It gives the Oklahoma City Thunder slightly more than six weeks to hammer out an extension for All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook. If no deal is reached by then, Westbrook will become a restricted free agent next summer, meaning the Thunder would have the right to retain him by matching any offer he might receive.

Westbrook and Thunder management, however, have both expressed their desire to get a deal done, and negotiations are not expected to spill into next summer.

Under new collective bargaining rules, Westbrook is eligible for a four-year extension that would kick in at the start of the 2012-13 season. The new rules, though, allow teams to designate one player who is eligible for a five-year extension at the maximum salary, which would be 25 percent of the salary cap. But Westbrook could be eligible to earn up to 30 percent of the salary cap if he is named to one of three All-NBA teams for the second consecutive year this season.

Prior to the lockout, teams had until Oct. 31 to extend rookie contracts before players would hit the market as restricted free agents in the following summer. The league will revert to the Oct. 31 deadline next season, when Thunder players James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Eric Maynor and Byron Mullens will be up for extensions.

Other prominent players from the 2008 draft class who are now eligible for extensions include Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, Danilo Gallinari, Brook Lopez, Roy Hibbert and JaVale McGee.

-DM-

Robinson’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, said Thursday night that Robinson will remain in his native Seattle while the two sides search for a solution.

“They don’t plan on using him in their rotation, and we wanted to see if we could find a better opportunity somewhere else,” Goodwin said.

The Thunder could agree to a buyout with Robinson, trade him or use the amnesty clause in the new collective bargaining agreement. It’s unlikely that the Thunder will amnesty Robinson, however, because the team is under the salary cap and Robinson is scheduled to be paid a relatively inexpensive $4.5 million this season. The Thunder could hold onto its one-time amnesty option to use on a larger deal later so long as it was signed prior to July 1, 2011.

Robinson arrived in Oklahoma City in the trade that sent Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic to Boston in exchange for Kendrick Perkins. The 5-foot-5 point guard immediately became a fan favorite but was banished to the bench when he was squeezed out of coach Scott Brooks’ rotation.

Robinson played only four regular season games with the Thunder, averaging 3.3 points and 1.5 assists in 7.5 minutes.

If Robinson is waived, the Thunder will have 12 players under contract. Rookie Reggie Jackson is expected to be signed as early as Friday afternoon. Restricted free agent Daequan Cook is waiting for a contract extension as well.

-DM-

It doesn't appear likely that Kevin Durant will be able to escape Shane Battier's smothering defense this season.

Bulldog free agent Shane Battier has narrowed his list of potential destinations.

And Oklahoma City doesn’t appear to be on it.

According to NBA.com’s David Aldridge, Battier has trimmed his wish list to just a handful of teams.

Free agent forward Shane Battier has narrowed his list of prospective teams from more than the original dozen or so to a handful of teams, including his current team, the Memphis Grizzlies, Miami, Indiana and Toronto, according to a league source.”

It’s possible this list is not comprehensive. Still, it’s no surprise the Thunder isn’t at least listed here. Twice in the past week I attempted to explain why Battier isn’t a likely option in OKC. You can see those explanations here and here.

But there is something that stands out about Battier’s alleged wish list. Of the four teams mentioned, only one, the Heat, is a title contender. The Grizzlies, only on the list because Battier last played in Memphis, are a likely playoff team, while the Pacers and Raptors both would be happy sneaking into the playoffs this season. That sort of goes against conventional wisdom, or at least the logic most adopted when they believed the 33-year-old Battier would only be interested in signing with a club in the championship hunt.

Seeing two teams that won a combined 59 games last season appear on the list, however, gives credence to my recent conversations regarding the future of the notoriously pesky defender. Battier, I’m hearing, wants big bucks. If money is indeed Battier’s biggest motivator, it’s no coincidence Indiana and Toronto are on the list. Both are in the bottom third in payroll, allowing each team the ability to tender Battier a lucrative contract if they desire. And Battier already has stated his preference of landing a three- or four-year deal. Memphis, meanwhile, could be roughly $5 million under the cap but would be allowed to exceed it to re-sign Battier.

Despite all of that, you’ve got to think Miami must be atop Battier’s list. Because no one is more South Beach than Shane Battier, right? OK, seriously, the Heat enter this season as the favorite to win it all, and there is a glaring need for a guy like Battier in Miami, especially if Pat Riley parts ways with injury-prone Mike Miller. Miami is over the cap and can offer only the mid-level exception, which figures to be around $5.7 million and not much more than the Thunder could tender if minor moves are made to clear up a spot and some cash.

The biggest difference between the Thunder and Heat is the role available to Battier. In Miami, Battier easily could receive the 24 minutes a night he played with Memphis last year. With the Thunder, though, Battier could have a hard time getting to 20. He knows it, the Thunder knows it and anyone who’s been paying attention knows it.

It’s just one of the many reasons Battier’s short list doesn’t include Oklahoma City, even if the two are a match made in heaven.

-DM-

The answer is simple. OKC wants to see how its core develops together. Makes no sense to stunt the development of such a talented young roster simply because you have money to spend. The Thunder won 50 games and pushed the Lakers in the first round with its current young and inexperienced cast of characters. No telling what the boys can do if given just a little time to develop.

That’s the basketball side of it.

From a business standpoint, the Thunder is being wise about its budget. To ink Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, James Harden and Serge Ibaka to contract extensions without having an overblown budget, the Thunder must utilize some restraint now. And that’s precisely what OKC has done in sitting on the sidelines while others splurge on free agents.

And it’s why the Thunder again played it right by refraining from entering into the mix for Al Jefferson.

Forget the fact that Utah, after losing Carlos Boozer, acquired Jefferson from Minnesota at a discount rate: two future first-round picks and center Kosta Koufos. It might work out nicely for Utah. In Oklahoma City, however, Jefferson just isn’t worth the risk. The 6-foot-10 power forward/center has three years and $42 million remaining on his contract. He sustained a torn ACL in 2008-09. He had a down year with the Wolves last season. And, above all, he just doesn’t fit in Oklahoma City.

Jefferson needs the ball on the low block. To have an impact, he needs touch after touch throughout the game. That takes the ball out of the hands of Durant and Westbrook. And that’s not a good thing.

Everyone, including yours truly, has said the Thunder needs a low-post scoring threat before truly arriving as a championship contender. And to some degree, that might certainly be the case. But the truth of the matter is there just isn’t enough room for a player like Jefferson to command the ball on this roster. Realistically, how many times a game will Westbrook and Durant dump it down to a post player, stand around and watch him work? And how long would it be until a low-post threat like Jefferson starts complaining and turns into a cancer?

With a $42 million price tag, those are questions the Thunder is better off not knowing the answers to, especially with a guy like Jefferson, who is looking more and more like a whiner than a winner. In six seasons, Jefferson’s teams have compiled a 163-329 record. Jefferson has been to the playoffs once over that span, back in his rookie season when Boston fell in Game 7 to Indiana.

Maybe Jefferson will be a great addition for the Jazz. Maybe Utah should have simply plugged Paul Millsap into Boozer’s spot.

But it’s no question Oklahoma City is better off without Jefferson.

The Thunder has a squad that won 50 games last year. A group that has proven it fits together and won’t complain about roles or touches. Most importantly, the Thunder has a bunch that has done all those things without blowing the budget.

-DM-

Read the letter in its entirety for yourself.

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn.  And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….

- -

Dan Gilbert

Majority Owner

Cleveland Cavaliers

-DM-

Q: How do you view this draft? Anybody you see that you’d love to have as a new teammate?
A: Since I’ve been in the league, this is the first time that we haven’t had a top five pick. So I really don’t know who to expect is going to be down there at 21. I’m not a front office guy, but I guess whoever is the best available is who we should take. I don’t know. You never know what’s going to happen with the first 20 picks. But I like some players. There’s a couple of guys. Gordon Hayward, I hear he’s a guy that could be a good small forward for us. Bigs, Daniel Orton, Larry Sanders, guys like that could help us out as well. We have a good core of guys and whoever we pick is going to come in an jell with us right away.

Q: I’ve got two names for you. At 21, Damion James. At 26, Dexter Pittman.
A: That would be perfect. That would be perfect for me. Those two guys have had great careers at Texas. They really deserve to be picked in this draft. We’ll see what happens. Those two would be perfect fits for us.

Q: Now that you’ve had some time to reflect on last season and what you guys accomplished, is there anything that you’ve taken away from last year that you can use going into next season.
A: I took a look back. It was disappointing for me to watch the Finals, knowing that we had a chance to beat the Lakers and advance. But that doesn’t take away from the year that we had. We had such a fun year. A lot of people didn’t think we’d get to the playoffs and wing 50 games. But we proved people wrong and that felt good. But at the same time, we wanted to win when we got there. That was a little disappointing. It kind of feels like we expected to win the championship. For example, if the Lakers would have lost their season would have been a failure even though they won 57 games. That’s how I kind of felt. I don’t know if that’s the right feelings or what but that’s how I felt. I guess that’s just my competitive nature. But looking back on it, it was a fun year, a lot of guys got better and I’m looking forward to coming back.

Q: People are already considering this Lakers team the team to beat next year. But knowing that you guys took them six games, almost seven, do you look at that and gain more confidence as a team that is now ready to compete at another level?
A: I think so. A lot of people think we got a chance to fight for another playoff spot first off and give whoever we play some problems. We just got to prove that we can do that. It’s all about coming into training camp with that mindset that we did last year. And I think we’ll do that. We’re looking forward to just taking it a day at a time, seeing who we get on Thursday in the draft. I think that’s going to be key for us. And then just moving forward with summer league and working out together once we get back to OKC. I can’t wait to get back to OKC after my camp in Chicago to workout with the guys and move forward.

Q: What are you expecting midnight on July 1?
A: I’m expecting to get something done. Hopefully I’ll have a deal done and something set. But you never know what can happen. So we’ll see what happens. I’m looking forward to that day.

Q: Are you starting to get excited for your situation and anticipate it more now that we’re within two weeks?
A: Yeah I am. It’s something that kind of shows you made your name in this league. That’s one thing that is kind of personal to me because I’ve worked so hard. Hopefully it gets done. I’m looking forward to that day.

Q: How important is it for Jeff Green’s contract to get ironed out this summer without complication?
A: It’s going to be important. Jeff is a real key part to our team. I really want him to stay. That’s like my brother. I don’t want him to leave. We’ve been so good together, everybody, me, him, Russ, James, Nenad, Thabo. I don’t want to see anything break up over non-basketball-related things. It’s going to be a tough summer for everybody, not just our team but everybody. But I think we’ll stick together.

Q: Jeff’s name has reportedly come up in trade talks by teams looking to acquire him this summer. Would that be disheartening for you if he is not on this team next year?
A: Yeah, it will be. But I know this is the business of the game and I’m not even going to think that far. But I haven’t had any trade rumors. Hopefully they’re just rumors.

Q: Tell me about the camp that you have coming up here.
A: It’s June 30, the second year that we got this going. Hopefully it’s better than last year. So we’ll see.

-DM-

In a Q&A, Legler talked about the Thunder’s hot start, how Chris Bosh would fit in a Thunder uniform and whether Scott Brooks and Thabo Sefolosha are viable candidates for respective end-of-the-year awards, Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. It’s a lengthy chat but one that I promise you is insightful.

DM: What are your impressions of the Thunder’s start. Through 21 games the team is a surprising 12-9.
TL: I’ve been extremely impressed. Going back to the preseason when I wrote up my preseason previews for the league, I had them right on the fringe of making the playoffs in the Western Conference. I said if everything broke right and they stayed healthy and got maybe a couple of contributions from some guys that they expected I expected them to be able to fight for the last one or two spots in the conference. So they haven’t really surprised me because I expected them to be this good. They may be getting there a little bit quicker. But they’re a team that’s got everything that you want. They’ve got a dominant go-to offensive machine in Kevin Durant. They’ve got the guy that I picked to be my breakout player of the year in Russell Westbrook at the point who is a future All-Star and a triple-double threat every night. Once he figures out that he can be, he’s a triple-double threat every night. Then you’ve got James Harden, who’s a perfect sixth man for that team. You’ve got offense off the bench. And then Jeff Green, who’s Mr. Consistency, Mr. Solid. So around those four guys you’ve got a little bit of everything you need to compete. And I’ve been extremely impressed with them. It’s great for the league. I said the other day during a piece when asked to pick any player in the league, take him off the team he’s on and put him on any other team who would you pick for a Christmas wish list? And I said I would take Chris Bosh off the Raptors as a free agent and I would put him on Oklahoma City next year and you would have a team that could contend in the Western Conference every night. If they had a power forward that could help up front with more scoring in the paint and help them on the boards and help them match up better with other teams, that’s the only thing right now that they lack. A little bit of size and athleticism up front. They will be the next buzz team in the Western Conference, the team that’s going to be thrown into the mix over the next couple of years. And it’s good for the league because we need some new blood up there. We’re tired of talking about, as analysts, the same five or six teams all the time. It’s nice to see another team break through at that level, and Oklahoma City is that team. They’re the ones that will make that journey and get up to the top shelf over the next couple of seasons. It’s going to be fun to watch.

DM: You mentioned Chris Bosh. Do you think a big-name free agent like Bosh could be convinced to sign in a market like Oklahoma City?
TL: There are certain guys that I don’t think there is anyway Oklahoma City as a market would have a chance to land a player like that. I don’t think Chris Bosh is in that category. He just spent his whole career up in Toronto. Toronto’s a great city, but in terms of NBA marketing appeal it’s not up there. It’s in Canada. He’s been up there and he’s been happy for the most part until this year. So I think Chris Bosh is a little different. His character and the things that are important to him are not the same things that’s important to some of the other marquee players. So I don’t think it’ll be out of the question that Oklahoma City can make a run at Chris Bosh. I know they’re in a good situation as far as the cap. They’re not going to get LeBron James. They’re not going to get Dwyane Wade. You have to start thinking about who else could have the kind of impact on our team that we need that can get us over the hump. To me, Chris Bosh is the perfect fit. If I were them I’d do everything I could to target him. I’m not saying you’re going to get him. Everybody’s saying he’s going to end up in Miami. But you never know. I think he could fit in well in a market like Oklahoma City and be happy there.

DM: Is Scott Brooks a realistic Coach of the Year candidate?
TL: Oh definitely. No question. He’s on the short list. Every year there is only four or five guys and Scott Brooks is definitely on that list. I’m real happy for him. I’ve known Scotty a long time. There were people that thought when he first started coaching when P.J. left that he was in over his head and maybe wouldn’t be able to do it. I really believed that he could. And it’s been great to watch what he’s done with that team. The thing that impresses me about them, and this point directly to coaching, is they play hard every single night. They come and they compete every night. And the fact that Kevin Durant has evolved as quickly as he has at his age, they points directly to coaching and talent. He’s got the talent, but the coach is who brings that out of him, particularly the young players. They’re responsible for the development of those players, and Scotty Brooks has done a phenomenal job of maximizing all of these guys. Their learning curve and their potential is on an upward track and that’s exactly what you want from a coach. So you’ve got to give them all the credit in the world because they compete and everybody knows that. When you play Oklahoma City, whether it’s home or away, you’ve got to come and be ready to play hard because they are going to get after it on every play.

DM: Thabo Sefolosha, Defensive Player of the Year candidate?
TL: Yeah. That’s a good one actually. I haven’t heard his name and it’s early for those awards, for us to start talking about those kind of awards. But that makes total sense. That’s what they brought him in for, and the guys that he has matched up with this year when they’ve played the marquee wing players he’s done a great job of making those guys work and slowed them down. So that’s a very underrated acquisition. People don’t really talk about that because Durant and Westbrook and those guys get all the attention. But Sefolosha has bee key to what they’ve done so far.

DM: How hard is it for a young team like the Thunder to maintain this pace?
TL: That’s the one thing that you don’t know about a young team is do they have the stamina and the sustainability. I personally think that they do because of the things that I mentioned earlier. There’s not a glaring weakness on this team. I don’t think they’re playing over their head right now. Everybody that they have fills a need and they all kind of come together to form the puzzle that you need to compete every night in the league. So I don’t think there’s going to be a significant drop off if they don’t have an injury. They are young and what you’re going to see out of a team like this is there is going to be a time when they’re going to lose four or five straight games at some point over the next couple of months. And when that happens, that’s when you’re going to learn a lot more about the Oklahoma City Thunder. How do they respond to that? Do they stay confident? Do they start to point fingers? Do they start to crack a little bit? That’s when you start to look at a young team and find out how they handle adversity. Because right now it’s great. They’re 12-9. A lot of people didn’t expect them to be 12-9 and they’re loving life. But at some point they’re going to hit a rough patch. The schedule’s going to get tougher and the Western Conference is loaded. So it’s how they respond to that that’s going to give you a better indication of how long they can keep this up. But I personally feel that they’re a team that is going to be a .500 or better team this year. And if that’s the case, they’re going to be right there into the hunt going into the last couple of weeks of the season for the playoffs.

-DM-

NBA Fanhouse first reported that the Thunder will sign Ruffin and Ryan Bowen, two nine-year veteran power forwards, to non-guaranteed contracts. The Oklahoman has also learned that Tre Kelley and Mike Harris are among at least two other players who are expected to join Ruffin and Bowen in training camp.

Harris, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward, played at Rice and had a brief stint with Houston at the end of last season. Kelley is a 6-foot point guard who was a three-year starter at South Carolina.

Oklahoma City has 14 guaranteed contracts, and the quartet is expected to fight for the final roster spot throughout October’s preseason schedule.

Ruffin, Bowen and Harris are all known as hard workers who could add beef to the Thunder’s frontcourt in emergency situations and provide a high level of competition in practice. The Thunder is set to enter the season with a solid rotation of Jeff Green, Nick Collison, Nenad Krstic and Etan Thomas at the power forward and center positions.

But there is only young, inexperienced talent after that in D.J. White, Serge Ibaka and Byron Mullens. Those three have played a combined seven NBA games — all by White — and each is expected to see significant time in the D-League.

-DM-

Ollie, who turns 37 in late December, is regarded as one of the classiest guys in basketball and that characterization was evident in our brief chat. He was thankful for the opportunity to continue his career and eager to meet his new teammates and start training camp. He was insightful, introspective, eloquent, humble and gave the impression of being an extremely hard worker. Thunder fans definitely will take a liking to Ollie’s personality, and if he provides anything of value on the court this season that will just be icing on the cake.

DM: What attracted you to the Thunder?
KO: From Day One they gave me a call and expressed interest and had a strong belief in me and my talents and what I can bring as an asset to the team. So I really appreciate their involvement from Day One. And once I met Sam Presti and coach Brooks I just fell in love with the organization. They do everything in a classy way, and I just believe that they’re building a winning program there that I wanted to be a part of.

DM: I know you went out to Vegas during the summer league and met with team officials back in mid-July. What do you remember about the Thunder’s recruiting process?
KO: Their recruiting process is great. It was informative. They were straight up with  me by saying what they expect of me and how they believe in me as a basketball player but most importantly as a person. Coming in there and being a mentor to some of the young guys and being a veteran, which I am, just trying to shed some light on the experiences that I’ve been through in this league, the ups and downs and how to continue to stay mentally and physically prepared for the challenge ahead. That’s what I’ve tried to do throughout my whole career. And that’s what I’ll try to convey to the young guys on the team and just bring that veteran leadership that I try to display each and every season.

DM: Is there anything that stood out in their recruiting efforts? Can you give me a behind-the-scenes look at anything they did that sort of stood out?
KO: Just how they believe in their players and believe in their vision. I think if you don’t have a vision you don’t have hope and everything is going to perish. But they have a vision and a plan of what they want to do and are going out and executing that vision. And I just really like that. It might not show to the other people, but they have a vision and they believe in themselves and have standards that they’re going to uphold. That’s what I believe in life, that you have to stand on your convictions and sometimes you have to be alone. It might not agree with everybody. But if you have your own convictions and your own dreams of where your organization wants to go and believe in your organization and you believe in what you’re doing I’m all for that.  Because after my playing career I might want to go into coaching or in the front office and I could learn how they’re building their program around their convictions and their standards.

DM: I understand you’re not coming to OKC looking at automatic third-string duty. You’re going to come in and compete with Shaun Livingston for the backup spot, correct?
KO: Yeah. Shaun wouldn’t have it no other way and Russell wouldn’t have it no other way. I’m the old guy on the team, but I still think I have some life in these legs and I definitely believe in myself. That’s all I wanted when I started the recruiting process, an opportunity to compete for minutes. Either way it goes, if Brooks says I’m not qualified to get those minutes I’m going to keep working hard to try to get qualified to get those minutes. But I wanted to have the opportunity and they said they were going to give me that opportunity. And that’s the only thing you ask as a player and everything else is on you.

DM: You saw the Thunder a lot as a member of the Wolves last season. What were your impressions of this team?
KO: They played hard and they showed a lot of resiliency through a difficult season. But you always knew that they were going to play hard. We caught them on one of their worst nights when they came to Minnesota and didn’t play well, but the next night they responded again. And that’s what shows character. A lot of people can jump and high-five when you’re up 20. But can you do the same thing when you’re down 20 or down 25. That shows the character of the team, when you believe in yourself in the tough times. And that’s what I saw out of the Thunder, they always played hard. And I know coach Brooks is trying to make that a staple and a teaching lesson every day in practice.

DM: Do you know any of the current players personally? Have you had a chance to develop a relationship with any of these guys off the court?
KO: No. I don’t know any of them personally. I know Etan Thomas from the Big East and playing against him throughout my career. But I don’t know any of them. I’m definitely going to get to know them. I’m going to come out in early September and spend a couple of days getting to know the guys a little bit better. But during this training camp coming up we’re going to have a lot of time to spend with one another and I look forward to it. I’ve just been hearing so many positive things about their work ethic and how they believe in themselves and go out there and perform each and every day and put in the extra work. And that’s right up my alley. I’m just looking forward to spending good, quality time with all the young guys because they make me feel young. I’m going on 37, but being around those guys and looking at their passion and their motivation every day gets me going and gets me back to feeling like I’m 23 again.

DM: When will you arrive permanently for the start of camp or to look for a place and get settled and things like that?
KO: Probably the first week of September. I’m going to come down and look for a place and spend a couple of days getting acclimated to the city. I have two children and my wife who are going to stay back in Connecticut. So I’m going to go back to Connecticut and make sure I spend some time with them and make sure I’m there for the first day of school and get them going in their schoolwork and things like that. And then I’ll probably be back the last week of September getting ready for training camp for good.

DM: Can you describe your game to the fans out here who might not be familiar with you?
KO: I’m just a hard worker. If they like hard work and bringing energy, that’s what I try to do each and every day. I try to change the tempo. I’m a defensive-minded guard. I like to get up in my opponent and challenge him on the defensive end. And I just try to push the ball and be one of the leaders out there directing. I’m a facilitator and I’m going to be an extension of the coach. I want the coach to believe in me that I’m not going to be the one that turns the ball over and I’ll be a rock and a pillar for him on and off the basketball floor. I’m sure they’ll expect that of me, and I’m going to expect that of myself each and every day.

DM: What’s your approach to mentoring these young guys?
KO: I just want to be there for them. I don’t want to harp to them about what I did back in the day. I want to first gain their trust and know that I believe in them. And if they have any questions about any experiences I’ve been through in this league, I’m willing and able to give them everything they need. So I just want to spend time with them and get to know them. But I want to gain their trust and get them to know that I’m there for their best benefit. And hopefully I push them in practice, too. I’m going to push the guards and work hard and I’m not going to take any shortcuts. And hopefully they can learn something from the great coaching staff we have and all the great players we have around them.

DM: Were there any promises from this coaching staff or front office in terms of helping you transition into coaching?
KO: No. It wasn’t any promises. They said you’re a basketball player first. We’re not having you come in to be a fifth coach. They want me to get out there and prove myself and earn some minutes and that’s what I wanted to hear. I’m not a coach yet. But this is a good opportunity for me to understand the coaching staff that I have and continue to learn. I know that my career is at the end and I’ve got to make that transition. I’ve got to see how certain things work, how they talk and how they communicate with their players. That’s for me to grasp. And I’m going to do that. I’m a sponge. I try to gain as much knowledge as I can from people who I know have great basketball knowledge.

DM: When the team was recruiting you they had yet to announce they had hired Maurice Cheeks. But there were reports that the Thunder was interested in him. Did you know at the time that the organization was looking at him?
KO: There was some buzz out there. But it wasn’t anything definite. There wasn’t a signed contract. But that was one of the great things knowing that they were recruiting Mo Cheeks and coach Cheeks had an interest in the team. It just shows what kind of character and what kind of winning tradition they’re trying to build here in Oklahoma City. Just knowing I’m going to be around coach Cheeks for another season is just a great thing and a learning tool for me as a person but also as a basketball player to be under his tutelage again. Him, coach Adams who I know, coach Bryant, they’ve just got a great coaching staff assembled. If you can’t learn from these guys you might as well give it up.

DM: What will Cheeks bring to this team as an assistant?
KO: Just his personality. Just being personable. Just his work ethic. But just a friend. He was my coach but you can go and talk to coach Cheeks about anything. He’s always open, always honest. He’s a man full of integrity, full of pride and he’s just a great teacher and a great motivator. But the thing I took away from coach Cheeks during my time with him was the time off the basketball court. We’d just sit and talk. Or he’d bring us in the middle after practice and just talk for 30 minutes, not even about basketball but about life and the decisions you make. How the decisions you make today are going to affect your tomorrow. He talked a lot about always knowing that you could be better, a better basketball player but most importantly a better person. And that’s what I take from coach Cheeks, his integrity, his honesty and he was always straight forward with you as a coach.

DM: There seems to be a little debate about whether this is your 12th team and ties you with Tony Massenburg, Chucky Brown and Jim Jackson for the NBA record of playing with the most teams. The league counts Oklahoma City as the Seattle franchise, which you’ve already played for and keeps you at 11 different teams for your career. But what do you think about closing in on that record? Is the distinction of being the most journeyed player in NBA history something you actually want?
KO: Yeah. If that’s the title then that’s the title. But I don’t get caught up in titles. It’s been a great experience for me to meet different people, organizations, different players. I have some great friends that I’ve met throughout my career. If that’s what I’m defined by then that’s what I’m defined by. But anybody who knows me knows what kind of person I am. I don’t even brag about being in the league 13 years after not getting drafted. I believe that I’m a God-fearing man, that I love the Lord and that I’m a great husband. And I hope that’s my legacy and people will know me for that more than spending 13 years in the league and being on 12 or 14 different teams. I don’t care about that. Just know that I’m a God-fearing man, that I’m a great husband and I’m a great father to my kids. That’s what I want to be known for.

-DM-

This time next year, Kevin Durant will be eligible to re-sign with the Thunder for up to five more seasons beyond the 2010-11 season.

In Monday’s paper I wrote about Durant’s contract situation and how he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, in large part because, no matter how hard it might be for some to believe, he really has grown fond of Oklahoma and the Thunder. But I wanted to post some additional information about Durant’s forthcoming decision and give you an even clearer idea of why Durant isn’t likely to leave after his rookie deal.

In short, players like Durant just don’t walk after their rookie contracts.

Whether we believe Durant will do what he’s repeatedly said he wants to do — remain with the Thunder for as long as possible — is up to us at this point. It’s certainly understandable how fans and media types have revoked the benefit of the doubt from athletes and coaches. There are far too many examples of a player or coach insisting his or her heart is somewhere only to jump ship weeks later.

But if Durant’s good old-fashioned word isn’t enough, let’s examine history.

Out of 70 top 10 picks from 1999-2005, 40 players went on to sign an extension with the team that drafted them or the club that traded for them.

(I chose this seven-year time frame because the second most recent CBA was instituted in 1999 and still contained rules with similar structuring of rookie contracts to today. I stopped at 2005 because the jury is still out on the class of 2006, which just became eligible to sign extensions this summer and so far has seen No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani become the lone top 10 pick from that class to re-up.)

Of the remaining 30 players from 1999-2005 who didn’t sign extensions, 15 were players who can be considered busts or simply didn’t live up to early expectations: Marcus Fizer, Rodney White, Nickoloz Tskitishvili, Dajuan Wagner, Jarvis Hayes, Stromile Swift, Keyon Dooling, Joel Przybilla, Channing Frye, DeSagana Diop, Michael Sweetney, Darko Milicic, Rafael Araujo, Ike Diogu and Luke Jackson.

Thirteen of the final 15 moved on for reasons that included health concerns, unhappiness, a sign-and-trade, a freak accident that derailed a promising career or other unique circumstances. (Some players, listed in italics, fit more than one description.)

Personal issues: Eddie Griffin’s alcoholism, Eddy Curry’s feared heart condition and Michael Sweetney’s obesity.
Wanted out: Lamar Odom with the Clippers and Joe Johnson in Phoenix.
Sign-and-trade: Kenyon Martin from New Jersey to Denver, Jamal Crawford from Chicago to New York, Kwame Brown from Washington to the Lakers and Eddy Curry from Chicago to New York.
Freak accident: DerMarr Johnson’s car accident, Jay Williams’ motorcycle accident and Shaun Livingston’s knee injury.
Unique circumstances: Josh Childress opting to go overseas after Atlanta didn’t offer him as lucrative of a deal as he wanted, Charlie Villanueva signing with Detroit after Milwaukee chose to not offer him a qualifying offer to retain his rights as a restricted free agent for financial reasons and Ben Gordon signing in Detroit after playing for the qualifying offer.

The final two players from the list of 30 remain in limbo this summer, Atlanta’s Marvin Williams and Charlotte’s Raymond Felton.

Of all the instances, Ben Gordon’s case spells out what Durant or Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook or any of today’s NBA free agents would have to go through if they wanted to leave via free agency as soon as their rookie deals expire.

It’s a long and risky process.

Under the league’s current collective bargaining agreement, contracts of first-round draft picks are guaranteed for the first two seasons and come with team options for the third and fourth seasons. A team can sign its first-rounder to an extension in the summer following his third season, with the new deal kicking in at the start of his fifth season. A club also can allow a player to become a restricted free agent following his fourth season if an extension is not reached prior to Oct. 31 of the player’s fourth season. The team would then have the right to match any offer the player receives from another team.

Essentially, for a player of Durant’s caliber to walk following his rookie deal he would have to be incredibly desperate to get out. Gordon didn’t want out of Chicago. He simply wanted more money than the Bulls were offering. That won’t be the case with Durant since his talents command a maximum contract.

But if for whatever hypothetical reason Durant wanted to leave, he would have to decline a likely maximum extension next summer, play his fourth season and become a restricted free agent after his fourth season. But since the Thunder could and would match any offer he’d receive from another team, Durant couldn’t even sign an offer sheet if he wanted to leave. Instead he’d have to play for his one-year qualifying offer of $7.9 million, foregoing almost half as much as he could have made in the first year of an extension and the security that comes with a long-term deal. Only after his fifth season would Durant become an unrestricted free agent and be allowed to sign with any team.

Even then, he’d be walking into free agency under a new collective bargaining agreement, which could tilt the chips in favor of the owners rather than the players. For example, instead of being allowed to sign a maximum five-year contract with another team as the current CBA permits, the new rules could lower the maximum length of contracts to four years for teams signing another team’s players. Maximum salaries and annual raise percentages could also take a hit.

So considering the alternatives, and the fact that he enjoys Oklahoma City and the Thunder organization, Durant’s career figures to be headed in the direction of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire, Deron Williams, Yao Ming, Chris Bosh and several other stars who signed extensions with their original teams.

The day may come when Durant really is plotting his exit strategy. But it certainly won’t be after his rookie deal.

-DM-