Monday Bolts – 8.2.10
Want to work for the Thunder? There’s a job opening right now for Website Publications Coordinator. Go go go!
Darnell Mayberry gives reasons why CP3 isn’t coming back to OKC: “At this point, any desire to see Paul in a Thunder uniform is a clear lack of respect for Russell Westbrook. Management affirmed its belief in Westbrook by passing on Ricky Rubio in the 2009 NBA Draft, and last season Westbrook promptly squashed the “is-he-or-isn’t-he” debate over whether he’s a point guard. After putting together the best playoff performance of any Thunder player, Westbrook now enters his third season well-established as one of the league’s best young floor generals.”
Jared Dudley worked out with Serge Ibaka: “Just got done with a mornin workout at Impact with Thunders own Serge Ibaka. I new he was athletic but i was very impress with his shooting.”
One writer wonders if the Bulls are the Thunder of the East: “Chicago is built to deliver the same greatness. Rose will showcase his shoe-defying speed with and without the ball, Noah will block shots and get in your face about it and role players will be solid overall. Tom Thibodeau will instill a powerful defensive focus, just as Scott Brooks does for the Thunder.”
Susan Bible of HoopsWorld has a breakdown of the Thunder’s current roster: “One of the real advantages is that the young players should return as better players. The fact that the Big Three (Durant, Westbrook and Green) were invited to mini-camp for Team USA and survived the first cut to 15 players going into training camp in New York won’t hurt. Two other facts about this team contribute heavily to its previous success and will lead them next season: 1) the versatility of its players; most of them can play multiple positions giving them match-up flexibility, and 2) the chemistry and unselfishness between the players is off the charts. Add a rising superstar or two, and a winning formula is emerging.”
Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that Rich Cho has selected two assistant GMs and is just working out contract details. Of course, some are wondering if Troy Weaver is one of those. From what I hear, he’s not.
Also, Quick has a nice feature on Cho: “He knows his time to order is approaching and he wants to make an informed decision. It mirrors his reputation as a basketball executive. When he was an assistant general manager under Rick Sund in Seattle, Sund recalls many a time when he asked Cho about acquiring a player on another team. Shortly after, Cho would present him with as many as 10 options on how to acquire that player, each scenario complete with whether he wanted to use one, two or three players to make the acquisition, and the salary cap implications for each scenario. Research. Options. Input. It’s the Cho way.”
I’ve gotten a bunch of great questions for the mailbag and it should be put together soon. Thanks for all the emails.
I posted this commenting on an article related to Chris Paul and the Thunder. I added more for this post.
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You are exactly right, and the article is basically wrong on all accounts. Paul is probably the best point guard we've seen this decade, and is right there with Durant in terms of production. In fact, Durant and Paul are a stat geeks dream. AND what's more, is that they would compliment each other PERFECTLY.
Durant, while a superstar, isn't the same type of player or star as a Wade, a Lebron, or a Kobe. Those players dominate the ball and create offense. Durant plays off the ball, but does it to levels we haven't seen before. Basically, he's the ultimate robin. And he needs a Batman if he wants to win. Remember the playoffs.
Paul on the other hand, is right there in the conversation with Wade and Lebron as far as playmaking goes, and would be perfect next to Durant. I would trade Russell, Jeff, 1st's and whatever else for him. Take a year to get more pieces (preferably a big man who can draw fouls, so a free throw expert like Durant can benefit from being in the bonus) and this team WOULD be better than the Heat. No doubt in my mind. But with Russell and Jeff, while I like them, they won't get the Thunder to that level. They could definitely develop, but they just aren't in the same conversation. Durant is a once in a decade scorer, but the game has changed. Do whatever it takes to get Paul. WHATEVER IT TAKES. Every first round pick for the next 4 years. His talent, like Durant's, is irreplaceable.
Compared to Russell, there is no contest. It may be unfair due to the age difference, but Paul is proven, Russ is not (he might even be overrated). To start the comparison, Paul's AST% (% of teammate field goals assisted by player while he's on the floor) was 45.4% last year, one where he struggled with injury. The two previous years it was above 52%, which is INCREDIBLE. Russell's AST% is at 38.6%, which improved from 27.5% his first year (Paul's AST% his rookie year was 38.2% :/) Furthermore, Paul's USG% is lower than Westbrook also, 22.2% vs 25.7% respectively, though the year before it was 27.5% (reflected in his other stats). From a scoring standpoint, Paul's TFG% has been above 57% the last 3 years, while Russ only marked 49% last year. This has alot to do with Paul being a 41% (!!!) 3pt shooter last year, compared to Russ's lowly 22%. Paul's Points Per Possession last year (again, an off year due to injury) was 1.11/1.00 (with freethrows/without) compared to 0.89/0.83 for Westbrook. That's a great rating for Paul who is a superstar and has defenses focused on him, and a VERY POOR score for Westbrook, regardless of role. Overall, on plays where Paul is directly involved, (meaning ends in a shot by him, free throws for him, or a turnover) he scored 47% of the time (a little lower than Durant). For Westbrook, its 41.8%, which sucks. On pick and rolls that end in a shot for the ball handler, Pauls PPP (not including FT) is 0.94, which is excellent. It's 0.78 for Westbrook. 13.1% of Paul's plays ended in a TO, while 15.7% were a TO for Russ. Paul's overall TOV% was 13.5% while Westbrooks was 16.6%. Both Chris and Russell are below average defensively, each allowing around 0.95 PPP. Russ had an offensive rating last year second worse on the Thunder players with significant minutes behind Thabo, and a defensive rating second worse only to Nenad. He posted a WS/48 of 0.106, where the average is 0.100. Paul had the best offensive rating of anyone on his team with sig/min, while he was average defensively. He posted a WS/48 of 0.204, which is very good, even though the year before he had an unthinkable mark of 0.292, which is legendary. Remember, Paul had an off year last year in comparison to his production the previous two years. Even steals, which Russ is presumably good at, edge GREATLY to Paul. Though he posted a STL% of 2.9% this year, the previous two years he was at 3.9% which is crazy. Russ posted 2.0% this year.
Lastly, Roland Rating, which is a statistical +/- rating, shows Russell in a little better light, as the second best Thunder player with sig/min with +3.8. Paul only posted a +6.7 this year, but last year he had an astonishing +17.7 (Durant is an equally impressive +17.0 last year). However, I imagine some good Thunder players being hurt in this category by Durant being so impactful when he's on the floor (meaning they are hurt when they are on the bench and he is in)
Durant's presence and OKC's history make a move for Paul to a small market at least plausible. If the Thunder have to pull a Miami and have Durant/Paul + 13 it's fine. Green, Westbrook, Collison, Kristic for Paul/Okafor works, and all those are expiring deals. Add 2011/2012 first rounders. That would make:
Paul/Maynor/Ivey
Thabo/Harden/Cook
Durant/Peterson (gross...)
Ibaka/DJ White
Okafor/Alrich/Mullens
That's great. While MoPete sucks, you have Durant out there for 40 minutes anyway. You could even play Harden/Thabo combo if you want.
Listen, I know it's definitely improbable, almost impossible, and many would want to stick with Russ as he is young and has plenty of time to improve, to win a championship you need all-time talent. Westbrook could yet become good, but I sincerely doubt he becomes the epic that is Chris Paul. With the NBA the way it is now, with the Heat/Celtics/Lakers/Bulls, you need to take chances. You can't just put stock in the future and hope it pans out. The Thunder have cap space, expirings, good young talent, and a young humble legend-in-the-making. They can give NOR what they want, and if Paul is about winning, they can give him what he wants. His style of ball is perfect for not only Durant, but Ibaka as well (ally-oop, anyone?). Do this trade, and contend next year and the next 10 years. Don't, and risk being swept away by superior Elite talents gathered in the same place, be it Miami, Chicago, or New York. The Lakers aren't exactly old either. Development isn't enough, we have to go all in.
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