Orlando Observations: Day 5
For the first time all week, the Thunder was out-hustled and outplayed by another team. The Jazz beat OKC to loose balls, took advantage of numerous defensive lapses by the Thunder to run their offense effectively throughout the game and turned the contest into a layup drill in the second half.
Add to that, the Thunder couldn’t get much of anything going on the offensive end, scoring more than 15 points in only one quarter. OKC was plagued by turnovers (20), poor shot selection and simple misses (37.9 percent shooting from the field, 2-for-12 from 3-point range) and sloppy execution all day.
Final score: Jazz 70, Thunder 60.
Don’t know if it was the white jerseys, the fifth game in five days or the Jazz just playing that much better. I’m going to say it had a lot to do with the absence of Russell Westbrook, who sat out the finale. At any rate, the Thunder wrapped up its 2009 appearance in the Orlando Pro Summer League at 3-2, a very encouraging start to the summer league schedule not because of the record of course but the way the young guys played and competed throughout the week.
Not much to say from this one, so I won’t bog down this post with minor details. Check out the box score to see who did what. Meanwhile, I’ll lace you with some words from coach Scott Brooks, who told me in a telephone interview just before tip-off that he was actually proud of his team’s effort heading into the final game. I imagine he wasn’t so pleased with what he saw over the next hour and a half after hanging up the phone with me.
But first a few observations and notes.
Orlando Observations: Day 4
And down the stretch they come.
Game four of the Thunder’s schedule at the Orlando Pro Summer League is in the book.
Thunder 83, New Jersey/Philadelphia 62.
In today’s edition, Russell Westbrook proved once and for all he doesn’t need to be in Orlando. James Harden showed once again that he’s as efficient, effective and savvy as advertised. And Byron “Don’t call me B.J.” Mullens proved he deserves to be called whatever he wants as long as he continues scoring like he did today and matches his point production with strong effort.
Seven minutes into the game, Mullens had outscored the N.J./Philly squad 6-4 as OKC raced to a 16-4 lead. Mullens had 10 of his “career-summer-league high” (I just made that up) 18 points in the first quarter. In the first period he had two mid-range jumpers, two dunks and a nice layup in transition. He also attempted and missed a 3-pointer. Mullens made nine of 12 shots and finished with five rebounds, two steals, one assists and zero turnovers to go along with his point total. I’d say it was a great performance from the young fella.
But I’m still waiting to see a solid post move out of Mullens. That figures to come with more experience and more time in the weight room. I guess the Thunder has to live with him shooting 17-footers for now. Not bad if he makes them, I suppose, and if OKC is looking for him to become more of a Mehmet Okur type of center than, say, a Chris Andersen or Emeka Okafor or even Brook Lopez type of presence.
An Apology To Russell Westbrook
Just talked to someone from down in Orlando who had a close-up seat to the Thunder’s game against Indiana on Tuesday and a particularly good look at what was believed to be a discourteous act by Russell Westbrook following a hustle play.
In recapping Tuesday’s action, I wrote the following:
“Westbrook “mule-kicked” a ball boy underneath the basket late in the first half. He was chasing down a Pacers run out, went up for the block and on his landing had his right foot stretched out toward the goal post where the kid was sitting. Apparently Russ didn’t say anything to the kid or check to see if he was OK. Good hustle anyway, Russ.”
I’m told today that Westbrook never made contact with the kid, contrary to the commentary by the broadcast crew of the amiable Dante & Galante. Westbrook, according to other eyewitnesses, unintentionally kicked the goal support and the kid flinched but wasn’t hit.
It was hard to see exactly what played out while watching on grainy video. I took the broadcasters’ word for what certainly looked to have been a possibility and was quoting them. For that, I owe Russell Westbrook an apology.
-DM-
Orlando Observations: Day 3
So the Thunder beat Boston, 94-82, on Wednesday in what had to be one of the most boring summer league games of all time.
Russell Westbrook did his best to turn up the entertainment value with a few nice dunks en route to his third straight 20-plus-point game. Aside from that, Shaun Livingston is the only other player that stood out to me.
But it was much more than Livingston’s modest production of 10 points, six rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes.
The first thing I noticed about Livingston — because I didn’t catch Monday’s first game and he didn’t play Tuesday — is he is no longer wearing the bulky brace that once covered most of his left leg. Now, Livingston is wearing only a sleeve over his rehabilitated left knee. I’m not sure whether this is just something he’s doing for summer league or if he will bring back the brace during the season. But if he’s shed the protective gear, it’s a good sign that his knee is closer to full strength and bodes well for his prospects of regaining some of the explosion that many believe he’s forever lost.
I caught the first glimpse of Livingston’s surprising explosion early in the second quarter, when he froze his defender with a backdoor cut from the right corner and finished with a wide open layup. It’s plays like that that I rarely saw out of him during his eight-game stint with the Thunder at the end of last season.
Clarifying An Earlier Post
Wanted to make sure that a paragraph in my last post about the new salary cap doesn’t give off the wrong impression.
“For Oklahoma City it means that teams might not unload high-dollar contracts as quickly as many once thought they would with a lower tax line. The tax dropped only $1.23 million and might not scare off owners who feel their teams are championship contenders. Oklahoma City still could prey on mediocre teams pushing the tax line, but, by and large, a small dent in the new tax line could prevent the Thunder from landing a quality player simply because a team is looking to dump a bad contract.”
The Thunder still could greatly benefit from teams looking to shed salary for 2010-11. Opposing teams just might not unload players this summer. The main contenders — Boston, Denver, San Antonio, Cleveland, Orlando, the Lakers — surely won’t. But because the cap and luxury tax are expected to take another, perhaps even bigger, hit next summer, teams likely will be looking to get further under the cap and tax line before the summer of 2010.
That means the Thunder could unload expiring deals — Earl Watson, Damien Wilkins and, to a lesser extent because of his partially guaranteed deal, Chucky Atkins — in exchange for a player with a hefty contract that has two or even three years remaining. While OKC could reach a deal this summer, a more likely scenario is the Thunder waits until teams become a little more eager at the mid-February trading deadline or desperate next July.
As an example, Orlando already is in a world of trouble financially. The Magic have more than $68 million tied up in just eight players. The new tax threshold is $69.9 million, and the Magic, under league rules, must sign at least four more players. But 2010-11 is where things get interesting for Orlando. The Magic will have more than $66 million committed to just six players in 2010-11, with an even lower tax line. The Vince Carter trade essentially has severely limited what Orlando is able to do from here without paying a boatload of tax. It could lead to the Magic being forced to dump a talent like Mickael Pietrus and his $5.3 million contract for peanuts.
Similar examples of long-term issues also could play out with Boston, Charlotte, Denver, Dallas, Golden State, Indiana, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Toronto, Utah and Washington, with some cases being dependent which of those teams re-sign their players to extensions.
-DM-
Salary Cap Set For 2009-10 Season
The NBA has announced its salary cap for the 2009-10 season, setting the figure at $57.7 million, or just less than $1 million of last season’s $58.68 million figure. The luxury tax level also took a slight dip to $69.92 million. Last season’s tax threshold was $71.15 million. The mid-level exception has been set at $5.854 million, an increase of roughly $330,000 over last season.
Teams are permitted to exceed the salary cap, but once a team’s payroll exceeds the luxury tax that team must pay $1 for every $1 it exceeds the $69.92 million line.
League-wide revenue increased 2.5 percent for the 2008-09 season, according to NBA’s official press release, but the decreases in the cap and tax level are the result of projections of league-wide basketball related income for next season.
The final numbers are much different than the free-falling figures many feared the cap was headed for in an unstable economy. They are closer to the slight change NBA Commissioner David Stern suggested we’ll see when he addressed the media at the NBA Finals.
For Oklahoma City it means that teams might not unload high-dollar contracts as quickly as many once thought they would with a lower tax line. The tax dropped only $1.23 million and might not scare off owners who feel their teams are championship contenders. Oklahoma City still could prey on mediocre teams pushing the tax line, but, by and large, a small dent in the new tax line could prevent the Thunder from landing a quality player simply because a team is looking to dump a bad contract.
The Thunder is a little less than $16 million below the cap, which allows it to make trades in which it isn’t obligated to send back an almost equal amount of salary.
Oklahoma City is one of only nine other teams — Memphis, Detroit, Atlanta, Toronto, Portland, Minnesota, Sacramento, Charlotte and New Jersey — that are under the salary cap. Eight teams — New Orleans, Washington, Boston, Utah, San Antonio, Dallas, New York and the Los Angeles Lakers — are over the luxury tax.
-DM-
Orlando Observations: Day 2
The Thunder played its second game of the Orlando Pro Summer League on Tuesday and fell to the Indiana Pacers, 91-88, after beating Orlando on Monday’s opening day. OKC lost behind some obscure summer league rule that allows a team two foul shots for each foul an opposing player commits after his sixth foul. D.J. White was whistled for an offensive foul while trying to set a pick for Russell Westbrook at the top of the key in the closing seconds with the game tied, and 13th overall pick Tyler Hansbrough (I think) hit two free throws to put the Pacers up two with about 2.9 seconds left. The Thunder then fouled and some dude made one of two free throws for the final margin. James Harden missed a good look at the buzzer that would have tied it at 91-91.
But who really cares if you win or lose, right? The most important thing is the team’s young players got another chance to play together collectively and 40 more minutes of experience individually. And nobody on the Thunder walked out of the gym on crutches. Can’t say the same thing for Indiana’s Josh McRoberts.
View the box score here. As for my impressions……
Durant Bowling For Charity
Kevin Durant will be a part of T.J. Ford’s charity bowling event in Houston on July 11 (via the Houston Chronicle). Not sure how bowling has taken off in NBA circles, but it definitely has as a means for fund raising and a fun free-time activity.
Durant will be joined in Ford’s “Celebrity-Bowl-A-Thon” by LaMarcus Aldridge, D.J Augustin, Daniel Gibson, Glen Davis, Royal Ivey, Kendrick Perkins, Damon Jones, Shaun Rogers, Joseph Addai, Tyrus Thomas, Bobby Simmons, Maurice Taylor, Chris Wilcox and Nick Van Exel.
The event benefits Houston Children’s Charity, and for the low, low price of a very affordable $1,000 per lane or $250 per individual, participants can have one of the aforementioned celebrities join them for three hours of strikes, spares and gutter balls.
-DM-
Thunder Announces Summer League Roster
The Thunder has announced its roster for the 2009 summer league schedule. Some of these names will appear in the Orlando Pro Summer League from July 6-10, and some (likely Russell Westbrook) will not participate in the Vegas Summer league.
The names you know…..
Russell Westbrook
D.J. White
Shaun Livingston
Serge Ibaka
James Harden
Kyle Weaver
Robert Vaden
B.J. Mullens
DeVon Hardin
The names who aren’t on the current roster….
DeAngelo Alexander, G, 6-4, 215, Charlotte
Marcus Dove, F, 6-9, 212, Oklahoma State
Moses Ehambe, F, 6-6, 200, Oral Roberts
Kyle Hines, F, 6-6, 230, UNC Greensboro
Keith McLeod, G, 6-2, Bowling Green State
Richard Roby, G, 6-6, 205, Colorado
Doug Thomas, F, 6-8, 245, Iowa
UPDATE: Upon further examination of the press release, we know exactly which players will play in which summer league. Russell Westbrook, DeAngelo Alexander andKyle Hines will play in Orlando only. Marcus Dove, Richard Roby, Doug Thomas and Keith McLeod will play in Vegas only.
-DM-
