great success in the NBA. Most have not. Hasheem Thabeet is next in line, for better or for worse.”
Mayberry also caught up (Why do people say that? He ‘caught up’ with him? I hate that) with Russell Westbrook:”I think the main thing they’re trying to do is just keep them involved because most of the (All-Star) voting comes from overseas,” Westbrook said. “And in the Chinese culture there are a lot of different things that go on over there that we don’t know about. So it’s good for us to go over there and help them out and show them that we care about their support … It means a lot to me because watching the NBA (growing up), I never knew you could go across the world and see a lot of other fans that enjoy the NBA as well. Finally, I got the chance to go over myself and I’m looking forward to maybe doing it again and giving back to them.”
Scott Howard-Cooper of SI says Ricky Rubio and the Grizzlies don’t mix: “A rival general manager is on the phone discussing the Grizzlies’ options with the No. 2 pick. Ricky Rubio is the second-best prospect in the draft, he says, echoing the feeling of most peers, and Rubio would make Memphis better. But … “If I’m the Grizz, I probably trade the pick.” Run from it. Full sprint. Get the certainty of an established player, maybe a power forward to address their biggest position need, and probably pick up a choice later in the first round while dodging the gathering storm of problems. Not the usual every-draft-is-a-risk problem, either. Buyout problems. Lawyer problems. International problems.”
James Harden worked out with the Kings earlier this week and here’s the video evidence. Let me tell you though, I thought he looked fantastic:
Also, Harden’s post-workout interview was really good as well. Any thoughts of over-confidence or arrogance were really cleared up I thought. He just seemed like a guy that was sure of himself and was trying to answer questions. I’m ready for him. Where do I sign?
John Rohde wrote today about Tyreke Evans and how he could be a scary pick. Yet, I’ve heard nobody mention the Thunder being remotely interested in Evans: “Many questions surround Tyreke Evans. Is he a point guard, or a shooting guard. Is he both, or neither? Is he truly a bad outside shooter? Is he the next Derrick Rose, or did he just happen to play at the same college? Is he good enough now, or is he a project? Is he your answer, or does he bring you more questions? There is uncertainty with every potential NBA Draft pick, even a blatant top choice like Blake Griffin. The last thing a team wants to do is waste a high draft pick on a tweener.” I don’t know if Rohde realizes it, but he basically just described Russell Westbrook to a T. And I think he’s doing alright.
HoopsWorld’s new consensus mock is up: OKC is taking James Harden, Rubio, Thabeet and Rubio.
