Report: Thunder To Sign Mike Wilks
According to the Web site InsideHoops.com, the Thunder will sign free agent point guard Mike Wilks.
The site is reporting that Wilks agent, Bill Neff, has confirmed that Oklahoma City will add the 30-year-old Wilks to provide backcourt relief behind starting point guard Russell Westbrook.
Both of the Thunder’s reserve point guards, Kevin Ollie and Shaun Livingston, are out with knee injuries. Reserve guard Kyle Weaver, a natural shooting guard who is capable of running the team from the lead guard spot and was called on for emergency duty at point guard Tuesday at Utah, sustained a shoulder injury during practice Wednesday.
Wilks, who is listed at 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, is a six-year veteran out of Rice. He has career averages of 2.5 points, 1.2 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 229 games. He’s played for Atlanta, Minnesota, Houston, San Antonio, Cleveland, Seattle, Denver and Washington. Wilks spent last season in Orlando and Memphis but did not play in a game last year.
-DM-
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Comments
The Thunder tried James Harden (and others) as point last summer, and Harden was subpar. He can pass, but he has trouble handling the ball. That’s why Sam Presti goes with a vet…to be safe.
Wonder why they didn’t sign Tre Kelley, who was a PG on the summer league roster? Seems like it would make moresense to sign someone who already knows the system. Oh well, it’s a short-term stop-gap move.
i seriously hope the comment about marbury and iverson was a joke… i would question presti’s intelligence if he even considered signing one of those guys.
Tre Kelley was too inexperienced (his draft year was the same year as Kevin Durant and Jeff Green), and the Thunder needed a vet.
Mike Wilks is a perfect fit as a #3 PG for the short-term. Once he gets comfortable with the system and his teammates, OKC fans will be surprised. He’s smart, can shoot it, drive and dish, and most importantly, run an offense when Westbrook needs a rest. His biggest problem is his lack of size which makes him unable to guard bigger PG’s.
yeesh.. i hope he doesn’t actually get any playing time.. i think i’d prefer to increase Westbrook’s minutes and have Harden run the point when Westbrook is out until Weaver, Ollie or Livingston get back..