Scouting James Harden
Two days before the draft, I recorded the Arizona State game versus UCLA on ESPNU figuring there was a good chance the Thunder would come away with Sun Devils shooting guard James Harden. It’s been a busy week to say the least, so I’m just now getting around to pressing play on my DVR. (One of the best inventions of all time by the way. I’ve got 23 episodes of Martin recorded and all I had to do was set it to record one time. Genius. Oh yeah, James Harden.)
The No. 3 overall pick is impressive.
He has a maturity to his game that’s rarely seen in 19-year-old ballplayers. His court vision is excellent, his decision-making is terrific and his all-around impact is invaluable. It could be that I caught Harden on a great night, a 74-67 home win over the Bruins in which he nearly recorded a triple-double with a team-high 15 points and a career-high 11 assists to go with seven rebounds. But considering the point total was five below Harden’s Pac-10-leading scoring average and he finished with eight turnovers, I’d say his performance was closer to average than great.
But over the course of 40 minutes (through the help of my spectacular DVR’s rewind, slow-mo and pause features), I got a better feel for what exactly Harden can bring to the Thunder next season. Although his game isn’t always pretty — although most of the time it is but in a non-flashy kind of way — he gets the job done.
With that said, here is what I took away from Harden’s performance.
Five Good Minutes With Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant sat down with Jenni Carlson and NewsOK to share his thoughts on all things Thunder. He talked about going back to school this summer, returning to OKC for his first ever kids basketball camp, his impressions of the team’s draft picks and the start of free agency. Well worth a look.
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Paul Millsap: To Sign Or Not To Sign?
One name that constantly crops up around here as the start of free agency nears is Paul Millsap. The big man for the Utah Jazz will be a restricted free agent Wednesday, and fans have long wanted the Thunder to take a chance on the 6-foot-8 forward out of Louisiana Tech. A potential pairing of Millsap and the Thunder has made national headlines Monday morning because of mentions here and here, suggesting the Thunder might make a run at him.
It’s an easy connection to make. Millsap, with his rebounding and interior defense, fits the Thunder’s most pressing needs. Assistant general manager Troy Weaver is also a former director of player personnel with the Jazz and is more familiar with Millsap than most. Add to that, Millsap is one of the best up-and-coming big men in the league after a breakout season in 2008-09 as a result of Jazz starter Carlos Boozer’s injury woes. Millsap averaged 13.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals, all career-highs. He also connected on career-highs of 69.9 percent from the free throw line and 53.4 percent from the field in 30.1 minutes per game.
And so there are reasons to believe the Thunder will make a run and Millsap, but there are also some that suggest OKC won’t.
Thunder has “family” bond
Sports teams have used the term “family” for decades to describe their feelings towards teammates. The Pittsburgh Pirates were the first to emphasize it 30 years ago when they played off Sister Sledge’s hit song “We Are Family.”
The Thunder is one of those teams where family is a term not taken lightly among those in the front office or the locker room.
Jeff Green (Washington, D.C.), D.J. White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Kyle Weaver (Wisconsin) were all in Oklahoma City on Saturday when the three rookies –James Harden, B.J. Mullens and Robert Vaden — were introduced. That speaks volumes that they planned trips to OKC when their new teammates would be in town.
General manager Sam Presti constantly refers to acquiring high character guys who will work hard and play hard for each other. That’s why the “family” references aren’t by happen stance. Those are the type of players Presti wants to build around.
There have been teams that argued and bickered and still won championships, the Yankees of decades ago being a prime example. But in most cases, a family-like comrarderie enhances winning games while locker room “cancers” can tear a team apart.
How good will the Thunder be in two or three seasons, when young players start to enter their prime? Hard to say. But Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Green have talent. Based on his two seasons at Arizona State and rookie combine stats, Harden has more talent than most realize. Mullens, according to scouts, has unique physical gifts but has a ways to go to have that talent manifest on the court.
But talent isn’t the only vairable to consistently winning games. Good team chemistry will enhance the Thunder’s chances of being a viable playoff contender over the next few seasons.
Thunder has "family" bond
Sports teams have used the term “family” for decades to describe their feelings towards teammates. The Pittsburgh Pirates were the first to emphasize it 30 years ago when they played off Sister Sledge’s hit song “We Are Family.”
The Thunder is one of those teams where family is a term not taken lightly among those in the front office or the locker room.
Jeff Green (Washington, D.C.), D.J. White (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Kyle Weaver (Wisconsin) were all in Oklahoma City on Saturday when the three rookies –James Harden, B.J. Mullens and Robert Vaden — were introduced. That speaks volumes that they planned trips to OKC when their new teammates would be in town.
General manager Sam Presti constantly refers to acquiring high character guys who will work hard and play hard for each other. That’s why the “family” references aren’t by happen stance. Those are the type of players Presti wants to build around.
There have been teams that argued and bickered and still won championships, the Yankees of decades ago being a prime example. But in most cases, a family-like comrarderie enhances winning games while locker room “cancers” can tear a team apart.
How good will the Thunder be in two or three seasons, when young players start to enter their prime? Hard to say. But Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Green have talent. Based on his two seasons at Arizona State and rookie combine stats, Harden has more talent than most realize. Mullens, according to scouts, has unique physical gifts but has a ways to go to have that talent manifest on the court.
But talent isn’t the only vairable to consistently winning games. Good team chemistry will enhance the Thunder’s chances of being a viable playoff contender over the next few seasons.
Where Does OKC Go From Here?
Caution: to prevent temporary loss of vision, avoid looking directly at my dome. I’m now a part of the International Bald Brotherhood
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Open Mike Podcast: Harden, Mullens & Head Fakes
Sports editor Mike Sherman and I are back in the booth with more banter.
In today’s installment, we discuss whether James Harden is fat, if B.J. Mullens is any good and why GM Sam Presti passed on Ricky Rubio.
Join us.
(Oops. Technical difficulties on the first try for anyone who clicked on it. That was an old podcast. Today’s is now posted.)
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Thunder Get Their Man, And It Was Harden All Along
I knew James Harden would be the pick since the draft lottery balls bounced the Thunder the third pick on May 19.
Sold I was that he would be the one putting on an Oklahoma City cap before walking up the steps of the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden, reaching the top of the stage and shaking NBA Commissioner David Stern’s hand while staring out at flashing bulbs.
Then Thunder GM Sam Presti misdirected me with his maneuvers over the past week. First he flew to L.A. to meet with Ricky Rubio last Saturday. Wanted to glance over his problematic contract and parlay with Rubio’s family and representatives. Three days later, word got out the Thunder had hired a Spanish law firm to give that complicated contract a careful once over.
It knocked me off my pivot. I should have held my ground.
Few understood how or why I had reached such a firm conclusion on Harden. My explanation was the same, through tens of radio interviews and tons of talks with editors and co-workers, friends and fans.
“He fits the Thunder way.”
Were draft rumors bogus?
Having intently followed the draft the past month there were so many rumors that you just knew Draft night would be full of trades. There can’t be that much smoke without an occasional fire popping up here and there, right?
Not necessarily.
Covering an NBA team for the first time from training camp to the end of the season you learn a lot about the nuances of the league. Covering my first NBA Draft once again I learned valuable lessons.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti said late Thursday night following his press conference he doesn’t put much stock in internet rumors because he said at least nine out of 10 rumors relating to the Thunder are bogus.
Presti admitted he was involved in trade discussions right up until he made the pick. He said that’s part of the job. Turn over every rock. You never know what you might turn up.
But rumors are just that, rumors. There were rumors Minnesota might give OKC its No. 5 and 16 picks to move up to No. 3. There were rumors Houston wanted Memphis’ No. 2 pick, a rumor Chicago might trade No. 16 and 26 for No. 11 with New Jersey and on and on.
There probably was a grain of truth to many rumors. But in the end, both teams have to like what they’re getting for the rumor to actually become a trade. In Presti’s case, he wanted James Harden.
Some of the rumors were true. Minnesota wanted a second lottery pick and used Mike Miller and Randy Foye to get Washington’s No. 5 pick. The rumor the Wizards wanted veterans not rookies was true. The rumor on Wednesday that Minnesota might keep its No. 5 and 6 picks was true.
But one general manager admitted sometimes his organization on occasion intentionally gives a reporter a “false” rumor just to create a smoke screen and throw other teams off the scent of what their actual plans are. He’s not alone. It’s not just the internet, and reporters who produce rumors, that are bogus. NBA front office executives also play into the equation.
And while we’re on rumors, the rumors that Shaq, Vince Carter and other NBA star players might be traded were dead on. If you believe in other rumors Kirk Hinrich will end up in Portland and Amare Stoudemire probably will be traded.
It’s difficult to separate which rumors have some validity and which ones are bogus. It’s fun for fans and the media to constantly hear what “could” happen. But as we learned on Draft Day a lot of times rumors never come to fruition.
OKC still has Phoenix’s unprotected pick
At the end of the draft, Oklahoma City still owned Phoenix’s unprotected first-round pick next season.
With news that Shaquille O’Neal has been dealt to play with Clevleand and LeBron James, and the Suns might also trade Amare Stoudemire, that pick is looking more and more valuable. If Phoenix winds up rebuilding the Suns should end up giving OKC a lottery pick.
The irony to the unprotected Phoenix pick is there were rumors early in the week that Sam Presti might give Phoenix back its 2010 pick to select Ohio State center B.J. Mullens. Presti still has the pick and Mullens.
Asked late Thursday night if Phoenix’s unprotected pick was ever on the table in trade talks, Presti gave the obligatory “everything is on the table” answer. In other words, teams asked about the pick but in the end Presti felt it wasn’t worth using in this draft.
Still, the fact the rumor was out there was an indication Presti was high on Mullens’ long-term potential. His quotes at the press conference, that he was surprised Mullens was still there at No. 24, is further proof Mullens was on their radar like the rumor suggested.
Mullens probably plays most of next season in the D League. But several times during Thursday’s press conference Presti commented how rare it is to find athletic 7-foot centers. Thunder fans will have to be patient. Mullens might not contribute much for at least one season, maybe two.
If Mullens blossoms just about the time Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and James Harden are starting to hit their stride in two or three seasons that’s when the Thunder will be a viable playoff threat capable of earning a decent seed.
Turns out there was some truth to the rumor but in the end, Presti kept the pick and still got his man.
