Good thing I have a rogue blog and never ever will have to ask for a press credential from the Oklahoma City Thunder organization. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to write any of this and be able to get an interview with anyone attached to the Thunder.
How do I write this in a thoughtful well thought out way?
Let me start with this. Jim Traber on the air yesterday used the perfect analogy to predict Russell Westbrook’s return to the OKC Thunder last night in Sacramento. Traber pontificated that if he used extremely bad judgement on the air and said some things which should never be said on the air and was suspended from work for a week…would he change when he came back?
And Jim Traber who is every bit as stubborn as Russell Westbrook said of course he wouldn’t change and neither will Russell Westbrook.
Bingo.
Russell Westbrook isn’t changing his game even if it’s to his own detriment and to the detriment of his team.
Again…Russell Westbrook isn’t changing and the Thunder with Westbrook will never win a championship as long as this continues.
The Thunder will be the Kansas City Chiefs of the NBA in that they’ll be extremely entertaining at times in the regular season, but in all likelihood a first round exit as they have been the past two seasons without Kevin Durant.
Let me also write this…whether Billy Donovan is the head coach doesn’t matter a bit. It matters just about as much as if Mike Stoops is coaching the OU defense. As in it doesn’t matter. Billy Donovan isn’t changing Russell Westbrook. Kevin Durant couldn’t change Russell Westbrook, why would anyone think Billy Donovan is changing Wild Thing?
Ain’t happening even if I daydream into eternity of seeing Mo Cheeks running the court inside of Russell Westbrook’s body in a Thunder jersey. It’s not happening.
So wouldn’t I love to have lunch with Sam Presti today and chat about things Thunder related.
The Thunder play the drama queen Warriors on Wednesday night in Oakland. The Warriors have the second highest payroll in the NBA currently at $144 million. Guess who has the highest payroll in the NBA at $145 million? That would be Clay Bennett’s Thunder who unlike the Warriors haven’t won three NBA championships and who aren’t favorites to win a fourth once Steph Curry gets back in the lineup.
My primary question would be how can ownership justify spending this type of money for a team which will be a perennial first round exit?
Sam Anderson, are you watching? I hope so. Because this might be the basis for All Boom Towns Die Hard the sequel.
The Thunder are in Oakland to play the love starved struggling Warriors on Wednesday. This is exactly the type of meaningless regular season game in which the Thunder will probably play pretty well would be my guess.
Fuck it. Bring the heater, Russell. You don’t have a change up or a slider. Bring the heater, Rickey.