Report: OKC Leaning Toward Harden
A report by the Web site Draftexpress.com says the Thunder is leaning toward selecting Arizona State shooting guard James Harden with the third overall pick in next month’s draft and has little interest in point guard Ricky Rubio.
The Web site, reporting from the Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago, said Harden has canceled his interviews with every team drafting outside of the top five and will not conduct any workouts with anyone during the draft process.
“A source close to him tells us he feels very good about the possibility of being selected by Oklahoma City or Washington, and for right now is not planning on visiting the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Most teams we’ve spoken to in Chicago are indicating that they believe Oklahoma City is indeed leaning towards taking Harden. They also believe the Thunder are not enamored with Rubio at all, as they are committed to developing Russell Westbrook at his natural position — point guard.”
While Harden seems to be a great fit on the Thunder alongside Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, don’t read too much into the report. For starters, it’s May 29, nearly a full month before the draft. Secondly, the Thunder’s brass is impressed with the skills of Rubio and likely wouldn’t pass up on him because of Westbrook. With Westbrook in the fold, things are a little more complicated if you add Rubio to the mix. But the Thunder is looking to add talented players, not necessarily players that fit best based on need. And finally, we all know Thunder general manager Sam Presti is as meticulous as they come. He hasn’t even had a chance to get much one-on-one time with the top prospects to evaluate them so it’s unlikely he’s “leaning” either way at this point.
Presti saw reports like this coming on the night of the lottery when he cautioned the media and fans to not run with rumbling that creeps up.
“Much will be said up until the draft about players will go here and players will go there,” Presti said. “I can tell you that we won’t have it all figured out. We continue to do our work, collect information and on the 25th we’ll be ready to make a pick.”
-DM-
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Comments
And another thing: from my experience, Rusell Westbrook is NOT a “natural” PG–he is a combo guard who plays 1 OR 2. I watched Scott Brooks play Westbrook at both slots, with success.
If Thunder want Harden, that’s fine by me, but they can trade down to 4 or 5 and still have him … I would be surprised if Presti is not working that angle.
I think Harden would be a great fit. The Thunder could plug him in at the 2 right away. The guy is instant offense. Dude can put the ball in the hole. Rubio would give them an undersized backcourt with him and Westbrook, and Thabeet is too risky. AND AS MUCH AS THE OKLAHOMAN WRITERS LIKE WISHFUL THINKING MAYBERRY ARE TRYING TO CREATE A SITUATION WHERE THEY COULD TRADE FOR GRIFFIN, WE ALL KNOW IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Griffin will be a Clipper.
As I’m sure DM noticed, there were multiple stories out today that Oklahoma City is really looking into this player or that player. What it tells me is that Sam Presti is meticulously gathering information about everyone, which is what he should do.
There’s no need to put much stock in anything said this far out. I remember last year, ESPN reported on just a few hours before the draft that they were going to trade down from the fourth pick.
Now the dunder isn’t “interested” in Rubio, and right after he announced he wasn’t interested in coming to okaysee. Imagine that……
Hee Haw! Rubio does not want to come to OKC. What better way to play the PR nightmare that creates than to pretend you didn’t want him all along. Maybe somebody will take the Blunders cash, what little there is. Come on Granny let’s go out and jump in the cement pond.
The last two commenters (or one person who has two or more emails) are idiots. Read this. But Mayberry is correct about Presti taking his time in investigating prospects.
i love the haters commenting about rubio. perhaps you fellows don’t read well, but i’ve gotten the feeling that the thunder “are not enamored with Rubio at all.” hmmm… where did i read that? oh yeah, THIS ARTICLE, the one you’re commenting on. weird.
I will be very disappointed if the Thunder picks Harden when Rubio or Thabeet is still on the table. We can take a SG at #25.