Presti Trades Ilyasova to Philly for Jerami Grant

Sam Presti is a busy dude right now. After signing both Adams and Oladipo to four year extensions and not getting one done with Andre Roberson he has now traded Ersan Ilyasova and a protected 2020 first round pick to the Sixers for Jerami Grant and a TPE. Thus, Ersan Ilyasova’s career as a stretch four in OKC lasted three games.

Grant is 6’9″ and basically an athletic forward who can defend multiple front court positions and unlike both Roberson and Singler can defend power forwards if needed. Like Andre Roberson, he’s limited offensively. First and foremost this puts the Thunder $7.1 million under the salary cap and for the Thunder this will perhaps enable them to pursue Rudy Gay once Cameron Payne’s health situation is clarified.

The most glaring weakness of OKC currently is three point shooting. It would appear Presti will be making another deal once Cameron Payne is given a clean slate of health.

Short term, OKC did nothing which makes them better immediately. But it would appear Sam Presti will be pulling another trigger in the not too distant future to shore up OKC’s small forward offensive woes and give Westbrook some more help on that end of the floor.

Jerami Grant–Syracuse

Adams, Oladipo Agree to Four Year Extensions With Thunder

A very good week for the OKC Thunder got even better on Monday when it was reported both Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo signed four year extensions with the Thunder. Adams reportedly will sign a four year deal at $100 million while Oladipo reportedly will sign a four year deal at $84 million. Both extensions will prevent the players from becoming restricted free agents this summer which would have required the Thunder to match other teams’ offers this summer.

Simply put—this gives OKC a very promising core of Westbrook, Adams, and Oladipo. Andre Roberson will become a restricted free agent this summer. Domas Sabonis is in the first year of his rookie scale contract. Enes Kanter is in the second year of his four year deal. Cam Payne and Josh Huestis are both rookie scale players. New backup point guard Semaj Christon is a rookie scale player as well. Kyle Singler is in the second year of his four year deal which will probably look like a rookie scale contract value wise once the new CBA goes into effect in 2017.

Thus, Presti has a core of Westbrook, Adams, and Oladipo surrounded by a second tier of young players in Roberson, Kanter, Payne, Sabonis, Christon, Singler, and Huestis. Plus, their first round pick this summer.

If the Thunder feel they need to go after a max offer free agent this summer they’ll need to shed around $29 million in payroll. Which to me would mean the shedding salary starting point would begin with Enes Kanter’s $17.8 million on the books.

Of the free agents available this summer the one who would most fit the Thunder in my estimation would be Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans. He would be a seamless fit with his size and skill set I would think. Imagine a starting five of Westbrook, Davis, Adams, Oladipo, and Andre Roberson. I’m almost certain that would garner Jerry West’s attention.

So–while in a sense we’ll all be looking back somewhat to the Durant years when OKC visits the Warriors on Thursday–what Sam Presti has done since July 4th is rebuild the Thunder with a core of talented young players which makes the NBA future burn fairly bright in Oklahoma City if Russell Westbrook ultimately decides to make LA his summer home only.

Westbrook in Elite Company

This is kind of where we thought the Thunder season would be heading with dual storylines of Russell Westbrook chasing an MVP, but not sure if his supporting cast would be good enough for the Thunder to get to the 50 win plateau. It will be one of the dominant national storylines every bit as compelling as what the Warriors do this season with the addition of Kevin Durant.

If you’re an NBA junkie it doesn’t get much better. Westbrook’s season could conceivably be historical. Jerry Lucas was a very skilled power forward in the 70’s so that doesn’t translate to the player Russell Westbrook has become. But there are parts of Westbrook which are Kobe, Magic, Michael, and Oscar Robertson.

No doubt this young Thunder team will have pockets of games where they struggle, but the Westbrook storyline of chasing a season of a triple double average and an MVP will be compelling if you love NBA hoops. As Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo go Westbrook’s chances of chasing history should go as well.

Thunder Subdue Lakers, Westbrook Triple Doubles, Thunder Start Season 3-0

With around five minutes left in the fourth period, Nick Young hit a three which brought the Lakers to within 95-91. Not long after the Young basket, Russell Westbrook completely took over the next three minutes or so in a display of basketball which has him No. 1 on my MVP list one week into this young regular season. Kawhi Leonard would be my No. 2 and LeBron would be my No. 3.

Back to the Laker game. After Westbrook flexed his muscles in those ‘pivotal’ minutes the final score read OKC Thunder 113-LA Lakers 96. You’d have to live in Oklahoma to know the exhilaration this first week of the season has provided. It’s been a special week for a city which had a gut punch of a year in 2016 on multiple fronts.

After Kevin Durant’s weak dick exit memo on the Players’ Tribune on July 4th, not many, including me, thought we’d have an opportunity to be a part of something historically special like this. Many, again myself included, were working the Westbrook to Boston trade for Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder, and two first round picks. Thank god, Sam Presti and Russell Westbrook saw things in a different light.

What Oklahoma City is experiencing instead is perhaps history in the making as Russell Westbrook chases an NBA regular season MVP. In the history of the NBA–only three other players have started a season with two triple doubles in their first three games. They would be Magic Johnson, Jerry Lucas, and Oscar Robertson. I’m fairly certain the millennials won’t know who Jerry Lucas was or that he played for the NY Knicks so I’ll try and find a youtube suitable for the Daily Thunder youngsters/millenials.

LeBron James has 43 career triple doubles, Russell Westbrook now has 39. I wonder if he’ll demand Presti trade him to the Warriors at the deadline so he can win a ring. Just kidding…kind of.

In essence, Westbrook is one assist away in the Philly game from triple doubling all three games this week. What we’ve seen in each game was a slightly different nuance of Westbrook. Against Phoenix–it was pure Kobe audacity with 51 points on 44 shots. Tonight–it was Westbrook’s most efficient game of the season to date. 33-12-16 with an 11-21 night from the field. It was Westbrook at his best as the Thunder went from 13 assists in the Phoenix game to 29 helpers versus the Lakers tonight. The ball moved, it didn’t stick so much. Simple game. Jerry West and Kevin Durant would be proud.

My three stars would be 1 Westbrook, 2 Steven Adams, 3 tie Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter.

Adams double doubled with 14 and 12. Kanter scored 16 points with an efficient 8-11 shooting night. Oladipo hit the 20 point plateau for the second straight game while continuing to show glimpses of what Thunder Nation hopes will come in more consistent incremental intervals as this season moves along.

So here the Thunder stand 3-0 one week into a young 82 game marathon of a season. None of the three wins came against a team which will be playing an 83rd game this basketball season, but it matters none. Because for the first time since July 4th there’s a sense of hope in the streets of Oklahoma City. A sense of renewed love for our Thunder. A sense of hope the basketball gods are going to right the crime which transpired on July 4th. Heck…I might even hang my Thunder flag out of my truck window this week. Seriously.

The schedule gets tougher in a big way this week with a road back to back against the Clippers and Durant’s Warriors. Two very tough games. Then a home Saturday game against the Timberwolves.

But there’s hope, love, and a sense of karma boomerang. The Thunder are still relevant and it’s all because of Russell Westbrook.

For the Daily Thunder millennials

Luke Walton Radio Interview — June 2016

The Lakers are in town tonight with another head coach. Former Golden State assistant Luke Walton now has the task of rebuilding the Lakers to some level of respectability. It’s always about players. First rule of coaching…Players Make the Coach. Lakers should once again finish near the bottom of the West and will stay there until they bring in a free agent like say Russell Westbrook who can change the current culture of losing.

But then again all the talking heads were sure Durant and Westbrook were going to the Lakers together after this season–and of course we all saw how that went. Duke rookie Brandon Ingram should be fun to watch along with some other young Lakers. OKC isn’t good enough to take anything for granted so it should be a fun game as most of the games should be this season.

Why is Kevin Durant Acting Like Such a Phony Douchebag?

What’s going on with this person? He made his decision. He left. It’s the weakest thing I’ve seen in any of the four major sports from a superstar in my lifetime. Russell Westbrook has moved on. Sam Presti has moved on. Clay Bennett has moved on. Even the Thunder fanbase has moved on although they’re going to boo the living shit out of Durant when he makes his first appearance in Oklahoma City in February.

What gives? Go back and look at all the beautiful things Durant said about Westbrook in his then epic MVP acceptance speech. Who was that person in relation to this douchebag we see today?

Which Durant is the real Kevin Durant? Which one is the person versus the crafted brand created by his handlers?

Westbrook Leads Thunder Over Suns in OT, 113-110

Behind Russell Westbrook’s first official triple double of the season–the OKC Thunder battled back from an eighteen point first half deficit to win a 113-110 OT thriller in the season home opener at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday night.

A Westbrook driving twisting layup with seven seconds left in OT was the game winner and an Andre Roberson block of a Devin Booker shot was the savior.

This was not the Westbrook of Wednesday night in Philly when he was prudent with his ball distribution. Adams, Kanter, Ilyasova, and Sabonis didn’t see much of the ball. This was pure Kobe/Westbrook. If you’re a white geek millennial who writes dumbass nonsense on various basketball blog message boards and you never really saw Kobe in his prime you saw him Friday night wearing # O for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Westbrook was simply audacious. Kobe, Phil, and Jerry Buss would be proud. Officially–Westbrook’s triple double read 51-13-10. Kobebrook was 17-44 from the field playing 45 minutes. The Chesapeake Energy Arena used to be Kevin Durant’s building. No more. Russell Westbrook now owns the building and the state of Oklahoma. If Westbrook wanted to be the GOP presidential canidate over Trump or the simpleton Ted Cruz it would be his if he so chose.

Consider this…. Oklahoma City had 13 assists and 22 turnovers as a team and still won this basketball game.

Victor Oladipo had a nice bounce back game scoring 21 points while showing glimpses of why Sam Presti traded Serge Ibaka this past summer. Officially–the OKC starting backcourt combined for 72 points on Friday night.

I think it would be fair to say after two games Russell Westbrook is on everyone’s MVP short list. In two games he’s averaged 41.5 points. Maybe Kevin Durant should tweet some bullshit apology about holding Russell back all these years.

Granted…I’m almost certain Billy Donovan would rather see more of the Russell Westbrook we saw on Wednesday night in Philly per ball distribution, but there will be nights like this as this season unfolds before our lucky eyes as NBA basketball purists.

My Three Stars of the Game are 1 Russell Westbrook, 2 Andre Roberson, and 3 Victor Oladipo.

OKC improves to 2-0 on the season and will host Luke Walton’s LA Lakers on Sunday evening inside the Peake.

Westbrook Leads Thunder Past Sixers in Opener, 103-97

Behind what was essentially a Russell Westbrook triple double, the OKC Thunder won the season opener over an energized Sixer team on Wednesday night in Philly. It didn’t come easy though as the Thunder found themselves trailing by six entering the fourth period on Joel Embiid Night before a playoff-like crowd on the road. But behind Westbrook, Enes Kanter, and others the Thunder won the fourth period by a 34-22 count in claiming their first win in the post Kevin Durant era in Oklahoma City.

Any road win is a good one in the NBA, but this win was essential as the Thunder overcame Joel Embiid’s professional debut and a raccous crowd to get this season on the right first step without Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka.

For the most part I thought OKC was pretty good on the night. Russell Westbrook was superb. He basically tripled doubled at 32,12,9. His court management was exactly what this young team will need through the course of the season. He steered his team, but didn’t bully his usage to an overbearing extent. He was just about right in getting other players involved.

Steven Adams scored 16 points while grabbing 5 rebounds, but more importantly he was involved offensively to the point where he attempted 16 shots. Adams was solid, but you almost feel certain his level will amp up even higher in coming games.

Victor Oladipo struggled–no way around it. Oladipo went 4-16 from the field and was 0-5 from three point range. He finished with 10 points and did redeem himself in the fourth period with two big buckets as the Thunder rallied to win the game.

Enes Kanter was excellent in the fourth period. He had a solid night going for 17 points and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

Domas Sabonis actually started the game, thus becoming the first ever Thunder player to start as a rookie. He looked a bit nervous initially, but settled in and gave Billy Donovan solid minutes. Sabonis will become a core player as time moves along.

Ersan Ilyasova was good. He hit two big threes, had ten points overall, drew two charges, and was decent defensively. I liked what I saw from him as he fit into the Westbrook flow and will give Donovan two solid stretch four options.

Andre Roberson didn’t do much for me. He scored one point, didn’t attempt a three, and missed on several opportunities around the basket. But scoring isn’t Roberson’s thing so I won’t dwell on it. If he scores more than six points in a game it’s a bonus.

Alex Abrines played 13 minutes and hit a big three in the fourth period. Kyle Singler hit his first three then missed his next four, but his hair looks better this season. Backup point guard Semaj Christon played and was decent from my perspective. In all ten players saw the floor for the Thunder on opening night.

I’d give the Thunder a B on their report card. I’d have Westbrook, Kanter, and Adams as my three stars of the game in that order. I was impressed with Sabonis and Ilyasova as stretch fours, and okay with Christon as the backup point guard. Abrines was about what I expected. Oladipo had a tough shooting night. His integration alongside Westbrook has to become smoother for the Thunder to become a top four team in the West.

But anytime a young team can go on the road and win in a playoff like atmosphere you take it as a positive, an incremental step forward, and then get ready to host Phoenix on Friday night in the season home opener.

Skip and Shannon on Kevin Durant

I think this is a very good discussion on the Durant-Westbrook dynamic and their broken relationship. I pretty much agree with everything Skip and Shannon say in the discussion.

It is what it is, but enough of the pettiness from Kevin Durant. You were an unrestricted free agent. You exercised your right within the rules of the NBA. You earned the right. But shut up with the little girl bullshit in reference to Westbrook, Donovan, and Presti. You went 10-31 with two of the worst late game turnovers in NBA history in Game 6. You then moved to the team which benefitted from your horrible performance in Game 6.You didn’t go to San Antonio, Miami, LA, Boston or even your hometown Wizards with Scott Brooks. You took what you and your handlers perceived was the best hand to beat LeBron James and win a championship. Just admit it once openly on the record and be done with it.