Thursday Bolts – 5.23.13
Darnell Mayberry: “A muddied American flag rested atop the metal pole that stood defiantly at the corner. Its peaceful position contradicted perfectly the catastrophic winds that only two days earlier had ripped through town, leaving this block utterly unidentifiable, one of many that have been reduced to rubble. But the still of that flag, which had replaced a street sign that is now God knows where, symbolized the strength, courage and determination of a community. And on a warm Wednesday afternoon, the second day of rebuilding, the people within this Westmoore subdivision of Moore welcomed a much-needed symbol of hope. Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant. One day after donating his money, Durant traveled back to Oklahoma to give his time. He did anything and everything he could to bring a smile to as many faces as possible. He shook hands and gave hugs. He posed for pictures and signed autographs. Not once did Durant turn down a request, graciously scribbling his signature on anything he was handed. A pair of shoes. A hat. A Thunder mug. A team program.”
Berry Tramel: “More low-post scoring is going to be difficult to find. Few low-post threats are coming out of college, the Thunder has little salary cap room to add players and outside of Ibaka and Westbrook, no one on the roster has the skill set to score consistently from the low block. And one of those guys is a point guard.”
Perk contributed $25,000 cash yesterday out of his pocket to help build shelters in schools.
Small controversy about KD’s back tattoo yesterday. It appeared there was a typo on it, but KD later took another picture to either show it had been fixed or that there wasn’t a mistake at all.
Video of Russell Westbrook hanging with kids at the hospital.
Kevin Lincoln of BuzzFeed: “For perspective: let’s assume that Durant paid about 40% of his income last year in various federal and state taxes. Someone who makes $50,000 probably pays about 25% of their income in taxes, all-considered. (PLEASE do not argue about taxes in the comments, unless it’s to correct our math.) Durant’s donation, as a portion of the income that Durant actually saw last year, is roughly the equivalent of someone who makes $50,000 up and writing a Red Cross check for about $2,000, of which they’d get $500 back at the end of the year after taking the cost of the donation off their taxable income. ($50,000 is about the median household income in the U.S.) Alternately, our hypothetical $50,000 earner could work to put together $2,000 through fundraising, since it’s possible Durant’s foundation already had the cash on hand from previous efforts — which he would’ve been involved in, of course. Put even simpler, Durant’s donation is just as generous as it first appears — maybe even more so.”
Westboro Baptist says the tornadoes are all KD’s fault. Obviously.
Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com breaking down OKC’s pick: “Dieng has quite a bit less upside than Adams, but if Perkins is sent on his way, the 23-year-old Dieng could be ready to contribute right away. The great thing about him, which Ford often cites, is that not only is he an elite defensive prospect, but he’s also skilled as a passer in the pivot. The Thunder wouldn’t be counting on Dieng to be a franchise player. They just need an 18-20 minute contributor, though they would want him to add some bulk to his 230-pound frame.”
