Monday Bolts – Congratulations Lakers Edition
And finally, after all of that, we crown a new NBA champion. Congratulations are in order for Laker fans everywhere, 
even if basically all of the NBA and sporting world hates you. And now with that out of the way, only 10 days until the draft…
HoopsWorld looks at the studs and duds from the last four NBA drafts: “Without a doubt Durant has made a bigger impact on the NBA than Greg Oden, but he’s also a better player than 90% of the league after just two seasons. With a team built to run and Durant as the focal point, the Thunder will be a team to be reckoned with in the not-too-distant future – and Durant only continues to improve. Durant raised his scoring by five points as a sophomore, his shooting percentage 40 points, and added two more rebounds a game. What’s he got up his sleeve for Year 3? The All-Star Game should be on his resume very soon.”
The Baseline reports that the Charlotte Observer reports that Steph Curry could go as high as No. 3 in the draft. Hey, who’s picking third again?: “Davidson guard Stephen Curry could be as high as the third pick in this month’s NBA draft and is unlikely to fall below the seventh pick, the Charlotte Observer is reporting. The only players clearly ahead of Curry at this point are Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin and Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet, a source tells the newspaper. Many have speculated that Curry could go to the Knicks, but the Knicks have the No. 8 pick in the draft. The source also said that four point guards — Curry, Spain’s Ricky Rubio, Syracuse’s Jonny Flynn and Memphis’ Tyreke Evans — could all go in the top eight.”
Something I was thinking about - The Lakers claim 15 titles. Five of those titles came while they were the Minneapolis Lakers. So if that counts, then I’m ready and fully willing to take that 1979 NBA title and count it. I didn’t feel right about it before, but seeing as one of the greatest sports franchises ever is doing it, I guess it is alright.
OKC still has assistant coach spots to fill: “Still down one assistant coach because of Paul Westhead’s departure following the firing of P.J. Carlesimo and subsequent promotion of Scott Brooks and hiring of Ron Adams, the Thunder could have one more assistant’s position to fill. The team is expected to move on without one of its four remaining assistants and has already begun interviewing candidates. The new additions could be announced in the near future. According to one league source, the positions could be filled before the June 25 draft, and at least one of the hires is likely to be an offensive-minded coach.”
Today is deadline day for draft prospects. Jrue Holliday is defintely in and Gani Lawal has pulled out. Patty Mills is leaning towards staying in and is set to work out for the Thunder today. Jeff Teague is reportedly in as well as Omri Casspi. The main question marks to watch for today are Greivis Vasquez, Luke Harangody, Patty Mills, Taj Gibson, Austin Daye and Jodie Meeks.
Darnell Mayberry looks at the BIG decision for OKC: “And so the time has come for Oklahoma City to decide how important a true center is for this roster going forward. The draft is 10 days away. Connecticut’s 7-foot-3 center, Hasheem Thabeet, still could be available when the Thunder picks No. 3. It could be a franchise-changing conclusion. On one hand, interior defense is clearly the Thunder’s most pressing need. Coach Scott Brooks and Co. preach defense daily but don’t have anything close to the anchor in the middle that is the linchpin on many of the league’s best defensive teams … But on the flip side, with its roster under construction, the Thunder isn’t in a position to draft for need. Many observers around the league think the Thunder should select the best player available, regardless of position and in spite of Oklahoma City’s gaping hole in the middle.”
HoopsWorld on Brandon Jennings’ Rubio comments: ”He may have gained experience but his play does not justify the lottery spot he’s been given,” one NBA scout who saw Jennings play for Rome told HOOPSWORLD. “I’m looking at a player that was very lukewarm to say the least. I saw him a lot but didn’t get to see him play much and not particularly well for that matter. Some scouts have a higher opinion on Jennings. But myself and other colleagues who are living in Europe who have seen him in the same context were like, ‘That’s it? A lottery pick? Oh, okay’.”
A potential technological breakthrough for the NBA: ”As the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic tested one another’s resolve in the finals, the N.B.A. was testing a new tracking system, one that could perhaps alter how the game is watched, measured and coached. Perched high above and adjacent to the court, six high-definition cameras in a semi-circle have captured and traced the movements of each player, the referees and the basketball in Games 3 and 4 of the N.B.A. finals at Amway Arena. The cameras streamlined information into two data processing computers tucked behind the rafters that are aimed at rapidly defining an N.B.A. game in a way that has not been seen before.”
DeMar DeRozan says he could take Blake Griffin in a dunk contest, but also says he’s a lockdown defender: “One year of college really made me focus on defense. I understand that now. I think of myself as one of the lockdown players at my position on defense. That is one of the key things I think I could bring to a lot of teams. And how much I have grown mentally, as a man in the one year at SC. That helped me. I learned, too, how to figure out ways to do things on the court that I did not know before. It took a lot, and I thought when I was done, I was ready to try the next level.”
Q&A with Ty Lawson: “Q: Are you 100 percent healthy these days? A: I’m up to speed. I’m running my fastest and jumping my highest. I’m playing my best basketball right now. I just want to showcase that to every team I go to. Q: One other thing people do say about you is that you are a winner. A: That’s what I love to do. At Carolina, we won 80 percent of our games while I was there. That’s the attitude I’m bringing to the NBA.”
@daniel
If it had been breakfast, I would have recommended he go to Hard(en)ee’s.
Winning big in the regular season and going far in the playoffs are two potentially different things as many teams find out so I think it is wise to bring this up Jax.
Players who can play multiple positions “well” and provide multiple types of positive impacts are certainly even more valuable in the playoffs, adjusting to match-ups and taking advantage of opportunities.
Presti does seem to be trying to think / do this the San Antonio way. Whether he chosen the right guys to accomplish that time will tell.
Westbrook will have to stay or become a true 2 way strong player…
and a better PG and a better outside shooter. Green will have to study lots of opponents and how to beat them. Beyond what normal players do. Durant will have to do even more of what Kobe and Lebron do.
They still need a true big to do what Duncan or Gasol or Garnett or O’Neal did. Rasheed Wallace was barely enough. Big Z these days probably isn’t enough. Howard might be but isn’t there yet.
Laimbeer probably wouldn’t mind the heat from the fans, it seems to make him better.
the thunder need to draft hasheem thabeet! its that simple, we have no down low defense! so he would bring that to the thunder!
Heh, we could use that to make a new moniker for Harden: ‘Rise N Shine’
@cody white
Wow, what a thorough argument… This horse is dead and buried. Thabeet is a MAJOR risk at best and his defense is mediocre against relative talent (see the Blair beat down). NEXT!!!!
@cody white
We have no low defense, but at least we improved on defense.
You know what we didn’t improve on? Offense…
Harden…
@cody white
no.
It’s amusing to see with all the technology we have at our disposal (internet) people point to our interior defense as the glaring problem . . .
for the fifty millionth time, our OFFENSE needs more help!!!!
29th in Offensive Efficiency is horrible . . .
@Kev
“for the fifty millionth time”
I’ve told you at least a billion times not to exaggerate!
Hasheem Thabeet? I’ve heard of him. He’s got a cool voice, but he’s a surefire bust.
Here’s a story on Thabeet http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12956
What’s wrong with you peoples? As I’ve explained here over ten trillion times, “iggy wiggy pooga flop”. Now get with the program!
Eschbach on the Animal a few minutes age : ” OKC has enough shooters ” . . .
Royce, you can of course count the Sonics title as part of the Thunder legacy and glory if you want but I doubt it will give that much pride or pleasure but learn n enjoy it if you wish. I adopted the Sonics in the late 80s and I never felt a connection to or really a care about the championship team.
The Lakers kept the same name, same owner (for a little while) and except for superstar for the time Mikan the same top players.
@Crow
I didn’t say I felt great about it, just better about it.
Ok.
I do understand your perspective and was actually trying to not go resentful this time. Actually almost as many of today’s franchises have moved as have stayed in the same place if you count the whole history with lots of the movement being early.
I am just personally not that nostalgic or prideful about nostalgia. If I didn’t watch and care for them at the time they aren’t really mine.
@Crow
It’s not like I’m going to prance around with a 1979 championship shirt, but I had never ever considered claiming that and now after realizing the Lakers have, it made me think differently of it. That’s all.
The one thing the Thunder can’t do is add someone who is turnover prone like all the current core players (Green, KD, RW0). That eliminates everyone but Blake Griffin (not going to happen) and James Harden if we are talking about the third overall pick.
And don’t forget, that the Thunder have plenty of room under the cap. They could easily add a big like Anderson (my choice)or Gorat to fill the middle while all the other teams are struggling to shed contracts.
I say take Harden at 3, trade the 25 pick and an expiring contract to move up a bit and take BJ Mullens. Then add the Bird Man…Instant bubble team maybe better…
The one thing the Thunder can’t do is add someone who is turnover prone like all the current core players (Green, KD, RW0). That eliminates everyone but Blake Griffin (not going to happen) and James Harden if we are talking about the third overall pick.
And don’t forget, that the Thunder have plenty of room under the cap. They could easily add a big like Anderson (my choice)or Gorat to fill the middle while all the other teams are struggling to shed contracts.
I say take Harden at 3, trade the 25 pick and an expiring contract to move up a bit and take BJ Mullens. Then add the Bird Man…Instant bubble team maybe better…
Per possession Hansbrough, Pendergraph, Thornton and Blair are among the lowest at turning it over
at draft express, look at bottom right corner
http://tinyurl.com/mdbj89
Harden is actually pretty high on this.
Holiday is really bad on this.
I bought into his high school hype last fall but his first college season wasn’t very impressive.
@daniel
…nice…
@cody white
I had this attitude before doing some research and discussing the subject daily, on this forum, for at least the last 3-4 weeks. I think the “consinsuss”(sp?) is something similar to what Bryan said.
How about trade down for get Curry or Harden a bit later and package it with the 25 to get a Free agent starting center. (birdman, Gortat, Odem, Millsap, Boozer?, McGee?…) we’ll have cap room to sign a vet, and we need the leadership, defensivly inside.(look at what Dez Mason did for moral and direction.)
As Joe mentioned a day or so ago, Presti will do something that not many see coming. I can’t freekin wait!! (Can we sign Presti to a lifetime contract? I got 5 on it!)
@Cpt. C-Note
I’m in!
Clay will essentially get to answer that question, starting anywhere from 1-3 years from now. What will be the cutoff point for “I’m happy” or not? Not here yet but the clock is moving pretty quickly to that time. How patient and long-term is their thinking and faith? Good teams take time, especially when you decide to try to do it almost entirely from scratch. But at some point you see indications you are on the right track. Whether a few good weeks here and there in season 2 is enough already to produce that feeling or maybe a full pretty good season in year 3 or 4 is needed will vary by the person. Good weeks or months probably aren’t enough in year 3 I don’t think and certainly they shouldn’t be by year 4.
Drafts probably have more mistakes than good calls (because of multiple GMs missing on turns out to be good players).
For the Gortat believers you might not want to hear this. Seattle had two swings in the late 2nd round on 2005 before Gortat was drafted (he didn’t come over right away) 57th. They used 48 on Gelabale (not bad) and 55 on Lawrence Roberts and sold him to Jerry West and the Griz. Amir Johnson was 56. Not bad normally but in retrospect a mistake.
Presti and Spurs took Mahinmi at 28. David Lee went 30th. Even highly regarded insiders make odd decisions, in retrospect or even at the time.
@Crow
excellent points, Crow. That’s why I am not high on the majority of players. It’s usually hype over substance.
that was ONE game against blair … he had a double double with 5 blocks in the next matchup! … & blair’s team was pretty good too!
you’re gonna measure a player based on his worst game of the season?
while at the same time measuring prospects based on workouts in an empty gym with no defenders!?…
it seems this is the norm for championship celebrations nowadays … the Phillies world series win was an exact replica … when i saw that people were flipping cars & throwing bottles, i decided to stay home …
i guess people are in desperate need to show destructive & lawless behavior & they are just looking for a reason.
@p
If you haven’t read the Mock Draft I did for the DailyThunder, then I can see how you’d think it was just one game for Thabeet. But it wasn’t.
Here’s an excerpt:
“Here’s the giant red flag with drafting Thabeet: 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.4 blocks. Those are Thabeet’s stats when he played against potential first round big men in Dejuan Blair and Greg Monroe (2010 Draft now) and second round-to-undrafted big men in Josh Heytvelt (mid second round) and Goran Suton (late second round/undrafted).
When Thabeet doesn’t play against a legitimate big man, he posts numbers of 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks. That’s a significant drop in points (3.8), rebounds (4.4) and even blocks (.8). Those numbers basically sum up my greatest fear with Thabeet: Any time he comes up against someone anywhere near his size and strength, he gets bodied and dominated. And guess what, that’s all he’ll see in the NBA.”
So basically, when you look at it, the fear is that Thabeet is just a great shotblocker…and his competitive numbers support that analysis if you look at more than just one game, a la, his entire career.
“So if that counts, then I’m ready and fully willing to take that 1979 NBA title and count it. I didn’t feel right about it before, but seeing as one of the greatest sports franchises ever is doing it, I guess it is alright.”
That’s a pretty lame justification for claiming a team’s 30-year-old title when it was in a different city and the existing team having a moderate-at-best connection to the championship team. Just saying. I’m glad you feel better about claiming it now because you already supposedly did but felt bad. Wonder why.
@Anonymous
Again, it’s not like I’m printing up 1979 Thunder championship shirts. Just by chance if the Thunder wins a title in the next 50 years, I would say we have two titles instead of one.
I don’t brag about it or ever even think about it. But I had always thought that wasn’t part of this franchise. Now I see it could be.
@Royce
Reasonable enough, Royce. Please forgive my knee-jerk reaction. The question “Too soon?” seems to apply.
@Anonymous
No need for apologies. I’d probably feel the same way on the other end of it. It was just something I was thinking about while people were flaunting the Lakers’ 15th title.