Wednesday Bolts: 7.26.17
Russell Westbrook has organized workouts in LA for his teammates: “The majority of the Oklahoma City Thunder roster plans to gather this week in Santa Monica, California, for workouts organized by NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. Absent from the workout will be Paul George, who has been in Spain on a vacation that was planned before his trade to the Thunder. ESPN earlier reported that George would be back in time to participate. Nick Collison (on a family vacation) and Alex Abrines (at home in Spain) won’t be there and it’s unclear if rookie Terrance Ferguson will participate, as he has yet to sign his rookie contract.”
Brett Dawson lists the Thunder players that can’t be traded this summer: “A report from The Ringer’s Bill Simmons on Monday said that the Thunder and Carmelo Anthony were “circling each other,” and that sparked a fresh round of fan-made trade proposals for ways to bring Anthony to Oklahoma City. What some armchair general managers seemed not to understand, though, is that not every player on the Thunder roster is eligible to be traded. The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement puts some limitations on the movement of newly signed players.”
Nick Gallo sat down for a one-on-one with Nick Collison: “It would have been a different scenario if I was 26 instead of 36. I was open to listen, but this is where I wanted to end up. I wanted it to work out for (the Thunder) and for me and it did. I’m really happy about it. A lot of things happened with the team over the summer that I’m excited about, the group coming back and some of the new guys. I think it’s going to be a fun year.”
Berry Tramel on the diverging careers of Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose: “Derrick Rose was the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Three years later, his Chicago Bulls went 62-20 and Rose was voted the league’s most valuable player. Russell Westbrook was the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Three years later, the Thunder reached the Western Conference finals, and Westbrook was labeled a budding star. Born a month apart – Rose is 39 days older – no one foresaw that as these transcendent point guards approached their 30s, Westbrook would be a superstar supreme and Rose would be fighting to stay relevant in the league.”
The Pacers repeatedly offered Cleveland Paul George for Kyrie Irving: “On Monday’s episode of The Lowe Post, ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst disclosed the Pacers unsuccessfully attempted to nab Irving in advance of the NBA draft as buzz started to build that George was being shopped. “I know that around the draft and in the Paul George talks, the Cavs were not willing to make Kyrie Irving available for Paul George,” Windhorst said. “The Pacers offered Paul George for Kyrie Irving,” ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe added. “That’s a thing that happened, according to people that we’ve talked to.”
Adam Silver on league expansion: “I don’t want to put a precise timeline on it, but it’s inevitable at some point we’ll start looking at growth of franchises. That’s always been the case in this league, and Seattle will no doubt be on a short list of cities we’ll look at.”
Bleacher Report thinks OKC should make a play for Marc Gasol: “Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Marc Gasol / Memphis Grizzlies receive: Steven Adams, Doug McDermott, 2018 second-round pick (from OKC), 2018 second-round pick (from CHI)
OKC can be pretty good with Westbrook and George. Adding Gasol elevates the ceiling to greatness. For the Grizzlies, this is a chance to start over without bottoming out. Adams could work pick-and-roll magic with Mike Conley, while McDermott becomes the scoring forward Chandler Parsons was supposed to be.”
