Thursday Bolts: 8.2.18

Royce Young on the Thunder finalizing a deal with a new assistant coach: “The Thunder are finalizing adding Bob Beyer to Billy Donovan’s coaching staff, replacing Adrian Griffin who left to join the Raptors. Beyer most recently was an assistant with the Pistons, and formerly the head coach at Siena.”

Royce Young says on the Lowe Post podcast that Westbrook is focusing on his jump shot: “He’s been working on it this summer, I’ve been told. They want him to be a better catch-and-shoot guy. That’s been a big-time offseason focus, we’ll see.”

The crew worked out yesterday in Los Angeles:

KicksonFire spots Russell Westbrook wearing brand new Air Jordan shoe: “This new shoe seems to be a hybrid version of his Why Not Zer0.1 but comes with a few differences such as a new forefoot/midfoot design and no strap. This particular pair that Westbrook laced up comes covered in black throughout most of the upper with silver and orange accents. Westbrook’s logo is also noted on the heel area in a spray-paint stencil style.”

Grant Hughes (B/R) gives the Thunder an “A” in his free agency report card: “With some of the West’s other top Warriors-chasers taking a step back, the Thunder’s work in free agency might nudge them into position as Golden State’s top in-conference challenger…if they can figure out how to space the floor on offense with a closing lineup of Russell Westbrook, Schroder/Andre Roberson, George, Grant and Steven Adams.”

John Gonzalez (Ringer) asks 10 questions about Carmelo Anthony joining the Rockets: “Part of that decline is because of the way he was deployed in OKC. Anthony had a 23.2 usage rate with the Thunder—the lowest of his career. Acquiring a ball-dominant player and then not giving him the ball seemed like a bad idea all the way around. It was like Thunder GM Sam Presti decided he really wanted a goldfish, went out and bought a goldfish, and then stuck that goldfish in a really small bowl with no water. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that Melo just sort of flopped around all season and then looked largely lifeless in the end.”

Patrick Patterson hosts youth basketball camp in West Virginia (via Herald-Dispatch): “Huffman’s experience was exactly what Patterson hoped. ‘It’s all about having fun,’ the former Huntington High and University of Kentucky star said of his goal for the campers. ‘We want it to be tough. We want them to work on their craft and develop their skills.'”

Around the League: Draymond Green denies he was punched by Tristan Thompson … The NBA Africa game is on Saturday … Wizards rookie Troy Brown is helping the homeless in Las Vegas … J.R. Smith is being investigated for throwing a fan’s cellphone