OKC Thunder Offseason 2015

Post #1441 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:38 am

spearsy23 wrote:At least we haven't heard 'KD to Philly' yet. Of course we've seen KD to the Knicks, which might even be worse.

Oh, I've seen that one too. Seriously, the trade board gets em all.

spearsy23 · Post #1442 » by **spearsy23** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:14 am

bondom34 wrote:
spearsy23 wrote:At least we haven't heard 'KD to Philly' yet. Of course we've seen KD to the Knicks, which might even be worse.

Oh, I've seen that one too. Seriously, the trade board gets em all.

Marcus50 · Post #1443 » by **Marcus50** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:54 am

KD signs a 2 year contract with OKC at the max with a player option for the second year. then makes his mind up where to jump once Russ and Serge make their intentions clear

Post #1444 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 12:43 pm

My thing with that (which makes sense b/c he can make soooo much more) is that if he stays, I don't see a way the other 2 leave.

Marcus50 · Post #1445 » by **Marcus50** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:24 pm

bondom34 wrote:My thing with that (which makes sense b/c he can make soooo much more) is that if he stays, I don't see a way the other 2 leave.

Agree unless they go together which is part of the worry

Post #1446 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:31 pm

Marcus50 wrote:
bondom34 wrote:My thing with that (which makes sense b/c he can make soooo much more) is that if he stays, I don't see a way the other 2 leave.

Agree unless they go together which is part of the worry

In that case why leave? They make more money in okc and stay together. It just isn't anything I see to even worry for.

Marcus50 · Post #1447 » by **Marcus50** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:38 pm

For the Kiwi's the Rugby World Cup starts in 7 days and provides some entertainment until the NBA season starts

Can McCaw win back to back world cups. For OKC fans the NZ Captain Ritchie McCaw played through the last world cup with a jones fracture and had the bone graft surgery after the cup finished. Came back fully fit the following season

Post #1448 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:41 pm

Sweet as!

Post #1449 » by **bondom34** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:08 am

FYI, Russ on Jimmy Kimmel this Thursday apparently.

Post #1450 » by **bondom34** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 3:49 am

And he's the star of NBA Live 16:

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/09/15/nba-live-16-russell-westbrook-thunder-jordan-brand-terminal-23-michael-jordan

spearsy23 · Post #1451 » by **spearsy23** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:45 am

bondom34 wrote:And he's the star of NBA Live 16:

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/09/15/nba-live-16-russell-westbrook-thunder-jordan-brand-terminal-23-michael-jordan

That's like being the star of MADtv back when SNL was still good :lol:

Post #1452 » by **bondom34** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 5:03 am

spearsy23 wrote:
bondom34 wrote:And he's the star of NBA Live 16:

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/09/15/nba-live-16-russell-westbrook-thunder-jordan-brand-terminal-23-michael-jordan

That's like being the star of MADtv back when SNL was still good

I used to like MAD, forgot about that show, loved these:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASa4kmZJt_Y[/youtube]

Post #1453 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 12:47 am

NBA.com's offseason in review:

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/features/shaun_powell/09/17/30-teams-30-days-oklahoma-city-thunder/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt6c

Marcus50 · Post #1454 » by **Marcus50** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:11 am

bondom34 wrote:NBA.com's offseason in review:

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/features/shaun_powell/09/17/30-teams-30-days-oklahoma-city-thunder/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt6c

Its a bit lightweight but trying to cover 30 teams is going to do that.

The pressure is on Donovan. This team is going to make the playoffs and will be in the top 4 pretty much on autopilot. So how to we gauge Donovan contribution. We are going to see whether he adds something with the games against GSW, SAS, Houston, Memphis, NOP, Dallas etc from the west and Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta from the east. These games are the ones that will put some pressure on Donovan and his coaching skills.

The other thing was can judge him by is the development of the young guys. Adams, Kanter, McGary, Roberson Waiters and Payne are all valuable assets for the franchise and he will have to manage their development and keep progressing. We don't need another Lamb/Perry/Reggie scenario developing. It is going to be difficult to keep them all happy given the competition for spots in the rotation and the pressure to win it all this year but Donovan is going to have to work their development into his program.

Also getting the combinations working will be critical and how he manages his rotations especially in closing out games, having the guys comfortable playing together. And league will be scrutinizing every move he makes so no pressure

Post #1455 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:27 am

Marcus50 wrote:
bondom34 wrote:NBA.com's offseason in review:

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/features/shaun_powell/09/17/30-teams-30-days-oklahoma-city-thunder/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt6c

Its a bit lightweight but trying to cover 30 teams is going to do that.

The pressure is on Donovan. This team is going to make the playoffs and will be in the top 4 pretty much on autopilot. So how to we gauge Donovan contribution. We are going to see whether he adds something with the games against GSW, SAS, Houston, Memphis, NOP, Dallas etc from the west and Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta from the east. These games are the ones that will put some pressure on Donovan and his coaching skills.

The other thing was can judge him by is the development of the young guys. Adams, Kanter, McGary, Roberson Waiters and Payne are all valuable assets for the franchise and he will have to manage their development and keep progressing. We don't need another Lamb/Perry/Reggie scenario developing. It is going to be difficult to keep them all happy given the competition for spots in the rotation and the pressure to win it all this year but Donovan is going to have to work their development into his program.

Also getting the combinations working will be critical and how he manages his rotations especially in closing out games, having the guys comfortable playing together. And league will be scrutinizing every move he makes so no pressure

Agree pretty much, though the development hasn't ever really been a problem and many of his guys were already on the staff, so hopefully that stays good. Assuming they stay healthy, hoping they can get a bit used to the new game plans early on and get rotations down, if we see that it could be really great.

Thabo Sefolosha · Post #1456 » by **Thabo Sefolosha** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 12:07 pm

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26ov6OuAif4[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJubREk1llA[/youtube]

If you missed what Bondom said, Westbrook was on Jimmy Kimmel

Post #1457 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:59 pm

He's got good taste in sandwiches.

Hobes · Post #1458 » by **Hobes** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:50 pm

bondom34 wrote:
spearsy23 wrote:At least we haven't heard 'KD to Philly' yet. Of course we've seen KD to the Knicks, which might even be worse.

Oh, I've seen that one too. Seriously, the trade board gets em all.

Knicks fans aside, I'm probably the only one who thinks this is actually his preferred destination. While KD is generally a quiet dude, I think as he's matured he's become increasingly interested in the fame (making remarks to the media like he's sick of finishing second, he's the best player in the world etc.) and one way to get people talking about you is to be in the biggest media city in the world.

I also live in NYC and it's apparent that he's very well liked here and a very marketable player. Anytime I see a basketball related advert, it's not Melo I see, it's KD. Maybe that's why I feel this way, as I constantly see it, but it's almost bizarre. I thought Melo would still be the centerpiece of the city.

Post #1459 » by **bondom34** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:52 pm

Hobes wrote:
bondom34 wrote:
spearsy23 wrote:At least we haven't heard 'KD to Philly' yet. Of course we've seen KD to the Knicks, which might even be worse.

Oh, I've seen that one too. Seriously, the trade board gets em all.

Knicks fans aside, I'm probably the only one who thinks this is actually his preferred destination. While KD is generally a quiet dude, I think as he's matured he's become increasingly interested in the fame (making remarks to the media like he's sick of finishing second, he's the best player in the world etc.) and one way to get people talking about you is to be in the biggest media city in the world.

I also live in NYC and it's apparent that he's very well liked here and a very marketable player. Anytime I see a basketball related advert, it's not Melo I see, it's KD. Maybe that's why I feel this way, as I constantly see it, but it's almost bizarre. I thought Melo would still be the centerpiece of the city.

See, I wonder the opposite (though admit bias). He doesn't seem too thrilled w/ the media coverage he gets in OKC, how'd it be in NY?

Hobes · Post #1460 » by **Hobes** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 5:01 pm

bondom34 wrote:
Hobes wrote:
bondom34 wrote:Oh, I've seen that one too. Seriously, the trade board gets em all.

Knicks fans aside, I'm probably the only one who thinks this is actually his preferred destination. While KD is generally a quiet dude, I think as he's matured he's become increasingly interested in the fame (making remarks to the media like he's sick of finishing second, he's the best player in the world etc.) and one way to get people talking about you is to be in the biggest media city in the world.

I also live in NYC and it's apparent that he's very well liked here and a very marketable player. Anytime I see a basketball related advert, it's not Melo I see, it's KD. Maybe that's why I feel this way, as I constantly see it, but it's almost bizarre. I thought Melo would still be the centerpiece of the city.

See, I wonder the opposite (though admit bias). He doesn't seem too thrilled w/ the media coverage he gets in OKC, how'd it be in NY?

This is honestly pure conjecture, however, the sense that I get is that he likes the attention, but doesn't like being a big media personality. We all know he wants to be great or the greatest of all time and I think he almost wants to fabricate the media into elevating his brand (not only for personal profit, but to raise him up the long list of the all time greats). I think he wants people to start talking about him basketball wise the same way they talk about LeBron James (i.e. who's the best of all time, LeBron or Jordan)? I think he wants a seat at that table. Though the best way to do that is to win championships... so this is probably all just crap 8-)

.