Home > Bolts > Tuesday Bolts – 9.8.09

Tuesday Bolts – 9.8.09

I’m a day late with this, but listen to yesterday’s B.S. Report and head to around the 27:30 mark. Some great stuff there thunderbolt23about KD and also Simmons specifically gives a nod to the people of Oklahoma City for their support of the Thunder (34:00). Maybe Traber heard that.  Chad Ford also says the Rubio camp preferred OKC and Simmons thinks OKC could be a destination for LeBron. Interesting.

The 2009 Eurobasket kicked off yesterday and Thunderman Nenad Krstic had a strong showing for Serbia in a 66-57 upset of Spain. Krispy had 17 points and six boards leading a team full of teenagers over the Gasol brothers, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy Fernandez (didn’t play) and Ricky Rubio. Because I know you care, Rubio finished with six points and three assists in 28 minutes. (Box score)

Kevin Durant has been tearing up Twitter. Some highlights: “#wheniwaslittle i thought topanga from boy meets worlds was the baddest thing walkin lol … #wheniwaslittle i wore a size 14 shoe…i was 10 yrs old … #wheniwaslittle there was no twitter so i got on the computer to play solitaire and paint on windows 95 … #wheniwaslittle i watched angels in the outfield and sandlot every saturday.” Topanga. Heh heh.

Kevin Durant is on the cover of the latest Dime Magazine: “Putting Durant on his second Dime cover was an idea that had been floating around our editorial meetings for the last year or so. When we finally decided to pull the trigger, the timing couldn’t have been better. We shot KD in late-July in Las Vegas, at the same time he was blowing everyone’s socks off (how’s that for an old-man reference?) at the Team USA mini-camp. Going in, everyone knew Durant could get buckets, but after showing his complete game against some of the League’s top young stars, he took the hype surrounding him to a new level. Associate Editor Austin Burton penned the KD cover story, finding a man who is infinitely more comfortable with his stardom than he was when he graced the cover of Dime #32 in college, one who is committed to lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder to the top of the League now that he’s found some stability in what has been a crazy three-year stint in the spotlight.”

kevin-durant-dime-51

The Painted Area watched yesterday’s Serbia game: “Nenad Krstic was the star of the day on both ends with 17 pts & 6 rebs on 7/12. Nenad mixed in some righty hooks with some turnaround jumpers on offense, and was active near the rim helping to change shots & holding the fort vs. the Gasol boys.”

Great stuff on how Kevin Durant is the next generation of superstar: ”Here are less than 140 character why Kevin Durant is going to be one of a handful of young players to shape the NBA over the next 15 years: “Maaaan these dudes be stuntin round here….”I spent 10 grand in da club” ……. ahhahahahaahaahaahahahhahaaa wat an idiot” (KevinDurant35, 31 August 2009) It’s nothing to do with basketball ability. After last season, everyone knows he has more than enough ability to go around the whole state of Oklahoma. This is about attitude. In the ritzy world of the NBA, a young man not yet 21 should get sucked in a spat out very quickly. Should happen because it does happens.”

Oh and a quick little Did You Know: For the past 13 years when Miami has beat FSU, OU has beat Texas, but when FSU has won, Texas has won the Red River Shootout. So let’s see… who won that game last night again?

Now just 50 days until the season starts. I can hear Thunder.

Share:
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • del.icio.us
  • Fark
  • StumbleUpon

Bolts

Post comment as twitter logo facebook logo
Sort: Newest | Oldest

Me not wanting LeBron is like Me kicking Megan Fox outta my bed for eating cookies which I'd never do (and gladly supply the Thin Mints :) ), but HOW is it that LeBron going to us would be a good fit? Move him to the 2 spot? Who would be the main component of the team? I know that if we made it work we might give the Celtics a run for their money for consecutive championships, but if not, it could put Presti's plan in reverse. I'd do it if we got the chance and KD signed off on it though.

Also, am I crazy for loving that fact that we are referred to as "the team that shall not be named?"

Man,
Good to know I am not the only one shifting my main focus from OU football(I am a grad) to the NBA. I love OU and OU football, always will, but the NBA just feels more grown up and at my age, I really need that. Man, I cannot wait for the season to start.

Just to chime in on the Gortat points, Orlando isn't "bailing" on him by looking into a trade. They would have done a sign and trade this offseason but Gortat signed Dallas' offer too early. They know that Gortat's contract is way too much for a guy playing behind their franchise player, but they don't want to let him go for nothing either. In December, expect Gortat to be on the block for young depth, a pick, or an upgrade at PF.

Remember when we were talking about why Durant wears 35?

From that 4pointplay article: "Durant doesn't wear his number to remember a past baller or Michael Jackson. It remembers his coach and childhood mentor who was murdered when he was 35 years old."

Man, Portland passing on him was idiotic. Durant just does everything correctly.

Just say no to Gortat. I have a really bad feeling about him.

MartzMimic :
I credit that to the Thunder, though I honestly can’t decide whether it’s because they’ve stolen some of the emotion that was once solely reserved for the Sooners, or if it’s because I really got used to walking out of the Ford Center after a loss last year.

Love this quote, ahahah. Consider it nominated for Post of the Week.

@Steve H
Forgot about the luxury tax situation. I would think that would make adding salary this year even less likely. If they traded Gortat for more short-term salary, that would increase the tax even more. Can't say anything about the future for them since I don't know their contract situation.

To clarify, the Magic COULD get comparable value back in trade, but that would put them right back in the "Paying lots of luxury tax penalty for a bench player" boat. I have trouble seeing them finishing better than third in the east this year- kinda hard to justify paying out crazy cash for that- different story if they wind up back in the finals though.

@Tapdog72
While I fear that they might be looking to keep Gortat, at least for this season, I have repeatedly posted here that it seems crazy for them to pay 12 mill in after tax salary for a guy they play just 12 min a night. I can see why they matched Dallas' offer (otherwise they got nada for him), but I would think a handful of picks(we got 2 first rounders and 3 secnond rounders next year) would be very attractive to a team with long-term cap issues due to a handful of big contracts. With picks they should be able to add better atheletes to their roster than what they could land via trade/free agency for the same money. The Magic CAN'T get comparable value for Gortat via trade because they will be looking at a comparable salary coming back at them. I was just hoping they might have some financial motivation to make such a move before the season ends.

@Steve H
The way I understand it, the trade exception only applies to the trade itself, not the cap. Once you are over the cap, a trade has to be balanced, ie the salaries have to match within a certain percentage. With a trade exception, Orlando can send out less salary than they take in on a trade, using the exception to make up the difference. It would still hit their cap, so I would think they would be unlikely to utilize it unless someone gets hurt and the decide to throw tons of money at staying competitive. So to answer the question, they could do the type of trade you describe, but how much they save depends on Collison's contract. Mullins is obviously cheaper with fewer commited years, and Thomas is up this year. Seems too early for Orlando to bail on Gortat. I think they'd want more than that him this early.

Got a question for you NBA rules gurus out there. I read on Hoopsworld where Orlando has a large trade exception from the Turky-glue deal with Toronto. The way the article read, that meant they could take ON additional salary via trade this year without counting it against the cap. Does such an exception mean they could SHED a player's salary for this year via a trade for 2010 picks in December(thinking Gortat here)? If we worked something out for picks and a player for Gortat (Thomas, Collison, Mullins), would they be able to shed Gortat's salary, and have the salary coming back in trade negated by the trade exception? I am still foolishly optimistic that we will see a move for Gortat mid-season this year, and would love some confirmation that by making such a move the Magic would be able to limbo under the luxury tax bar.

Man, those KD tweets really take me back. Goofing off in elementary school computer lab, watching Boy Meets World and Hangin With Mr. Cooper, being too young to realize those were both terrible shows. Thanks for posting that. I don't usually bother sifting through all the junk on his twitter account.

@dork
Could be. All I know is that it's a different feeling despite there being higher expectations for the Sooners this year than there were in 2005. And I've never invested as much time in the offseason following OU as I have the Thunder this summer. I just keep going back to July 4, 2008 and the feeling I had telling my daughter that we didn't have to cheer for anyone else's team anymore. They're mine and I was there from day one.

@MartzMimic
..or C.) your not as heavily influced by the loss because you know you are only using it as a coping mechanism to pass the time until the NBA season starts :)

Not to get into the football too much, but I will have to say that walking out of the stadium on Saturday felt nothing like it did after the TCU loss a few years ago. I credit that to the Thunder, though I honestly can't decide whether it's because they've stolen some of the emotion that was once solely reserved for the Sooners, or if it's because I really got used to walking out of the Ford Center after a loss last year.

@Robert
I did know that!

Trivia for everyone. When was the last time you were this excited to see the rookie your offical Pro Sports Team drafted play in your hometown? Ah watch out for tricks :P

dork I'll give you an OSU did you know: that the last time both teams were ranked, and OSU was ahead in the rankings was 1988?

@Royce
Listened to the whole BS report, and Simmons actually said Oklahoma City. Not in reference to the team, which is still "The team that shall not be named", but he did say it. I think that's part of where the "Simmons hates OKC" came from since he never would say the name. He'll eventully come around. He likes the team and GM too much.

@Danny
You know, the thing about it was that Traber embellished everything Simmons said. Simmons never said anything mean about the people of OKC. He always just been critical of Clay Bennett. I think Traber ASSUMED Simmons hated OKC.

hmm... man i can't wait until those updates are the nba power rankings!

New rankings are out

OSU is 5
OU is 13

Wait, I am lost here. What is all this talk about the Buckeyes?

@dork
That's what I love about the Thunder. It's the one thing we can all come together on. Well that and hating Jim Traber and Texas.

Well in that case! Seriously though, Bradford should not have stayed in college.... and woot OSU should be top ranked school in the state! okay I'm though now...... If only it were Thunder season already!

@dork
Hey I'm not the Oklahoman. I don't try to be unbiased and fair. It's all in the open.

Doh. I didn't mean to bring up the issue about the egg. Just tryin' to keep the balance. :)

@dork
OSU Did You Know: Currently, OSU has all bragging rights on OU fans. The egg is on our faces and we don't like talking about it.

"Oh and a quick little Did You Know: For the past 13 years when Miami has beat FSU, OU has beat Texas, but when FSU has won, Texas has won the Red River Shootout. So let’s see… who won that game last night again?"

where is my OSU Did you Know? Man OU looses and i am lucky to not have to hear about OU football at my work yet it still makes its way in! doh :P

What?

But Traber said that Simmons HATED Oklahoma City. You mean he didn't know what he was talking about?

Incredible!

Since it came up during the podcast: What kind of numbers do you think KD can realistically put up this season?