Have A Nice Fourth

I was going to go with a shot of Chris Christie’s carcass in a lawn chair on a closed beach in New Jersey. But thought to myself, put something inspirational on here instead. This is my favorite rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. It still gives me chills. Don’t forget what it really means to be an American. Never take the freedoms and liberties for granted.

I refuse to write a word about Donald Trump on the Fourth of July. I’m even going through a 12 Steps Program where I’m working inwardly to pretend he doesn’t exist. I think we would all agree listening to Whitney Houston and Lady Gaga is the way to go.

Trump probably is in Louisiana, Alabama or some other outlier of the New Confederacy campaigning for 2020 with Luke Bryan glaring in the background, but I can’t be overwhelmed by it. I won’t be.

I live in Oklahoma, what can I say. I like a little Luke Bryan here and there.

Why Sam Presti Will Match Andre Roberson

Sam Presti in all likelihood will match Andre Roberson in restricted free agency because he’s a valuable piece moving forward. The model in the league has changed, being able to morph into small ball lineups is a must in the West where Golden State and Houston throw small lineups at you constantly.

Players like Enes Kanter and Taj Gibson aren’t nearly as valuable as players like Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, and Jerami Grant who can defend multiple positions.

Golden State didn’t just beat the Cavs in five games because they can score the ball. They are the best team in the league because when they need to they can clamp down and defend as well as any team in the league.

Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Andre Iguodala are all versatile defenders. Sam Presti knows this and is trying to retool his team in this direction. Paul George is an excellent defender. Same with Andre Roberson. Jerami Grant can defend multiple positions. Steven Adams is a very mobile defensive center. When Russell Westbrook wants to he can be a lockdown defender as well. That’s five very solid defensive players Billy Donovan will have at his disposal this season as he tries to find a way to deal with the Golden State juggernaut.

It’s what makes Golden State so tough beyond having the best three shooters in the game. They play defense.

Taj Gibson Follows Thibodeau, Butler to Minnesota Bulls

Most thought Taj Gibson would resign with the Bulls. But with the best part of the Bulls now being in Minnesota it’s no big shock Taj Gibson became a Minnesota Timberwolf today. Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau were the lure and Gibson signed a two year deal worth $28 million.

In case you haven’t been paying attention–the Minnesota Timberwolves starting five next season will be Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Karl Antony-Townes, Andrew Wiggins, and Gibson. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to call it the second most talented starting five in the West currently. We know who’s first and let’s assume OKC resigns Roberson and signs Gay–I would give the Wolves’ starting five a slight edge over the Thunder.

All of the sudden the Northwest Division of the Western Conference has become a bear. OKC, Minnesota, Utah, a decent Portland team, and Denver comprise what could be the toughest division in the NBA next season.

There will be some blood letting in the Northwest this season, but fans of these teams are going to see some great regular season games throughout the regular season.

You could tell by Gibson’s facial expressions the other night at the MVP show he was gone and there’s nothing wrong with a guy being loyal to his old coach. Too bad fucking Big Al Horford doesn’t think that way. Serves him right being being stuck in Danny Ainge purgatory. Note to Big Al Horford…Danny Ainge isn’t Jerry West. I would think Rudy Gay becomes a member of the Thunder fairly soon.

I still love Jerry West even after he stole Durant away to the Warriors. Billy Cunningham and West were my two favorite pro players when I was a kid. Then maybe some other Sixers in Dr. J, Hal Greer, Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, and Maurice Cheeks.

He got bored in Oakland with the West Coast Nike All-Stars. He needed a new challenge.

This is a great interview. You don’t find out what’s in a player’s soul by looking at color spheres and charts. Usually, listening to them tells you more. I know that’s too simple for the average run of the mill millennial, but it’s the truth.

How Sam Presti Traded Serge Ibaka for Paul George and Jerami Grant

We all know about the Harden trade. OKC currently has two players on its roster, Steven Adams and Alex Abrines, who came from that trade. Jeremy Lamb is now in Charlotte and Kevin Martin was a one year rental.

Likewise, we all know about the Reggie Jackson trade at the deadline several years ago. OKC was forced to trade Jackson at the deadline and in return got DJ Augustin and Kyle Singler. Augustin is no longer with the team and to date Kyle Singler has not panned out as a reliable rotation player.

But think back to last summer prior to Durant leaving for the West Coast Nike All-Star team. Sam Presti traded Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic for Victor Oladipo, Domas Sabonis, and Ersan Ilyasova. Last night we witnessed what Sam Presti parlayed out of Oladipo and Sabonis, but don’t underestimate what Sam Presti did when he traded Ersan Ilyasova to my Sixers for Jeremy Grant. What he got in Grant is an uber athletic player at 6’9″ with the ability to defend four different positions. For those of you old enough to remember—think Stacey Augmon.

The Harden trade will forever be debated. The Reggie Jackson trade turned out to be a bad trade, but the Serge Ibaka trade was pure gold because what OKC got in return for Ibaka was a Top 10 NBA player in his prime and a versatile role player in Jerami Grant.

Whether George stays more than one year is irrelevant. Russell Westbrook now has the opportunity to morph his game back to what it was with Kevin Durant, perhaps play an even more team oriented style and show Paul George why he should stay in OKC beyond next season. That’s on Russell Westbrook and Billy Donovan, not Sam Presti.

And just think what Al Horford must be thinking right now as Boston to date has not made one move of consequence to become a serious championship contender in what now is a dying Eastern Conference. If Horford had come back to play for his college coach Billy Donovan what we’d be looking at this morning in OKC is a starting lineup of Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Al Horford, Steven Adams, and probably Andre Roberson. Think about that, Al Horford. Show some fucking loyalty to your college coach next time.

For the Daily Thunder millennials who’ve worn themselves out looking at graphs and charts with colored spheres all week. Stacey Augmon–The Plastic Man.

More Work Ahead for Sam Presti

The Western Conference is going to be brutal next season. Minnesota added Jeff Teague to go along with Jimmy Butler, Karl Anthony-Townes, and Andrew Wiggins. Houston added Chris Paul. Utah added Ricky Rubio, but lost George Hill. Blake resigned with the Clippers. The Spurs are the Spurs. And of course, there’s the Nike West Coast All-Stars, but who no longer have Jerry West consulting as he’s now doing that for the Clippers.

I hate to bitch on the same night when Sam Presti just added Paul George, but I have three things on Sam Presti’s Must Do List in the coming days.

1 Get a quality backup point guard. The Warriors have Livingston. The Spurs just resigned Patty Mills. A quality backup point guard is a must.

2 Resign Andre Roberson. I know…the free throw shooting, but to beat these Warriors and these Rockets perimeter defense is a must. I just keep thinking to myself one of these days I’m going to see Andre Roberson be to this team what Shawn Marion was to the Suns and Mavs.

3 Acquire a stretch four. Enes Kanter at $17 million plus is not playable against the Warriors and Rockets. That’s just not going to work. It’s just simple financial common sense. You can’t waste $17 million in payroll on a player who’s not playable against your two primary rivals in the West. I’m not a huge Rudy Gay guy, so I’ll just think to myself what the Thunder can do there. But if Gay is the best stretch four available then maybe that’s what you do and pray he plays out his ass alongside Westbrook and Paul. I’m assuming Taj Gibson doesn’t resign here, so I really don’t have Taj in my equation.

4 The rotational players so far… Russell, PG, Steven, Andre (defense wins championships), Jerami Grant, Alex Abrines, and Doug McDermott. That’s seven. Sam Presti needs three more rotational players.

Great night for Thunder Nation. Beats the hell out of last July 4th for sure. After Durant’s departure to Oakland… if you asked me who were the four players I’d most covet Presti get to team with Russell I’d have gone 1 Kawhi Leonard, 2 Paul George, 3 Klay Thompson, and 4 Jimmy Butler.

Amazingly, Sam Presti somehow pulled this off only giving up Victor Oladipo and Domas Sabonis.

Is it a gamble? Not really. Because if Presti hadn’t shown Russell Westbrook the Thunder is in the business of contending for NBA championships there’s no reason for Russell to stay here. You lose Westbrook you’re done as in D-O-N-E. Done.

So really there’s no risk involved.

Think about the length and athleticism of a starting lineup of Westbrook, George, Adams, Roberson, and Rudy Gay. I’m sure Sam Presti has.

Sam Presti Aquires Paul George

Whoa. This actually is a better team building block than acquiring Blake Griffin. Presti traded Oladipo and Sabonis for Paul George. What Presti needs to do subsequently is acquire a quality backup point guard–like say a Shawn Livingston type so as Russ can leave the floor without the team going -10 in the next four minutes of play.

Whoa… Paul George. Very strong, very strong move by Sam Presti. Sam Presti had to make a move like this to show Russell Westbrook the Thunder is in the business of contending for NBA championships. Great move because the future is now. In essence, Presti traded Serge Ibaka for Paul George and Jerami Grant. I’ll have trouble sleeping tonight.

YES!!!

What Do We Do With Our Mentally Dysfunctional 45th POTUS

NBA free agency starts tonight and I really don’t have the time to be dicking with Donald Trump. But this isn’t your run of the mill Thunder blog. I like to keep in touch with all of the things going on in the world. I DON’T even want to go into all this Caligula bullshit with Mika and Joe. It’s so patently mentally ill I don’t want it on my blog.

I’ve come to this conclusion. Donald Trump is a genuinely sick motherfucker. Somewhere in his life something went horribly wrong and his emotional growth became some sort of a freak organism with a life of its own.

My suggestion would be for Ivanka ( the daughter he longs to have sex with) to take him aside and convince him to resign and go home. I see no other possible remedy at this point. Maybe … if she promises to have sex with him–he’ll agree to this. This whole Trump thing is so inherently sick it depresses me each and every day.

Ivanka…your country needs you. Do the right thing.