Comments on: Bring on the season, or at least Summer league http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:39:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: donuteyes http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13777 donuteyes Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:03:40 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13777 on the for reals. on the for reals.

]]> By: Bryan http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13469 Bryan Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:28:07 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13469 @ all I have to say that I'm real excited about next season and the up coming summer league. I think that even if Harden ends up just being a quality bench guy (worst case scenario IMO), he will add a lot to this team. One of the things that happened to the Thunder a lot last year was that other teams would just run their benches at them in heavy rotation, exploiting their lack of depth and wearing the Thunder down. This year, with at least five reasonably good guards: Westbrook, Livingston, Weaver, Thabo and Harden and maybe Mason or Vaden (three of which can play a little SF) the Thunder should not have that problem. And when the Thunder run into superior teams and/or teams without depth, they will be able to substitute energy for talent by doing the same thing to them: rapid rotation. The Thunder now have the available depth to offer different looks without sacrificing talent on the floor. And when Durant is resting, they can slide in three guards, showing all shooters a la Weaver, Harden, Vaden, Green and Kirstic, or some other guard combo, or they can go big by sliding Green over to the 3, keeping Thabo and Westbrook at 1 and 2, and adding Collison or Mullens in with Kirstic (which created problems for teams last year. That big Kirstic, Collison, Green, Weaver, Westbrook combo did some serious damage when Durant was injured last year. If they could play Durant at the 2 for short spurts then they could create serious match up problems for people. The addition of Harden will really give the team some flexibility. If Vaden and/or Mullens pans out, then we have REAL depth. If Mullens flops, the the team has some guard talent and expiring contracts to spare to make a nice trade if they can't get the FA they want. Things are looking up. Here's to 30+ games next year, maybe more. @ all
I have to say that I’m real excited about next season and the up coming summer league. I think that even if Harden ends up just being a quality bench guy (worst case scenario IMO), he will add a lot to this team. One of the things that happened to the Thunder a lot last year was that other teams would just run their benches at them in heavy rotation, exploiting their lack of depth and wearing the Thunder down.

This year, with at least five reasonably good guards: Westbrook, Livingston, Weaver, Thabo and Harden and maybe Mason or Vaden (three of which can play a little SF) the Thunder should not have that problem.

And when the Thunder run into superior teams and/or teams without depth, they will be able to substitute energy for talent by doing the same thing to them: rapid rotation.

The Thunder now have the available depth to offer different looks without sacrificing talent on the floor. And when Durant is resting, they can slide in three guards, showing all shooters a la Weaver, Harden, Vaden, Green and Kirstic, or some other guard combo, or they can go big by sliding Green over to the 3, keeping Thabo and Westbrook at 1 and 2, and adding Collison or Mullens in with Kirstic (which created problems for teams last year. That big Kirstic, Collison, Green, Weaver, Westbrook combo did some serious damage when Durant was injured last year. If they could play Durant at the 2 for short spurts then they could create serious match up problems for people.

The addition of Harden will really give the team some flexibility. If Vaden and/or Mullens pans out, then we have REAL depth. If Mullens flops, the the team has some guard talent and expiring contracts to spare to make a nice trade if they can’t get the FA they want.

Things are looking up. Here’s to 30+ games next year, maybe more.

]]> By: Bryan http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13462 Bryan Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:57:58 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13462 <a href="#comment-13413" rel="nofollow">@K</a> I personally hope Weaver sticks around for a while. I think he has real potential. He did a surprisingly good job defending Kobe when they were in town the first time (though not as good as Thabo). I think my favorite play of the year was actually when weaver was defending Kobe. Kobe posted up about 12 feet out and was trying to muscle his way closer to the basket. Instead of pushing back (as per standard post defense), Weaver simply moved out of the way. Kobe fell right on his ars and got called for traveling. Loved it! @K
I personally hope Weaver sticks around for a while. I think he has real potential. He did a surprisingly good job defending Kobe when they were in town the first time (though not as good as Thabo). I think my favorite play of the year was actually when weaver was defending Kobe. Kobe posted up about 12 feet out and was trying to muscle his way closer to the basket. Instead of pushing back (as per standard post defense), Weaver simply moved out of the way. Kobe fell right on his ars and got called for traveling. Loved it!

]]> By: daniel http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13449 daniel Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:14:54 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13449 <blockquote cite="#commentbody-13373"> <strong><a href="#comment-13373" rel="nofollow">GAP</a> :</strong> I hope this link works. <a href="http://s693.photobucket.com/albums/vv294/GAP28/" rel="nofollow">http://s693.photobucket.com/albums/vv294/GAP28/</a> </blockquote> Works fine. Great pics! I'm jealous - I never even saw Scott Brooks at all. Don't recall seeing Tramel either, I did see Baldwin. I thought about going up to Grant and initiating a conversion, but chickened out cuz I wasn't sure I'd be able to come up with any (non-dumb) to say. But Grant did a great job of emcee. I felt a bit sorry for him, because he must have been out in the sun longer than anyone else (and he didn't even have a hat on). How come no pic with a Thunder girl? Oh wait, I think I know the answer - it may have something to do with who was taking those pics. ;)

GAP :
I hope this link works.
http://s693.photobucket.com/albums/vv294/GAP28/

Works fine.

Great pics! I’m jealous – I never even saw Scott Brooks at all. Don’t recall seeing Tramel either, I did see Baldwin. I thought about going up to Grant and initiating a conversion, but chickened out cuz I wasn’t sure I’d be able to come up with any (non-dumb) to say. But Grant did a great job of emcee. I felt a bit sorry for him, because he must have been out in the sun longer than anyone else (and he didn’t even have a hat on).

How come no pic with a Thunder girl? Oh wait, I think I know the answer – it may have something to do with who was taking those pics.
;)

]]> By: K http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13413 K Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:32:41 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13413 I think Weaver is very likely to spend half of the season getting 30+ minutes in Tulsa. With the Thunder owning the team, and having their player development personnel down there, I imagine it will be something of an AAA club. Weaver was the beneficiary of the Thunder's lack of depth after Mason went down, I'm not sure he's proven he's ready for big minutes. And actually, I could also see Presti bringing back Mason on a veteran's minimum contract. I think Weaver is very likely to spend half of the season getting 30+ minutes in Tulsa. With the Thunder owning the team, and having their player development personnel down there, I imagine it will be something of an AAA club. Weaver was the beneficiary of the Thunder’s lack of depth after Mason went down, I’m not sure he’s proven he’s ready for big minutes. And actually, I could also see Presti bringing back Mason on a veteran’s minimum contract.

]]> By: Joe http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13411 Joe Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:04:32 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13411 <a href="#comment-13402" rel="nofollow">@Crow</a> "Probably always want at least one of Westbrook, Harden and Weaver on the court." I think that's right. Thabo/Liv doesn't score much. @Crow

“Probably always want at least one of Westbrook, Harden and Weaver on the court.”

I think that’s right. Thabo/Liv doesn’t score much.

]]> By: Crow http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13403 Crow Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:42:37 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13403 Ideally you trade stuff (junk and/ or good stuff) for a PG who you want to play, who becomes a part of the core. With Minny giving Lawson away I would have outbid Denver. Ideally you trade stuff (junk and/ or good stuff) for a PG who you want to play, who becomes a part of the core.

With Minny giving Lawson away I would have outbid Denver.

]]> By: Crow http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13402 Crow Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:37:56 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13402 That group of six as Joe noted could be considered 1 learning PG and 5 SG / wings. That isn't balance. That group of six as Joe noted could be considered 1 learning PG and 5 SG / wings. That isn’t balance.

]]> By: Crow http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13401 Crow Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:34:49 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13401 If they go Westbrook-Harden-Durant-Green-Krstic as they probably will they you can ask how goes out first? If it is Harden then you pretty much bring in what you need. If it is Westbrook then it will probably be Livingston. He only played a little but he was far better at SG than PG last season. And while I wish him the best he was never a good PG looking at team performance. Weaver still has basically no NBA PG experience. They may end up using Watson or needing another guy to take that backup PG job. Harden at point? Probably not in the plan, but they need somebody to be able to fill 10-15 minutes there per night and give more when needed. If they go Westbrook-Harden-Durant-Green-Krstic as they probably will they you can ask how goes out first? If it is Harden then you pretty much bring in what you need. If it is Westbrook then it will probably be Livingston. He only played a little but he was far better at SG than PG last season. And while I wish him the best he was never a good PG looking at team performance. Weaver still has basically no NBA PG experience. They may end up using Watson or needing another guy to take that backup PG job. Harden at point? Probably not in the plan, but they need somebody to be able to fill 10-15 minutes there per night and give more when needed.

]]> By: Crow http://www.dailythunder.com/2009/06/bring-on-the-season-or-at-least-summer-league/comment-page-1/#comment-13395 Crow Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:14:34 +0000 http://www.dailythunder.com/?p=3157#comment-13395 The norm is for rotations to be based on 4 guards. A few top teams go to 5. If the Thunder use a 6 guard rotation that is a bit unusual and you'd have to ask it this good, necessary and why is it necessary. The norm is for rotations to be based on 4 guards. A few top teams go to 5. If the Thunder use a 6 guard rotation that is a bit unusual and you’d have to ask it this good, necessary and why is it necessary.

]]>