Smart thoughts of the week: July 24-31

Throughout the week some of you drop some brilliant or at least somewhat thoughtful comments and so this is a try at highlighting some of them. Disclaimer: It’s not that I necessarily agree with all of them, but they were interesting and for the most part, well put.

At some point, just pull the dang trigger. (Justin): Are you guys alright with the team remaining so far under the cap the entire season? With teams bound to be racing to cut salary either for 2010 free agency or to avoid the luxury tax, it seems unlikely that the Thunder wouldn’t have offers to ‘rent’ their cap space. I’m still convinced that the rescinded Tyson Chandler trade had more to do with second guessing the finances than long term concerns about his health.

Now the team’s under the cap for almost the amount of money owed to Chandler this season, and he was succesfully flipped for the exact kind of player OKC needs (Okafor). In this instance I feel the trigger shy attitude of this management team got the best of them. Sam Presti probably has this year to still be given the benefit of the doubt, but if he isn’t active with all this flexibility next offseason it’ll be clear what’s what.

We even tried to nickname him “RW0”. So I guess it’s our fault. (Big G): This is the deal about us being down on Westbrook’s decision making is we want him to be a Chris Paul and he is not and will never be. I was not a fan when the Hornet were here so I do not have this bromance with Paul. Don’t get me wrong he is the best point in the league,but he has not won a title or even been to a finals. And I believe if something doesn’t happen dramatic to his team he will not in the foreseeable future.

Actually most teams that have won it all in the last 20 years did not have pure 10 assist point guard. So look at what article was actually about the 10 guys who’s stock rose and he did say he made the most plays for him self and others. That is what I think is going to be his calling card – he makes plays that normal point guards don’t all the time. So lets keep his game in perspecivte, not in the light of Chris Paul. Yes Paul can do a lot of things can’t but don’t forget Jet 0 can do some things Paul could never do.

Some people like feet. Sam Presti likes… draft picks? (Crow): I don’t know what [Etan] Thomas can do right now. His defensive rebounding and turnovers went the wrong direction last season. I have to think that Presti thinks he might be able to pull off another trade with Thomas before the deadline. Otherwise I’d say just buying out both Atkins and Wilkins would have been better, unless Thomas is more healthy, more ready than before. Can’t give this trade an accurate score yet. What is clear is that Presti has an absolute fetish for draft picks. It is currency but after the Spurs got their 3 stars they were draft pick sellers all the time. Will low first rounders and second round picks and mostly or entirely that help build out a winner? It is still early I have my doubts.

Two is better than one most times, but not when you’re trading in the NBA. (Kyle): Something that no one has really brought up? When you trade players they have to be within a certain percentage of each other’s salary, so this is what makes Etan more tradeable to teams wanting to dump cap space. Either way Atkins + Wilkins = Etan Thomas’s contract, but when trading to another team, it is MUCH easier to move one guy (especially a big) than a team that would have to take on 2 players.

I think he actually opens us up to twice the options at the trade deadline than the twosome of Wilkins + Atkins, firstly because his single man trade value is more due to his contract, thus enabling teams to dump larger contracts ($8 million+?) instead of little $3-5 million that we would have attracted from Wilkins+Atkins. Secondly, what has already been stated, is the fact that he is a center. If a team is going to dump contracts, they will be more likely to trade for a center (all teams have a big man lust) and thus will open even more doors. I just like the fact that guys making $8-9 million are usually better players, so with us being able to trade for one of those, that could mean we could be adding a very good player by the end of the year.

And maybe the most important point of all. (Jax Raging Bile Duct): I think we’ve all missed the most important discussion this brings up … now that Swift, Wilkins, Atkins and Watson are gone, who do we use as the team scapegoat for all of our jokes?