Tuesday Bolts – 2.17.15
Jason Concepcion of Grantland: “Last night was Russell Westbrook at his best. And at his best, Russ is a surreal mix of hyper-powered self-regard, rim-murdering athleticism, and transgressive play-the-wrong-way recklessness. It’s aggression as poetry. We thought we knew what Westbrook unleashed looked like earlier this season, whenever he was forced to carry the Thunder in Kevin Durant’s absence. Turns out, that’s just Westbrook unleashed from the quotidian constructs of rote OKC power sharing.”
Zach Lowe: “Jackson is a good player who has been valuable in the playoffs, and there is major risk in a would-be contender dealing such a player without getting a rotation cog in return. The Thunder also found a groove before the All-Star break, and McGary’s emergence decreases the need for Lopez. The offense ain’t pretty and the defense can get jumpy, but they’re tied with Phoenix in the loss column, and they’re still slaughtering people when Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka share the floor.”
I wrote about KD’s beef with the media.
Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report hung with Russell Westbrook: “While observing Westbrook in the last few minutes that I’m around him at the True Religion store, he picks out about a half a dozen items and I ask him for a recommendation for myself. He takes a quick glance at my clothes and walks me over to the jacket area. “I’d go with the denim,” he says. A bold choice for me, but that’s Westbrook. As Westbrook regroups with Earl, I introduce myself to her for the first time. I ask her how she’s enjoying the weekend and she says, looking a bit tired but friendly, “I need some coffee.” But just like that, one of Westbrook’s security guards comes over and preps him on his next move.”
Interesting quote from Westbrook in that about the media: “I think a lot of people don’t know anything about me personally except perception,” he says. “People that are watching TV, they see me, ‘This guy’s crazy.’ But they don’t really know me. I’m very open, I’m a jokester. I’m not a mean person. I like to have fun and enjoy life.”
Sean Deveney of Sporting News: “The Thunder won’t overpay for Lopez, but they would very much like to reignite talks with the Nets. Oklahoma City wants an offensive-minded big man to get them through the stretch run in the Western Conference, and offer them an interior option when the postseason comes. That’s if the Thunder make the postseason—they’re still a half-game behind Phoenix for No. 8 in the West.”
The Thunder are reportedly “aggressive” on the trade market right now.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider on likely trade pieces: “Even if Oklahoma City doesn’t make a bold move like trading for Lopez, Jackson might be dealt by Thursday. He’s struggled since the Thunder acquired Dion Waiters, who’s been cutting into Jackson’s minutes. That deal also put Oklahoma City over the tax threshold, and the Thunder have never before paid the luxury tax. Dealing Jackson alone wouldn’t get Oklahoma City under the tax line, but pairing him with Jeremy Lamb would do the trick. The Milwaukee Bucks have shown interest in young point guards despite Brandon Knight’s breakout season and could take both contracts into cap space while replenishing the Thunder’s stock of draft picks.”
This week’s power rankings from Marc Stein has OKC at 12.
From Pablo Torre’s awesome profile on the 76ers: “NBA title contention, for all its elusiveness, is depressingly simple. You need stars. In a five-on-five sport governed by salary caps, max contracts and rookie wage scales, the biggest talents double as both the biggest difference makers and biggest bargains. FiveThirtyEight found that of the past 40 teams to make the Finals, their No. 1 player, on average, ranked in the 96th percentile in statistical plus/minus. The No. 2 player was 90th percentile; the No. 3, 79th. The real question is how to acquire them. In the summer of 2012, with Philly’s then-president, Rod Thorn, acting as general manager, the new ownership identified two organizational models, Sixers executives tell me. The first was the approach of the Spurs and Thunder, franchises renowned for developing players and internal basketball culture. The other was the method used by the Celtics and Rockets, franchises renowned for command of the NBA’s arcane CBA and analytics. For the latter approach, Hinkie — whom Morey had made the NBA’s youngest VP in 2007 at age 29 — fit the bill.”
