Thursday Bolts – 8.25.16
Serge Ibaka on if he saw KD’s decision coming: “No, not really. And it’s tough for him. It’s tough
to make that kind of decision and it’s not easy, but at the end of the day he needs to do what makes him happy. What he thinks makes him happy, makes his family happy, that matters. We have to accept that and from the position of Oklahoma City, from the team, it’s tough if your star leaves like that and I understand that. But, there’s some stuff in life that we can’t control. The fans in Oklahoma City and the team can’t control that and if that makes Kevin Durant happy, then good for him.”
With Leather on ideal shoe sponsorships: “Russ is already from another planet, or at least some kind of alternate reality where humans can do things we can’t. What I’m suggesting here is that Westbrook actually straps some sort of a rocket to his shoes, and in our post-branded shoe reality, everyone will just assume it’s some kind of wacky shoe promotion when in reality he’s actually using that rocket (think Nos in The Fast and the Furious) to give him a little extra boost.”
There’s a report that the Thunder won’t look to trade Westbrook this season. Uh, yeah. They ain’t trading Westbrook.
Erik Horne on Josh Huestis going in the D-League draft: “What does it mean for Huestis? The 24-year-old is still a Thunder player, but if he’s waived and becomes a free agent, Greensboro would own his D-League rights. The Thunder still can send Huestis to its D-League affiliate – the Oklahoma City Blue – for assignment, and the 6-foot-7, 230-pounder still counts on the Thunder’s payroll. Huestis has one year and $1.1 million guaranteed left on his rookie scale contract he signed before last season, with team options for the following two seasons.”
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer: “Fortunately for Oklahoma City, the state of Westbrook is not static. The flashes he has shown suggest he hasn’t tapped into his full potential, so alterations to his usage and role could unleash his true transcendent ability. The Thunder could play him off the ball more often. Defenses already sweat bullets anytime Westbrook possesses the rock, so just imagine what could happen if a diverse attack puts him in more dynamic playmaking positions.
Taking the ball away from Westbrook might seem like a gamble considering he leads the NBA with 42 triple-doubles since he was drafted. But it’s not about providing him fewer shots or touches, it’s about giving him better quality shots by putting him in more efficient situations. That way he can make even more highlight plays that people want to get tattooed on their backs, and less that see him dribbling the air out of the ball before making a sloppy play.”
