Wednesday Bolts – 6.22.16

Berry Tramel: “The Thunder slipped to No. 3 in the final NBA rankings, which of course

don’t exist. The Thunder took Golden State to seven games and can think that it should have beaten the Warriors. But instead of Golden State moving on to its second straight championship, it was dealt an upset loss to Cleveland in seven games. So the Cavs move to the top, followed by the Warriors and then the Thunder. But OKC can take heart in knowing it helped the Cavs win the championship. The Thunder took the first salvo of a 1-2 punch that put Draymond Green on the bench for Game 5 and paved the way for a Cleveland victory.”

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com: “When it comes to Durant, though, all of this could be moot if he decides he wants to stay with the Thunder. They pushed the Warriors to the brink of elimination in the Western Conference finals and he could very well be thinking, “Why join them if you can [almost] beat them?” Perhaps Golden State’s crushing defeat has emboldened the organization to chase Durant against the players’ wishes, but it’s hard to imagine that it helped its chances of landing him.”

Pelton with good picks for every team (that has a pick).

Jeff Miller of the O.C. Register: “There was a time when this news would have included the suggestion that such proximity gives the Lakers an advantage in courting Durant. But then there was a time when the Lakers weren’t trying to win games with players like Marcelo Huertas, too. Times do, indeed, change. Even worse, on Monday, Durant told The Oklahoman that he’s “worried about basketball. That’s what it is for me. It’s a basketball decision.” If this ultimately does come down to basketball, the Lakers would appear to be in serious trouble, given that the basketball side of their operation just spit out a 17-win season that ranks as the poorest in franchise history.”

How the Warriors could fit KD on the roster.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com: “ESPN reported earlier this month that the most likely scenario for Durant is signing a two-year deal with Oklahoma City that includes a player option to return to free agency in the summer of 2017 alongside Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook. But Golden State’s unexpected loss to Cleveland in the Finals — in which the Warriors became the first team in history to fail to win the championship after seizing a 3-1 series lead — could improve the Warriors’ odds of convincing Durant to join them.”