Tuesday Bolts – 7.13.10

Sports Grid on why  people shouldn’t compare KD to LeBron: “It was inevitable after  LeBron’s nightmarish one-hour “Decision” special and Kevin  Durant’s…tweet. Two young superstars, two very different ways of  announcing their future intentions – of course people would compare the  two, and of course Durant would come out looking much better. But after  looking into this some more, I’m convinced the comparison just isn’t  fair. Why? Because no comparison where Durant’s humility is involved can  be fair. He is too good to be true in this respect (and pretty much is  in a basketball respect, too). Everything Durant has ever done indicates  his humble persona is not an act in the least, and it is completely  unrealistic to expect anyone with his combination of youth, talent, and  wealth to act that way. But he does.”

Darnell Mayberry passes along a Portland radio station report saying that Thunder assistant GM Rich Cho will interview for the vacant Portland general manager position.

Interbasket.net says KD, Russ and Uncle Jeff could be the USA’s Big 3: “American players that have accepted an invitation and hoping to make the roster are 21-year old Kevin Durant, 21-year old Russell Westbrook and the 23-year old Jeff Green; teammates on the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder. The three could form the core of the team with Durant as one of the most, if not the most dangerous offensive player to take the court during the tournament.” (via Thunder Rumblings)

KD, Brandon Jennings and Steph Curry talking about NBA Elite 11:

Video of Cole Aldrich’s presser. Is it just me or does anyone else kind of like listening to Aldrich talk?

And a video interview with Aldrich by Brian Davis.

Berry Tramel writes that signing KD should keep Sam Presti around a while too: “For all of Presti’s many shrewd moves in three years as general manager of this now-prospering franchise, keeping Durant long-term ranks No. 1 on the list. And what goes around comes around. Presti kept Durant. Now Durant can keep Presti. Presti ranks as the NBA’s hottest general manager. Perhaps not the best. R.C. Buford. Danny Ainge. Otis Smith. Daryl Morey. The out-of-work of Kevin Pritchard. Lots of good GMs out there. But Presti is the hottest. Just 34 years old and in virtually no time took a floundering franchise, stripped it down and built it back into the envy of most of the league.”

Chris Mannix of SI writes the lockout will happen: “In between tagging Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and slapping around Maverick Carter (more on that below), Stern addressed the looming labor issues that threaten to wipe out parts or all of the 2011-12 season. And to say there are issues would be putting it lightly; the two sides have already swapped proposals and, in the words of one NBA source, “are miles apart.”