Saturday Bolts – Weekend Edition
A couple of good stories came out late yesterday that I didn’t want anybody to miss…
Stephen Curry had an interesting Q&A with The Baseline: “The Washington one is set, and after that it’s still open. We’re in talks with a lot of teams trying to get the right schedule going for the last week and a half. Beyond Tuesday in Washington, I don’t have anything set yet. CL: Last time we talked, you mentioned the Thunder … SC: Oklahoma City, Portland and … I think that was it. CL: There was another one, the Bucks. SC: Oh, Milwaukee. We’re still talking to all those teams. I don’t really know what’s going to happen beyond Tuesday.” So Curry is going to work out with OKC and the fact he’s to work out with Portland means they may be trying to move into the lottery to get him.
Darnell Mayberry on the history of UCONN big men: “The list is long but not so illustrious. It contains familiar names like Emeka Okafor and Charlie Villanueva but also includes forgettable faces such as Travis Knight and Jake Voskuhl.It’s the fraternity of big men from the University of Connecticut. Some have gone on to great success in the NBA. Most have not. Hasheem Thabeet is next in line, for better or for worse.”
Mayberry also caught up (Why do people say that? He ‘caught up’ with him? I hate that) with Russell Westbrook:”I think the main thing they’re trying to do is just keep them involved because most of the (All-Star) voting comes from overseas,” Westbrook said. “And in the Chinese culture there are a lot of different things that go on over there that we don’t know about. So it’s good for us to go over there and help them out and show them that we care about their support … It means a lot to me because watching the NBA (growing up), I never knew you could go across the world and see a lot of other fans that enjoy the NBA as well. Finally, I got the chance to go over myself and I’m looking forward to maybe doing it again and giving back to them.”
Scott Howard-Cooper of SI says Ricky Rubio and the Grizzlies don’t mix: “A rival general manager is on the phone discussing the Grizzlies’ options with the No. 2 pick. Ricky Rubio is the second-best prospect in the draft, he says, echoing the feeling of most peers, and Rubio would make Memphis better. But … “If I’m the Grizz, I probably trade the pick.” Run from it. Full sprint. Get the certainty of an established player, maybe a power forward to address their biggest position need, and probably pick up a choice later in the first round while dodging the gathering storm of problems. Not the usual every-draft-is-a-risk problem, either. Buyout problems. Lawyer problems. International problems.”
James Harden worked out with the Kings earlier this week and here’s the video evidence. Let me tell you though, I thought he looked fantastic:
Also, Harden’s post-workout interview was really good as well. Any thoughts of over-confidence or arrogance were really cleared up I thought. He just seemed like a guy that was sure of himself and was trying to answer questions. I’m ready for him. Where do I sign?
John Rohde wrote today about Tyreke Evans and how he could be a scary pick. Yet, I’ve heard nobody mention the Thunder being remotely interested in Evans: “Many questions surround Tyreke Evans. Is he a point guard, or a shooting guard. Is he both, or neither? Is he truly a bad outside shooter? Is he the next Derrick Rose, or did he just happen to play at the same college? Is he good enough now, or is he a project? Is he your answer, or does he bring you more questions? There is uncertainty with every potential NBA Draft pick, even a blatant top choice like Blake Griffin. The last thing a team wants to do is waste a high draft pick on a tweener.” I don’t know if Rohde realizes it, but he basically just described Russell Westbrook to a T. And I think he’s doing alright.
HoopsWorld’s new consensus mock is up: OKC is taking James Harden, Rubio, Thabeet and Rubio.
I am juiced for this draft (yeah, like I’m the only one) but it’s gotten to the point with Sam Presti that I’ll be excited with whoever he picks. I really want someone from the Harden/Curry/Rubio group, but even if he chose Thabeet who I don’t want AT ALL, I’d be psyched because you know Presti’s not screwing this one up.
And btw I saw the love you gave him in the BigBoard, but I love Patty Mills. He’s not getting nearly enough hype, he’s going to be a great late first rounder for someone
Harden looks like the perfect fit for our team! He’s just so fluid and smooth with his movements and shots. (I had to watch the video twice!)
Any of the workout videos on Curry out there? Is there anyway we can have a Pros ‘n Cons graphic up between Curry/Harden?
It seems that they are the two most likely coming to OKC, to me. (Will Harden be able to take the ball up the court like Curry can, when needed? Can Curry be explosive/tough enough to take it to the rim and get to the line in THIS leauge?)
just a thought…or two.
thanks mates! keep up the great stuff, Royce!
Cripes, half the reason I made these Bolts was to congratulate Thabo, and I totally forgot.
So congrats Thabo!
(And I like the Presti jersey idea.)
one of these days I’ll figure out how to upload a pic to this profile! any help?
wouldn’t a consensus mock draft mean everybody agrees on who we will take? I am really getting very excited about HARDEN
Evans was on the scene when his cousin shot someone dead a year and a half ago and drove the get away car. Gang related. He wasn’t charged in it but Presti isn’t going to take him.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20071227_Evans_was_at_scene_of_fatal_shooting.html
that workout video is great. Harden is one smooth shooter.
It was funny/weird though to see the shot where they panned to the coaching staff. They all had a pissed/grumpy expression like they were constipated. You’d think from their faces that they were watching some hopeless dolt on the court.
(or maybe they were thinking, CRAP this guy IS good… and we ain’t gonna get him!)
@Al
Wow. I did not know about this.
@Cpt. C-Note
I asked somebody else how to do this as well. Go to http://en.gravatar.com/
and upload a pic. Then whatever blog or site you log into or comment on, if the site has avatars enabled, yours will show up.
I have the Nick Collison hoodie avatar going on.
You cannot watch that Harden workout video and NOT BE IMPRESSED. What did he miss…three shots out of 25?
I hate to admit this, cuz Harden is my man, but Tyreke Evans looked just as good as Harden in the same setting. Very impressive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaptU2Ezh2g&feature=channel
@Mike
I agree about Patty Mills. He’s gonna make some team very happy. He’s like Tony Parker—quick, foreign, and right-handed. He’s definitely worth the squeeze.
@Joe
thanks for the help! I’ll see what happens!
Looks like it wooked!
I agree completely Joe….he knocked down just as many if not more from mid-range and the NBA 3!
One thing about Harden’s video… and I don’t know if he was just taking it easy for the shootaround or what, but he gets no lift on his jumper. He has a relatively low release and on the catch and shoots he would drop the ball to his waist after every catch.
I’m obviously no scout or anything, but those things kind of caught my eye.
Physically, he looked great though. Total NBA body.
And Tyreke Evans’ shot is just horrifying.
As long as it goes in…
It’s not like the NBA drafts the best shooting mechanics…lol
@GAP
well, it goes in during an unguarded shootaround, but it doesn’t when guarded, even when guarded by college players. His shooting percentage last season on jumpshots was frighteningly bad. NBAdraftexpress had an article on it a while back.
@Dylan
Yeah, he tucks that ball way back behind his head and sort of “chucks it up there”….
It’s making me nervous that Draftexpress Mock now has Harden going to Memphis at #2…
I rewatched Harden and your right Dylan, he gets no lift, and he really doesn’t square his shoulders all the way. But they do go in better than any 2 out there in the draft this year. He has a higher point per shot and True shooting percent than Stephen Curry.
Did any one else see a little Dwayne Wade in Harden?
If we had Harden, wouldn’t most of the focus be on KD and RW?(on D)
It seems like Harden would get alot of kick out shots after RW, Uncle Jeff, or KD tried to drive to the hoop, causing the D to collapse.(lots of scrambling to contest an outside shot!) Also, when an opposing team runs a zone on us, Harden could shoot them out of it with a couple of long balls, causing the D to rethink who the scoring threat is.(opening up other options! (i.e. WE WON’T BE LAST IN OFFENSE THIS SEASON!)
Not to mention, we could run the floor all day with RW, Harden, OKC Smooth, Uncle Jeff, and Collison or Krstic or whoever we end up with.(hopefully Gortat!) and maybe have some decent contibution from DJ White, Thabo, Shaun Livingston, ect…
With Harden at 6’3″-222 lbs., It seems he could have the toughness to last the 82 game schedule.(Could Curry’s frame handle the grind?)
@Cpt. C-Note
Actually Harden measured out over 6’5″ with shoes at the combine, so he’s pretty much decent size for the 2, and not really undersized.
And yes to all that about the kickouts. Drive and dish was something we saw a lot of last season. The problem is that Thabo and Weaver and Westbrook are below average shooters for the most part. Green is borderline but did shoot the three ok. Krstic was streaky.
So I think Harden fits the bill perfectly. That’s why most of us here are so high on him. He flat out scores the ball even when everybody knows he’s going to do something with it. He is a lefty who is a really good finisher at the hoop, a good passer and good shooter.
We were dead last in three pointers attempted and made. That has to change for sure.
It wouldn’t surprise me however to see Presti do something unexpected however. Durant was a no brainer. Green was a surprise and so was Westbrook. Nobody was even talking about D.J.White or Serge Ibaka. So who really knows. What I do know is that Presti has seen just about every shooting guard of note by the list of workouts. He may have other ideas with the number three and may acquire a shooter at the two way down the line. He’s worked out Meeks, Taylor, McClinton, Ellington, and he’s been reported to be at the group workouts where just about everybody on the planet has worked out, like Budinger, Curry, Thornton etc…..Presti likes to get great value for his picks. If Taylor, Meeks or Ellington or somebody like that can do 90% of what Harden can do, and you can get one of them (probably any of them) for a second rounder which are easy to come by, then, you save yourself gazillions of bucks in guaranteed money and have much more cap flexibility in two more seasons when you have to start paying Durant and Green.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Presti pull a rabbit out of the hat, but in case he doesn’t, Harden fits the bill very well.
@Joe
Wow Harden is taller than NBADraft.net has him!(guess I shouldn’t trust them, ehh)
Presti is a wizard of sorts, so it’s gonna be a hard to see what he’s got in store for us. (lots of fireworks, i hope!)
I agree that Presti wouldn’t have traded Ray Allen for Uncle Jeff if he wans’t planning on building a team with him as a major part, so we’ll have to save some cap room for him and KD… and RW!!
I really liked what I saw of Meeks and Ellington in college, so they wouldn’t hurt my feelings on this team as long as we get a starting center!(let the “I WANT GORTAT” movement continue!)
I love the prospect of Harden. A shooter like that, if consistent, could have made the difference that would have enabled us another 10-12 wins last season. Many games that we lost were very close and decided by a lack of shot making in the fourth. Lookout 2009!
Harden, M.Gortat, D.Lee, P.Mills- Done
Not David Lee.
sorry, but the oracle has spoken.
Harden certainly looks like the best fit for the team (assuming Rubio doesn’t fall), but I still wonder how far we are in building a contender. Let’s say Westbrook goes for 18-5-6 on 44% shooting. Let’s say Durant is the next top 5 player, putting up 27-8-4 on 49% shooting. Let’s even say Harden consistently hits open shots, averaging 14-3-3 with 42% from three. Is that a team that makes the playoffs? A team that can make noise in the playoffs?
I know it’s been brought up before, but not a single team since MJ’s Bulls (a team filled with two all-time players and perhaps the best supporting cast ever) won the championship without an all-star big man. How far can we get on the shoulders of wing players?
Now I hate the Clippers even more.
Anyone wish they had the first 6 picks in this draft?
Here’s your team
1. Ricky Rubio
2. James Harden
3. Hill
4. Griffin
5. Thabeet
Bench
6. Curry
not bad…
Man I hate the Lakers. I wish they would go away.
@Joe
true that
Well, I’m pretty sure when Detroit won in 04 Ben Wallace wasn’t an All-Star. Maybe Rasheed was, but they won that title with defense and perimeter scoring. When you realize that only 5 teams have won the title since MJ’s last one, I’m not sure you can flat-out say you can’t win without a big man. It may just be a little bit of coincidence (though I think it’s no lie that an All-Star big man is more valuable, than say an All-Star 3). More to the point, there just aren’t any available (unless you’re sold on Thabeet, which few of us are).
I’m not necessarily arguing with you — a big man would be nice. But I don’t think it’s mandatory anymore. Nor is there any reasonable option out there, via trade or draft.
I don’t think that team ever gets past the 6 seed in the West (and I’m talking if you had no cap and kept them together for 10 years).
in 10 years only 5 of those 6 players will be in the league
There’s some talent there for sure, but I am not sold on Hill at all. I definitely am not a Thabeet fan for the high lottery, and there are a lot of question marks about Rubio. But I like Harden and Griffin and Curry.
@Vince
Actually it was Big Ben who was the all-star and DPOY. He wasn’t scoring, but he was putting up Dwight Howard numbers (or better) in rebounds, blocks, and steals. And I really didn’t mean to imply that Thabeet should be that guy, I think he’s a bust. My point was that we are focused on getting a shooter at the 2, but a shooter at the 2 still doesn’t get us easy baskets around the rim.
Call me crazy, but I think you can’t win with only one half the team equation. If you don’t have both a wing/point and a big man who can draw attention, then you don’t win. Defenses can key on the perimeter, or key on the paint. They can shut down half an offense. But you can’t shut down an offense that can rely on inside or outside scoring.
Anyone have ESPN “IN” that can tell we what this article is talking about? It has something to do with Dez! thanks!
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/features/rumors?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2ffeatures%2frumors