Friday Bolts – 7.29.16

Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider ranks his 10 best remaining free agents: “Preseason ankle

surgery kept Anderson out of the lineup until after the All-Star break and ultimately limited him to 13 games in his one season in Washington. The Wizards were counting on Anderson to play a key role coming off a good 2014-15 season in which he posted an above-average true shooting percentage for the first time in his career. Anderson doesn’t create much of his own offense, but teams like his ability to defend either wing position.”

Ben Golliver of SI.com on biggest free agent moves of the last 15 years: “There are two other factors that compound the excitement with this move: 1) Golden State, already supreme, has consolidated its power at the top of the Western Conference this summer, and 2) Golden State’s core is aligned age-wise so that its championship window extends into the distant future. With the Spurs, Thunder and Clippers taking a step back this summer, the Warriors, on paper, are set up to dominate the West just as the Heat dominated the East during the “Big 3” era. And with Durant, Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all 28-and-under, the Warriors should enjoy an extended run of 60+ win seasons, like a souped-up version of Nash’s Suns or Garnett’s Celtics.”

Kevin Durant has refuted a report that wasn’t supposed to be a report.

Nick Friedell of ESPN.com on Melo becoming the face of Team USA: “Anthony’s veteran presence is something this young American team will be able to lean on during its defense of another world title. The fact that Anthony continues to answer the bell for his country on the Olympic stage is something Colangelo gushes over. Out of all the stars in America’s deep pool of basketball riches, it is Anthony who has become the unlikely face of the national program over time, not James or Durant.”

KD was setting screens for Klay Thompson in the Western finals.

Draymond Green: “During the playoffs, it’s a little different. More is at stake, so we weren’t talking much and that’s normal. I heard something come out where they said Kevin Durant and Draymond were talking during the playoffs. They were lying. If that makes them feel better about themselves, and when I say ‘them,’ I’m talking about whoever, whoever’s saying it. They’re wrong. I was told there were people from the Thunder who were mad that me and KD were talking. I don’t know where the report came from. It came from somewhere. And to be honest with you, I really don’t care where it came from. And if we were talking, we were, but I have to reason to come out and lie and say I wasn’t talking to KD, because if I was can’t nobody do anything about it.”

Erik Horne: “Per basketball-reference.com, Ibaka and Durant were responsible last season for a combined 21 win shares, which measures estimated number of wins contributed by a player. Oladipo and Ilyasova combined for 10.1 win shares with the Magic last season. The projected jump by Utah to No. 5 in the West might come as a surprise, but the Jazz finished a game out of the playoffs last season and have added veterans Joe Johnson, Boris Diaw and George Hill. But projections are just that: projections. Last season, Portland was pegged by many as a lottery team after losing four of its five starters, but ended up finishing fifth in the West.”