Kevin Durant The Future of The Thunder

Good stuff and testament to how much being a Longhorn matters.

They’re an impressive team, especially given their youth, that’s for sure. My only concern is just how big their window is. Yes they’re very young and very talented which is kind of the problem. All of the sub 25 guys you listed are going to draw major interest from other teams as their contracts expire. How do you keep this good young core signed? Because if you can figure it out and keep the trio of Durant, Westbrook and Harden together you’re going to win some championships. I’m totally with you on the ASU kid. If Harden can improve his defense to stay on the court some more I think he’ll eventually emerge as the Pippen to Kevin’s Jordan.

Holy crap. Its 2. And you are posting.

The Rockets were the only team that I watched in the NBA…and only passively. I now root for the Thunder even if they are playing the Rockets.

“If you can find Vegas odds for Durant 39+ points against Memphis, I would place your mortgage payment on it.
And I mean I would gladly bet your mortgage. Not my own. I’m asking for 10% of the win.”

Get this man a job at Fannie Mae! We need visionaries like this in the housing industry RFN.

I wonder how Portland feels realizing they drafted the second Sam Bowie.

This is an exciting young team and they are singlehandedly dragging me into rekindling an interest in NBA basketball, kicking and screaming the whole way.
I’m almost in that boat as well.

From late 70s to the mid 90s I watched the NBA on a regular basis, especially my Rockets. In the last 10+ years I can count on one hand how many complete NBA games I have watched.

Thanks for that write up. It’s a closer. I will now listen to the Thunder.

A very cheesy thought just occurred to me. Someone should put the CCR song “Who’ll Stop the Rain” to clips of KD & the Thunder raining down buckets against the league.

Yes, I know. it’s corny. I said that already.

Maybe Collison isn’t giving you what you want out of a lottery pick, but he’s either been a nice complimentary player, or solid guy off the bench every year he’s been in the league…and as a guy who taks care of his body, likely will continue to do so for the next decade. Reasonable minds can differ, but “bust” seems a little dramatic.

On that same point, who else besides Raef and his injury ravaged career, are you throwing into the KU big man bust pile?

And I don’t have high hopes for Aldrich. But he’s going to give you good defense and rebounding for 10-12 years. Maybe this goes back to my first sentence – and that’s not what you’re looking for in the lottery – but just because he’ll never be an all-star doesn’t mean he’s a bust.

But since I’ve now dissected your one tiny sentence, I will say that I completely agree with the vast majority of your points. My man crush on Durant is well-documented, but in addition to him, I’ve just come to love watching OKC. Hopefully they can keep this team together, because they’re going to be good for a while.

Yeah it’s funny picturing Durant on the Blazers now. They’d be, uh, kind of good.

Excellent piece, but I’ll quibble with you on Green, who I love almost as much as Durant himself. He does more little, immeasurable things in a quarter than Vince Carter has done in his entire career. Ultimate team glue guy who I pray remains paired with Durant for the duration. I agree with where you’re going with the thought, but I’d look to add/replace elsewhere. Green understands the game in the ways that make basketball fun to watch.

Ibaka is going to be an absolute stud. Everything you’d want in a 4/5. As much of an athletic freak as he is, he’s developing a face up game from about 15 ft. and in. If he gets that going, he’ll be a terror for the next decade.

Sam Presti deserves a ton of credit for what he’s put together up there. Agree with you on Green as well. He’s a great complementary player for a lot of teams, but his natural position is the 3.

Real game. Real game.

PB, you aren’t going to be able to keep KD, Westbrook, Harden and Green. Which would you rather have for the next 10 years, Green or Harden?

The Thunder are the 3rd best rebounding team in the NBA so I don’t see it as a problem. They are decent rebounders from all 5 positions on the court. It sucks that they are in OKC, other than that, I love them and will be rooting hard for them in the playoffs.

The differences in competent management and incompetent management in the NBA are astounding. Consider the 2008 Draft, when I was absolutely devastated that DJ Augustin went at #9 to the Bobcats and the Larry Brown Black Hole School for Young Players. That’s ok, I say, and try to talk myself into the fact that they’ve got a second first round pick to pair with young Augustin. Brown promptly drafts something called an Alexis Ajinca.

Four picks later, Presti picks up Serge Ibaka. I’m pretty sure you can’t pin this one on basketball sabermetrics, since the numbers for either of these players have to be bogus or non-existent. Following the trend…Spurs: George Hill. Rockets: Nic Batum (eventually parlayed into Ron Ron). Combine that with Cuban’s money, and it’s a fun time to be a fan of any Red River team.

Serge Ibaka should have been in Mortal Kombat.

“The Thunder need more AC Green and less Jeff.”

Maybe Jeff should be saving his precious bodily fluids. AC could get some boards when he wasn’t on the IR with blue balls.

Your description of Westbrook reminds me of how Tony Parker was described at that age. He worked with a shooting coach (England?), developed a consistent jumper and became a bigtime force.

I only watch the NBA to see which team Durantula is preying on that night. Great young nucleus of players around him and I’m with PB on Green. High basketball IQ and his rebounding numbers are lower that what you’d expect from that position because the rest of the team rebounds so well.

NBAdraft.net currently has DaSean Butler and Stanley Robinson slotted to OKC with the 21st and 23rd picks.

And with the 50th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select … SEXY DEXY.

James to the Rockets at 13 is interesting. Haven’t seen him that high in any other mock drafts. Great fit though.

“Let us continue, like a typhoon of blooming howitzers…”

I really did “LOL” on that one. And I hate typing that stupid acronym, but it happened.

I kind of agree with you on Green, but PB makes a great counter. I haven’t had many opportunities to watch the Thunder, I’m probably getting a subscription for next season on nba.com to get most every game streaming because I’m sick of watching highlights and not seeing what PB talks about. I was cool on the NBA from about 1999 – 2006. Lebron and company got me interested again, and now I’m all in.

I think SA set up a near perfect template for a title team, a big three and role players that can be replaced if need be. Unless you have the best player ever (Jordan) and only need one super-wing man. Durant and Westbrook are absolute locks, must keep them (unless you can get a better PG in a swap, almost 100% not happening). I’m on the fence who should be the next non-negotiable. This is such a great nucleus it hurts to consider trading any of them unless if you’re getting a far better product (e.g. Chris Bosh for Jeff Green, Collison, cash, etc.) Bosh is a free agent this summer actually and the Thunder have space… they’d be an instant title contender.

Having only watched about 48 minutes of the NBA all season, how are the Thunder in the half court, as that is where playoff series are won?

I don’t think you can trade Harden as long as he’s got that manly beard going. Essential for every title contender.

I have a theory that the Thunder may use some of their cap money to lure Ginobili there. It might be a wild shot in the dark, but Presti is a former Spurs guy and Ginobili would slot well in their lineup as the veteran winner (with some star power left in his tank) that can take this team over the top. Him and Durant together, with all that young talent, would immediately be one of the top teams in the league.

As a Spurs fan, that is really the only possibility that scares me that could break my team up. But if Ginobili goes to the Thunder I guess I would be ok with it.

Flamingmonkeyass -
 
That’s the thing. You’ve got to make hard decisions about where the real value in your team rests. This is a small market basketball team. That means you can really pay three dudes and two of them need to be willing to take slightly less than the market would offer because they like being there.
 
UT06 -
 
Pacific Time.
 
CJD –
 
You know that my dream is to work at Triton Financial. They buy low and SELL HIGH!
 
Newy -
 
They don’t feel great about it. I have a friend that’s a big Portland fan (he lives in Medford, OR) and he was one of the few Blazer fans that wanted Durant. So this has been “vindication” for him. The thought of Durant playing next to LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Andre Miller – man.
 
texoz -
 
Like you, I used to watch the NBA, but the fixed games got to me and I completely dropped out during the Uncharismatic Thug/Knucklehead Years.
 
I believe the opening video during their player introductions should feature Thundarr the Barbarian, partly because Serge Ibaka resembles Ookla the Mok.
 
I also think they should have a sideline mascot Indian, who does celebratory rain dances every time Durant nails a 3.
 
HipHop -
 
Wilt Chamberlain!?!?? OK, maybe not.
 
Yes, Lafrentz would be one. He was a #3.
 
Collison is, steady veteranness or not. I need more than lifetime 7ppg/6rpg out of a #12 pick.
 
Drew Gooden is IMO. #4 pick. He hasn’t played for eight teams in seven years because coaches love him and can’t part with him. I just hate his game.
 
Do we consider Julian Wright a big?
 
For some reason I thought Sasha Kaun was a 1st rounder. I just realized he was not.
 
Anyway, there’s my two cents.

PB@BON -
 
Quibble away. It’s why I wrote mine is a minority viewpoint. The math is simple though: your #1 priority is Durant, #2 is Westbrook, #3 isn’t so clear cut if you want to keep young risers like Serge Ibaka and James Harden around long term. Green does a lot of good things that I mention but his inabilty/unwillingness to board is a detriment. He doesn’t offer the offense of Harden and Ibaka has a much higher upside as a true 4.
 
Green has a lot of value to other teams. I’d explore it. This isn’t a fantasy draft – you have to pay all of these dudes eventually.
 
dick –
 
Exactly.

As for rebounding, Durant, Westbrook & Thabo are all good rebounders for their position and Ibaka murders the glass off of the bench. Imagine if you had a true rebounding force at 4. There’s nothing wrong with being the best rebounding team in the league, is there?
 
jc -
 
Nicely stated.
 
Horncasting -
 
Yeah, that’s what is exciting about the Thunder – big upside at every position. Westbrook is nowhere close to maxing out if he will work on hs game.
 
Vasherized -
 
His rebounding numbers aren’t low because of the rest of the team rebounding. If so, Ibaka would be impacted by the same dynamic when he’s in the game. Green doesn’t rebound well because he doesn’t rebound well. Durant spends one third of the game at the 3 point line and he’s still outboarding Green substantially.
 
Bob In Houston -
 
They defend in the half court very well, which is good. Offensively, well, they have Kevin Durant for one. That’s a half court game. Seriously – this is why bringing along James Harden is so crucial for them.
 
BOW -
 
Yeah, Chris Bosh for Jeff Green is a wild fantasy, but I get your drift.
 
cruzer -
 
I’m a big Manu fan, but I don’t know how many more productive years he has. Isn’t he 33? He’d also command a pretty big contract.

Serge is a stud now and will be even better when time comes,I love the way he will take it too who ever (stuffed Bosh the other night and put him on his arse).I was tired of watching guys get bullied around by the stars but Serge (congo as I call him)doesnt give a hoot who you are.

 Cheeks has done a great job with the shooting of Russell and Durant has been working on his D but Maynor was a blessing in my eyes because you could almost see when Maynor wasnt there Russ was doing all he could to ballance his game and when to give it away to teamates.There is Kristic that I could see getting rid of ,he’s on some nights and then some nights just no where and then I"m yelling" put Serge back in".

“I also think they should have a sideline mascot Indian, who does celebratory rain dances every time Durant nails a 3” thats one of the best Ideas I’ve heard and if you see a guy on tv doing a rain dance when he hits three’s,thats me maybe I can get the whole stadium doing it.dancing in circles goin ,you know what an indian dance looks like. Great idea scipio tex

Durant got to play in Austin, then one year in lovely Seattle, only to be moved to the meth farm of oklahoma. fate can be cruel.

Don’t forget Wayne Simeon who destroyed us when we played Kansas but struggled through injuries in the NBA. I don’t think he is on a roster anywhere, which is sad because he had more upside than Drew Gooden.

The Thunder are in great position to stockpile more young guys as the current roster ages and starts to look for bigger contracts. As long as they continue to value draft picks and not waste money on stupid contracts (Eddy Curry, Elton Brand, Rashard Lewis, Corey Maggette, etc, etc) they will be fine. They are third from the bottom of the league in payroll, while that will go up with Durant and the guys, as long as they can keep restocking talent and keep away from overpaying a loser (like those listed above) they will have the flexibility to stay at the top.

Most teams can’t get off the ground because they pay max money to a guy that won’t carry them anywhere, and KD solves that problem for the Thunder.

Orlando is paying Matt Barnes $2 mil a year and Rashard Lewis $20 mil a year. Rashard certainly isn’t putting up 10X the numbers, and on alot of nights Barnes is more vital to the Magic. I think the Thunder will keep from getting wooed into overpaying for a Lewis type and instead keep bringing in solid draft picks and Barnes types as free agents.

Egg -
 
Great post. Matt Barnes is exactly what the Thunder are looking for and Presti is far too smart to draft or pay a dog.
 
The Thunder are The New Spurs. Good guy-ness and positive vibes around a small market team where players sublimate money interests and their own selfishness for a bigger cause that will ultimately bring them titles.

What value do you think they could receive in the draft or for an exisitng player if they package Green and one of the first round picks? Top 15 and pick up Damion James

alma -
 
Tough to know.
 
That’s why pro sports are so interesting – a player’s value is what the dumbest GM in the league who is willing to pay tells you it is. It’s not like real estate where you can get some sort of reasonable comp.
 
You also don’t know what a veteran may be willing to accept in order to play on a winner.
 
Green’s value is a black box.
 
If they were feeling cruel, they could propose a trade for Greg Oden.

I have Thunder season tickets and agree with most of your points. I’ll add a few observations of my own, having attended most of the home games and a few on the road.

1. Durant is a future perennial All-Star. The biggest change in his game this year is that he has developed a bit of a nasty attitude at times and is becoming a vocal leader of the team. A far change from last year. This is especially interesting since, off the court, he is as humble and quiet of a kid as you will ever meet. The Thunder routed LA last week and KD flat took it to Kobe. Added bonus: he frequently throws up the Horns, including recently to Barry Switzer who was sitting courtside. He always has time for my kids and Horn fans in general. [if you come to a game, call the front office, tell them you’re a Horn fan, and ask if you can get your pic with KD after the game—you might get lucky]. A great player and a great representative of The University.

2. Westbrook has elevated his game this year as well. Not a naturaly PG, there were alot of people questioning if he had a position in the NBA. Not anymore. He has embarassed more than one veteran PG this year by simply blowing by them off the dribble.

3. Scott Brooks can coach. When the offense started slumping about 2/3 of the way thru the year, as teams will do sometimes, he got the team to ramp up its defense. The defense started producing points and the offense came back. He’s low-key, humble and young enough to relate to the James Harden’s of the world.

4. Harden: what a find. His upside is unlimited.

5. Nick Collison: just a veteran lunchbucket guy who brings it every night. Need rebounding? He’ll get you 10 off the bench. Need inside scoring? He’ll put up 14. Need defense? I’ve never seen a guy that big take as many charges as he does.

It’s been a fun season and if they can avoid LA in the first round, they may surprise in the playoffs.

The Thunder cured Ransom Stoddard’s piles! Is there anything this magical team can’t accomplish?

Thunder up 4 in Boston with 18 seconds left in a huge game for them. KD only has 37-7-3 with 15 of 15 from the line.

Huge win for the Thunder tonight. Beat Boston at Boston. KD goes for a smooth 37 and Green with 2 three’s and a block in the last two minutes. 21 lead changes in the game.

Huge win.
 
Durant just destroyed them. I expect Bill Simmons to write a long pining-for-Durant column tomorrow.
 
Point guard position produced:

Westbrook 21 pts, 10 assists.
 
Eric Maynor 8 pts, 4 assists.

My word this is a fun team that’s easy like.

Scipio,

For some reason I remembered Green as a dominating rebounder at Georgetown. Completely average. Career high of 12 against Villanova? It helps rationalize his 5.8/per game in the NBA. Durant has 200 more rebounds than anyone on the Thunder roster. And Westbrook is third behind Green.

Amazing leap in team defense from last year to this year with essentially the same rotation of starters. They lost a ton of games last year because they couldn’t make a defensive stop when needed and that’s now happening this year. They’ve also learned how to hold a lead and typically start road games well.

I penciled this game in as a loss but Durant wasn’t having any of that. Beastliness.

Good video of the game here:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5045778&categoryid=2378529

Including two big, late-game shots from that slag, trade-bait motherfucker Jeff Green.

Trade bait raised his value immensely with the GMs that Presti will rape.
 
Also worth noting Green added 4 rebounds in 39 minutes.
 
And Celtic PFs Rasheed Wallace & Kevin Garnett each scored 18 on a combined 16 of 21 shooting.
 
Just sayin’.

The question is: Does OKC even need a true starting 4, which is what Green is required to be? They get 25 mpg from Collison and Ibaka off the bench at the true 4 position and they do everything you want for that position besides score maybe. They don’t seem to be hurting from a team defense standpoint but maybe it’ll come back and bite them in the ass in the playoffs.

“A team whose best and most promising players are 21, 21, 20, 20, 23, 25.”

Fun fact: Baylor Junior Ekpe Udoh is only 8 months younger than Jeff Green would be the 3rd oldest guy on that list. When I watch Udoh, I see RAW ABILITY!!! and TREMENDOUS UPSIDE POTENTIAL!!! Udoh is a junior at Baylor and these guys have NBA skins on the wall with just as much future potential for growth and improvement. I was kinda hoping Udoh would stay at his 20th or so pick projection and be available for the ThunderSonics but the latest projections have him moving into the lottery. He may not even last to my Rockets.

Would D James fit on the Thunder? Especially 2 years down the road once/if Green walks? He’s essentially a better rebounding Green with a more powerful beard that does everything else slightly worse.

The problem and advantage to Jeff Green is that he plays the same position as KD. He’s a 3 masquerading as a 4 most nights. He does all the little things that you can’t see in the box score including guarding bigger guys, setting screens, hedging on PnR, etc. He’s a lottery pick with little ego. He’s simply a basketball player.

I always wondered why they drafted Green. Obviously the guy can play but it seemed duplication of effort and in the same draft no less. Regardless, Green’s stay in OKC will come down to 1. is willing to give up a little money to stay with the core and 2. How does KD feel about him and how vocal will he be to keep him around. It’s really that simple. If KD loves playing with him and Green’s willing to take less than max money, then he’ll stick around. Presti is a witch!

dick,

Good post about Udoh. Man, if he figures it out, he could be very good in the NBA….Damion can’t do a lot of what Green does. You can actually run your offense thru Green if you want. A poor man’s point forward for a few series. DJ is a much better rebounder though…..

I respect your viewpoint, Scip. And honestly, I haven’t sat down and looked at the financials close enough to say whether I’m being unrealistic — the situation could well dictate what you’re advocating — but let me put it this way: Of all the players on the Thunder, I think Green is the one guy who makes Durant better than he otherwise would be. Throw in the fact that they are emotionally and socially cut from the same cloth (nice, quiet, friendly, people-loving kids), and I’d be wary of separating them. I am wary of separating them.

In any case, glad you wrote about this. Good stuff, as always.

I just want to say thanks for adding the beard analysis. That has me grinning.

Ask Baron Davis how the power beard worked out for him. It has to come at the right time and place.

Damo would be smart to keep a tight shave on that thing until he gets his feet wet in the league.

Horry should have had a perma-beard.

I’m guessing Ripley has a beard. I thought for sure he had the stand-alone.

I can see D. James to the Rockets. James is often compared to Carl Landry and the Rockets loved him.

I might, just might, watch this young collection of upstarts come playoff time.

Vasherized sports a line beard.
 
Loves Color Me Badd as well. Interesting dude.

Ripley could grow a beard but it wouldn’t compensate for the dearth of hair on the rest of his head.

Here is my latest line beard facial styling. Sad, fierce eyes included.

A bunch of BC’er’s praising a team in Oklahoma….and monkeys can fly…

Mavs fan, me.

I only post pix of dead people. I learned my lesson, don’t want my images floating around. Nice facial styling, Vash.

Thunder clinch playoff spot with win in Dallas tonight.

James Harden is rocking the power beard hard right now. It’s getting out of control really.

It really is all about the beard, isn’t it?

Give me your top 5 power beards. Worthy? Gilmore? World B. Free?

I’m not afraid to put Harden right up there. The playoffs are coming up so there’s no way he shaves it right? That’s just another reason to cheer for a deep Thunder playoff run.

Unfortunately, I don’t know any of the names you suggested since they were before my time. I barely remember Worthy and he’s more of a guy that was MJ’s and Magic’s teamate to me. Isn’t he in the HOF? In fact, I just wiki’d World B Free and he legally changed his name to “World” the year I was born. I never even knew Lloyd Bernard Free.

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