Wednesday Bolts – 6.22.11
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com on the CBA negotiations: “It will be interesting to see if the players come back with a counterproposal within the flex-cap framework. Don’t bet on it. But for the sake of argument, while it may be intuitive to think the players would want a wide salary range, a smaller range actually would be better for players – because more teams would be willing to exceed the target than exceed the minimum. That’s the part of the problem that changing the cap formula won’t address without more revenue sharing, which owners have thus far refused to collectively bargain. In order for there to be a deal by June 30, Hunter said, “Someone someone has to make a big move.” Otherwise, the room will go dark again and the next move will be a lockout.”
Darnell Mayberry on the TMZ question to KD: “It’s time for folks in Oklahoma to lose the inferiority complex. Some people already are making this into a big deal. It’s not. This is a great state with great people. Durant has said that countless times. But it shouldn’t matter how one person or even the rest of the country views us. Yet, it seems so many that live here need constant validation for every little thing, and that segment of the population rushes to anger at the slightest of slights. I don’t get it.”
Berry Tramel on Scott Brooks: “So far, Brooks has remained quite fresh. His team has improved every year since he got the job. The Thunder has avoided major chemistry issues. The future is bright. Brooks looks like a Thunder long-timer. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Brooks near the top of the list in a couple of years. Of course, you never know. A sprained ankle here, a bitter contract negotiation there, everything changes. You’ve got to stay on top of a team to keep it humming at a competitive level. But Brooks’ status with the Thunder has done nothing but grow since his hiring.”
A great B.S. Report with Chad Ford.
Henry Abbott of TrueHoop on psychology and hoops: “But there are tests, and discussion to be had. We know some stuff. Plenty of people find personality tests helpful, swear by them even, and as conversation starters or tools for self-examination, who could argue? I am convinced Sports Aptitude whiffed on some elements of my personality. But the broader exercise — including talking to experts about tests, getting friends and family to weigh in on my personality, and writing this blog post — has been enlightening and helpful, if not tidy. And in my experience, that’s just how the truth really is — more than a little messy.”
Kevin Pelton for ESPN Insider on OKC’s needs: “The temptation is to list “none” for the Thunder’s weakest position. In terms of Players 1-10, Oklahoma City was as deep as any team in the league, and the top eight are all under contract for next season. Should Nazr Mohammed walk, the Thunder will somehow make do with more minutes for Nick Collison and either Byron Mullens or Cole Aldrich stepping in as backup center. Re-signing Cook is a bit more important, since he provides long-distance shooting off the bench, but Cook played less than 15 minutes a game last year.”
Ben Cohen for Grantland with a nice draft piece: “Most teams will roll the dice on a raw prospect and hope he develops. Others will trade down to stockpile picks. Some don’t know what they’ll do until they’re on the clock. It all depends on a team’s foundation, its owner’s aspirations, and its general manager’s tolerance for risk.”
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com has OKC taking Kyle Singler: “Singler is one of the best options for a team that needs 3-point shooting, or any threat to draw defenses away from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.”
