The trade deadline came and went this afternoon and while half the league did some kind of maneuvering, the Thunder did not. Which was to be expected, but at the same time, kind of unexpected. I realize that makes no sense.
We’ve come to kind of expect that out of nowhere move from Sam Presti, the one that makes us slap the table and say, “Brilliant!” He pulled one off back in December, when he picked up Eric Maynor and Matt Harpring’s contract for literally nothing. And with Harpring’s contract and Etan Thomas’s expiring deal, most thought OKC would be a player at the deadline because of so many teams looking to dump salary. The Thunder has expiring contracts and expiring contracts have become gold bullion in the NBA. Read more…
Commentary
Trade Deadline
From Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix:
OKC not making any major moves before the deadline. Plan has been to grow young talent together. Surprise start not changing that … “Wouldn’t a Biedrins for Etan Thomas make sense though?” Mannix: Zero chance. OKC wants to see what it has in Ibaka, Krstic.
Kind of what we thought all along, but the disclaimer of “major moves” is there. So there is still chance we might see a bench player or few draft picks shuffled around.
UPDATE: John Hollinger, chatting on ESPN.com:
Sam Presti (OKC): Do you see me making any moves today? I was thinking I could maybe use Harpring and a pick to help someone get under the cap and get a better pick or a big in return.
John Hollinger: My spies in OKC think its highly unlikely they make a deal today unless they’re bowled over with an offer .. they’d prefer to keep that $1.8 mil in cap space for draft day, they might be able to combine their picks and move up or do some other interesting things.
News
Trade Deadline
The trade deadline has always been something I have followed with enthusiasm. In the years that Oklahoma City has hosted an NBA team, my interest has been at a fever pitch, but usually because my hometown team was a player in the rumor mill. Both seasons the Hornets were here, they were a bubble playoff team looking to make a push, and last season the Thunder were trying to build the team.
This year has been different. With the Thunder as a pretty solid candidate for the playoffs but more concerned with long term development, the team has no interest in making a big splash that could disrupt team chemistry or handcuff them long term. If Oklahoma City is associated with any deadline deals, I suspect they will be after thoughts to the mega trades that have already been consumated.
Of course, this doesn’t mean the trade deadline will not have huge ramifications for our team in OKC. As I outlined in last week’s column, the Western Conference playoffs slots are uber competitive and three contenders are going to be on the outside looking in. What the other competitors do at this juncture could make a big difference in what seed the Thunder have in ,or even if the team makes the playoffs.
That being said, here is my take on what the deals could mean to this market. (note: check back later if more trades come to light after this is posted.) Read more…
Commentary
It’s trade day! Make sure to refresh like a maniac all day long. You never knew when a deal has gone down!
Mike Prada of SBN ranks the top 20 NBA games of the season and the Thunder was in three of those: “Grizzlies vs. Thunder: I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to rank this game first. Seriously. This was the ultimate showcase of the two most promising young teams in the league, and it ended in a perfect way with Rudy Gay’s buzzer beater. All the key players starred, particularly Kevin Durant. Both teams played great defense all night, showing the type of effort you don’t usually see from young teams. Both teams played together and didn’t beat themselves. It was a great showcase of the future of this league.” Read more…
Bolts
The trade deadline comes and goes tomorrow. Yeah, that’s right. And by and large, Oklahoma City hasn’t been involved in any rumors or trade whisperings. But that doesn’t mean nothing will happen. The Thunder has a bunch of great assets and I’m sure Sam Presti’s phone will ring at least a few times tomorrow morning. So just like last year, let’s rank the assets.
Not touchable, in an Elliot Ness kind of way
1. Kevin Durant. Obviously KD is on the top of the list and honestly, behind LeBron, he may be the most valuable asset in the league. (His upcoming contract extension is going to be a big part of this, but I’m almost convinced he gets his max offer and signs the next morning. Maybe I think that way because I’d dunk my head in lava if that didn’t happen.) But I’m about to make a bold statement: I get asked a lot if I would trade Durant for anyone straight up. My simple answer: Nope.
I know, I know… LeBron. But I wouldn’t. Maybe that would make me a bad GM, but I want Kevin Durant on my team over LeBron James. Mainly because my team is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant just works here. He fits the Oklahoma mindset, he fits with his teammates and he just worksas the cornerstone for this franchise. I get tired of people trying to compare things. LeBron or Kobe? Durant or LeBron? Kevin Ollie or Anthony Johnson? Players are different and they play differently. LeBron is the best basketball player on the planet, no doubt. I just don’t see how that’s debatable. But Durant fits within what OKC does and is and he’s not too shabby a basketball player either. Read more…
Commentary
Trade Deadline
This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now, but it now appears that we’re going to have a REALLY good opportunity to get it done. But I’m kind of looking for a head count of sorts. Simply put: If we had a Daily Thunder pre-game party before a big Friday home game, would you want to come to it? I’ve been asked a lot about this sort of thing but we don’t want to go through the effort just to have 15 people show up.
I’m sure I can pull together some prizes and some other incentives/cool things. Maybe t-shirts, maybe free parking, maybe free something. But best of all, you can see my beautiful face in person. Isn’t that alone worth it?
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Other
DT Night
Simmons’ Trade Value column came out yesterday, which is a highlight of my year. Yes, I have a fairly boring life. But he has Russell Westbrook 30 and Kevin Durant third this year: “Let’s leave out the historical possibilities this time around. (You know, like the fact that he’s already at 5,000 career points, that no forward has ever averaged 30 points a game three times and he might do it 10 or 12, that he might have a 37 PPG or a 55-45-95 shooting percentage season lurking in him, etc.) Just look at this particular season. How is Durant not our No. 2 choice for MVP?”
I wrote Monday about my All-Star experience and how shellshocked I was seeing David Stern. Mike Seely of Seattle Weekly thinks I’m wrong/stupid: “But to Oklahoma City fans, Stern is a godsend. That we get. What doesn’t, however, pass the giggle test are awestruck press confessionals like the following, courtesy of Daily Thunder blogger Royce Young, who bumped into Stern over NBA All-Star weekend in Dallas.” The comments aren’t especially kind either. Read more…
Bolts
(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOX SCORE
The Ford Center sat on the edge of its collective seat. The entire arena was on pins and needles. It hung in the balance. Some of the tensest, most exciting moments of the season were happening right in front of the sellout crowd. The crowd rose to its feet with 20 seconds left as Kevin Durant drove right and floated a runner at the rim. It dropped and everyone went ballistic.
No, no, the Thunder had the game in hand already, up 11 at that point. But KD had just 23 points and time was running out with the streak in jeopardy. And while Durant extended his streak of 25-plus point games to 26, more importantly Oklahoma City kept its alive too, pushing it to seven with a 99-86 win over the Mavericks.
And while yes, Durant’s streak is neat, the fact the Thunder rebounded after a lackluster first quarter where they scored just 16 points and at one point trailed by 12, to come back and hold Dallas to only 11 third quarter points and run away with the game in the fourth says pretty loud and clear that this group is focused and ready for the second half. Forget about All-Star distractions or complacency. They’re still as hungry as ever. Read more…
Recap
Dallas Mavericks
vs. 
Dallas Mavericks (32-20, 17-11 road) vs. Okla. City Thunder (30-21, 15-10 home)
TV: FS Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 753)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CST
Offensive Rating: Thunder – 106.0 (21st), Mavericks – 108.6 (12th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 102.7 (3rd), Mavericks – 106.8 (16th)
Pace: Thunder – 92.3 (16th), Mavericks – 92.1 (20th)
View from the enemy: The Two Man Game
I’m still trying to shake the cobwebs off after All-Star Weekend. I haven’t totally recouped, both mentally and physically. And I didn’t really do anything. So I can’t imagine what it’s like for guys like Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook who were everywhere last weekend. Read more…
Preview
Dallas Mavericks
Writing on TrueHoop, Chris Sheridan has some fun with the trade machine and comes up with two deals for OKC. Deal No. 1: James Harden, Matt Harpring’s contract, Etan Thomas and a couple first rounders to the Suns for Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, and Jarron Collins. And then No. 2: Nick Collison, Kyle Weaver and D.J. White to Washington for Mike James, Francisco Oberto, Nick Young and Earl Boykins.
So now OKC’s roster looks like this, assuming Kevin Ollie and Jarron Collins are bought out/waived:
C: Stoudemire, Nenad Krstic, Oberto
PF: Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka.
SF: Kevin Durant, Thabo Sefolosha
SG: Barbosa, Young, Boykins.
PG: Russell Westbrook, James, Eric Maynor
It’s definitely a nice looking roster. Amare on the inside is definitely big time. And there’s some offensive firepower and speed with Barbosa running between Westbrook and Durant. But here’s where it makes no sense: Thabo is playing behind KD and Barbosa is starting. This team has built an identity on the defensive end, and now two of the softer defensive players in the Western Conference are now starting for you. You lose James Harden, who has been the absolute perfect fit on the roster, ruin team chemistry and potentially tick off Kevin Durant. Read more…
Commentary
Trade Deadline
Portland has either completed a trade with the Clippers or is very close to it. Marcus Camby to the Blazers for Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw. Interesting deal. OKC was sort of rumored to be looking at Camby and it’s obvious the Blazers are still trying to make a push.
Tom Haberstroh of HoopData with another great piece: “Oklahoma City’s defense just gets better and better. As crazy as it sounds, this might be the best defensive unit in the NBA at this very moment. The team has shaved off seven points off their defensive efficiency since end of last season which is 2.3 points more than the next most improved defense. In my opinion, this is the story of the season.” Read more…
Bolts
I’m as ready as anyone to put a bow on All-Star Weekend and move on to actual basketball that means something again. I don’t know if you remember, but before the break, Oklahoma City was one of the hottest teams in the league, winning six straight and moving up to fifth in the Western Conference. But being in Dallas for my first NBA All-Star Game was quite experience and I feel the need to put down a few thoughts on it all just to close the door on it.
1. All-Star Weekend is amazing. I know that sounds simple, but holy cow, it’s unreal. Being around the best in the world for four days is just something else. The NBA does up its All-Star game like no other sport. Maybe some of the events are disappointing, but just the general atmosphere is awesome.
I could recount it all and potentially bore your brain out with a breakdown of everything I did, so I’ll just tell you about probably my favorite. It was just incredibly cool to be there with all the biggest names in basketball media and meeting them. Maybe this makes me sound slightly pathetic, but spending dinner talking with John Hollinger was just very cool to me. But on Sunday morning, Henry Abbott and Art Garcia of NBA.com arranged for willing media members to run some pickup ball at SMU. Read more…
Commentary
All-Star Game 2010
(J.G.’s midseason draft look runs a couple days late because of the insanity of All-Star Weekend.)
Ironically this last part of the 2010 Draft Prospectus is the one I think most everyone will agree on. Sure, there may be a few people who dislike what I’m about to suggest but I’m almost positive this is the best course of action and would allow the organization to maintain all of the goals that it wants to going into this summer and into next season.
And sorry to some people, but it’s not bringing Oklahoma homegrown prospect Ekpe Udoh into the fold. It’s much, much more obvious of an option than that. And honestly, it’s probably the authentic #1 option for the Thunder in this draft considering where they’ll be drafting and what they need. Read more…
Commentary
2010 Draft
Back at it. What an exhausting, yet fun weekend. I’m a little sore from playing pickup yesterday and also worn out from not getting hardly any sleep. But it was all worth it. Back to the season.
A story on Fox News about KD: “Yet Durant buys his shirts at Wal-Mart, drives a conversion van so his cousins are comfortable and spent more than a month sleeping on an air mattress this past summer.`Ten shirts for eighty dollars,” Durant said with a chuckle of the deal he was able to get at Wal-Mart. `You can’t beat that.’ He’d rather hang out and play video games than hit the clubs, and you won’t find Durant dropping F-bombs on the court a la Kevin Garnett.” Read more…
Bolts
Wrapping up a fun weekend by having the best basketball players in the universe play five-on-five is a pretty good way to put a cap on All-Star Weekend 2010. Let me tell you, this is going to be nuts. Usher is performing, Cowboys Stadium is absolutely insane and just the entire atmosphere is pretty special. And the fact Kevin Durant is playing in this game and is probably one of the biggest stories is just gravy.
I’ll be updating from Jerry’s World as much as possible. So hang around, chat about the game, talk about the huge Mavs-Wizards deal or the potential trade sending Amare Stoudemire to Cleveland.
7:06 PM CST: Before we do anything, admire me on the front page of ESPN.com (guy on the right). No I do not have a black eye and no I didn’t not put on an absurd amount of mascara. Just the usual amount. Read more…
Diary
All Star, Kevin Durant
