Tuesday Bolts – 10.7.14
Shaq with some words for Westbrook: “In the history of the game, every one-two punch — the one or the two — has to sacrifice and step back. Russell Westbrook don’t step back enough for me,” O’Neal told the website. “At some point, for the betterment of the team, you’ve got to step back. Until Westbrook learns to step back, it may be hard for them. Kevin Durant is the man, but Westbrook is like, ‘I’m getting mine every time. You can’t do it.’”
Kevin Draper of Deadspin on the new TV deal: “The NBA thumpingly won the 2011 lockout against the players, reducing the amount of basketball-related income the players got from 57 percent to about 51 percent of BRI, a loss of $300 million per year for the players. The league was much better organized than the players, and it won the public-relations battle by convincing the public that teams were losing money, a claim that the league has never backed up with team financials and one that ignores the immense profits owners make when they sell their teams. Donald Sterling bought the Clippers for $12.5 million in 1981. He sold them this offseason for $2 billion.”
LeBron: “I am kind of the guy that has the power, I guess, without even having to put a name on it. I’m very educated and I will use what I have to make sure our players are taken care of.”
KeyArena is now actually making more money than it did with the Sonics.
Zach Lowe of Grantland: “A fight by the players to nudge their share of revenue back up a couple of percentage points would be a just one, but owners might fight that to the death, and history suggests the owners would win. Ditto for the concept of players somehow sharing in the proceeds of future franchise sales, an idea the union pitched in the 2011 negotiations, per sources familiar with the process. Owners shot it down immediately as a nonstarter — an issue they would trade a prolonged lockout to win. Remember: The players get 51 percent of a growing pie. They’re netting more money here, too. The league has a chance right now to include the players in the formulation of the cap going forward. They can sow good will. Sow enough, and the two sides could decide in 2017 to ride it out.”
Anthony Slater: “Like the majority of the Thunder’s ultra-young roster, Roberson is far from a finished product. His prime is still years away. But even if his shot doesn’t near Marion level – even if he doesn’t even become an average 3-point shooter – the Thunder believes he has the potential to be a rotation fixture Tony Allen would serve as the greatest example. The former Oklahoma State star entered the NBA without a jumper and still doesn’t have one. But he has carved out a solid career because of the other intangibles he provides. He’s a lockdown perimeter defender, an above-average rebounder for his position and a sneaky scorer – all qualities OKC believes Roberson will provide given the opportunity. The early numbers would support that. In his limited playing time last season – 16 starts, 400 minutes – Roberson ranked first among all NBA guards in offensive rebounding percentage. He creates extra possessions.”
