Monday Morning Mailbag
Are Thunder fans beginning to bail on Serge Ibaka?
It’s been a long time, but it’s time we bring back the old mailbag.
Since our last edition, the Thunder has become the best team in the Western Conference, Russell Westbrook has signed a lengthy contract extension and, oh yeah, there was this really annoying thing called the NBA lockout.
But in this week’s mailbag, we talk Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson and Kevin Love on the Thunder. Feel free to join the conversation next week if you like.
What’s your thoughts on Serge? He finished so strongly last year (around 12 points, 10 rebs and 3 blocks the last couple months I believe) and yet, it doesn’t look like any of that has carried over into this season. Is he just a victim of the short training camp? Did he play over his head last year? Is there anything you see that leads you to believe he’s going to revert back to what he was doing at the end of last season? The Thunder really need his rebounding. Take care! — Matthew R.
Matthew, unfortunately Serge appears to have been a victim of hype and expectations. Although he’s coming around (a season-high five blocks in his last game and 19 boards in his last two games), he clearly hasn’t been the same dominant defensive presence he was last year. But maybe it just looks worse because we all anticipated he’d come back so much better. Some, as early as two seasons ago, even threw his name out as a dark-horse Defensive Player of the Year candidate. I think Serge will be fine. It’s important to remember that Ibaka still hasn’t been a starter for a full season. He’s started 60 career games. That fact, coupled with him still being just 22, suggests he’ll figure things out and continue to develop nicely. But his flaws have become obvious, and when I see them I get the sense that his ceiling simply isn’t as high as we once thought.
I love Harden and like Ibaka, but if there is any chance we can’t sign both, is there any chance we could package both of them for Love? The money is right pre- Love extension. We could max him out to have arguably the best 3 man combo in league. He rebounds like a demon (imagine Perkins helping with box out), is a great post threat, and passes well. This would allow us to work pick and roll like never before. Opposing teams would have fits trying to guard Westbrook and Durant if they actually had to worry about a post threat. Also on radar as post threats for lesser compensation: Greg Monroe and R Hibbert. — Todd B.
Todd, there’s a really good chance of that happening — if this were NBA 2K. In real life, fuggedaboutit! This ain’t a fantasy league. Love is one of the best power forward’s in the game. Minnesota isn’t going to trade him unless it absolutely has to. And the Thunder isn’t trading James Harden for him. That’s a deal neither team would have any interest in. Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert? Dream on, my friend. They’re close to untouchable, too. Everyone would love to see a post scorer and dominant rebounding big man on the Thunder. But that’s beyond realistic at this point. Just be happy with the two All-Stars currently in the stable and the nice complement of role players that surround them. There are about 27 other teams that would give up everything to trade rosters with the Thunder. So you can bet the Thunder realizes what it has and isn’t in a rush to make a move. For that reason, I wouldn’t anticipate much turnover over the next few seasons. It looks like Perk and Ibaka are here to stay, assuming Ibaka gets extended of course.
Monday Morning Mailbag
Should James Harden be a starter? That's this week's burning question about the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Since the last time we cleared out the ol’ mailbag, the Thunder clinched a spot in the playoffs, won a franchise-record 14 games in March and, most recently, suffered two frustrating losses after stalling out in the second half.
Now, the Thunder finds itself in a race for the fourth seed and home court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. The plot thickens with just seven games remaining.
But a six-pack of questions in this week’s mailbag is focused heavily on Thunder guard James Harden. There seems to be two factions of Thunder fans. One side strongly believes Harden should be a starter. The other side sees nothing wrong with his role coming off the bench. We also get into Kendrick Perkins’ technical foul tally and the Thunder’s best possible opponent in the first round.
As always, you can join the discuss next week if you’d like.
You say it’d be a mistake not to start Harden next year. I agree that it is time. But where does this leave Thabo? Isn’t instant offense more valuable in a 6th man than defensive prowess? Could we see Thabo get shipped out? How does Nate Robinson factor in? – Jeff F.
Jeff, I wouldn’t say that instant offense off the bench is more important than a defensive-minded player. Most teams employ a scoring sixth man because it balances out the roster and prevents having too many scorers in the first unit. And, yes, that’s important to have. Because it’s incredibly difficult for any team’s best scorers to be in the first unit together and still be effective. Boston has gotten away with it because its big three has sacrificed and agreed to play their roles without worrying so much about who gets the shots. But I think Thabo has a role on this team no matter what. Every contending team has a defensive stopper, or a player who can turn it on defensively and hound the other team’s best scorer. Thabo is that guy for the Thunder. Two examples would be Memphis and Portland. Those teams have two of the league’s best perimeter defenders in Shane Battier and Nicolas Batum. Both come off the bench. Both continue to wear out the other team’s scoring threat with fresh legs. Obviously the difference between Batum, Battier and Sefolosha is Batum and Battier can score. But if Harden can prevent a guy from going off early, Sefolosha can come in and continue that effort. And that steady dose of defense would then be just as critical as having scoring off the bench. Plus, Harden could still play with the second unit if the rotation is used properly. It could be a win-win. As for Robinson, I don’t expect him to have a prominent role in hardly any lineup during his time in OKC.
Monday Morning Mailbag
Same ol’ computer issues from Sunday night.
So let’s get right to it.
Have you talked/discussed with any of the players on what their plans would be in case of a lockout? — Daniel R.
Daniel, Not really. Kevin Durant jokingly told a reporter during All-Star Weekend that he would take up painting. Earlier that morning, he had just painted a home for the first time as part of a community appearance. I’m sure you’ll see several player-related stories as the season comes to a close and the summer/(potential)lockout wears on about where they are and what they’re doing with their spare time.
I would like to ask you 2 questions about the Thunder players: Why is it that every time a Thunder player at the free throw line finishes his first (shot) Ibaka almost always gets the ball and “Sniffs or Kisses” the ball? Was that a habit by him? Why is it that at the beginning of the game, most of the teams’ players walk to the middle of the long media sport announcers & game officials table & ”Sweep” their shoes on the floor or on a piece of floor mat or something? Game rule? Nothing serious, just wanted to learn and find out why. — David N.
David, Serge recently told me that he does it solely for motivation. It’s a routine he uses to get himself pumped up. As for the players starting the game by coming to the scorer’s table, most wipe off their shoes on a little square sheet of sticky plastic that helps give them grip. It’s just a ritzier way to get traction before the game starts. In open gyms, guys have to spit on the floor and rub it dry with both feet to get that traction. But a lot of players are also applying rosin to their hands or going through their pre-game rituals. Durant, for example, unties and then ties both shoes and says a quick prayer at the scorer’s table before taking the court.
Is there a call-up time when the Tulsa season ends where they can add a few players to the Thunder roster from the successful Tulsa 66er team? There are a few guys that could maybe provide some depth on the bench: Elijah Milsap for one. — Mike F.
Mike, the only “call-up time” is the date the league sets for rosters to be finalized for postseason play. This year, that’s April 14 at 2 p.m. central time. So technically, the Thunder can sign one of its D-League players to a contract any time before then and have them with the team during the playoffs.
This team is set up for Harden to start next year. Could Cook (if re-signed) pick up that bench scoring off his spot-ups, or would we be better served looking for a wing this offseason? — Carey S.
Carey, my money is on Cook stepping into that role next season. It’d be a mistake in my opinion to not start Harden next year. He has earned the starting job with his improvement on both ends of the floor. But to think Cook will make up Harden’s bench scoring would be a mistake. Cook isn’t going to average 10 to 12 points off the bench, especially not as the third shooting guard. But I do think the Thunder would be better off letting him man that spot rather than going out and signing someone else who would probably be more expensive and may not have a clear cut role with ample minutes.
Monday Morning Mailbag
It's plays like this one by Russell Westbrook, surrounded by four Raptors defenders, that have fans calling him a ball hog.
Good Monday, Thunder heads.
Much has happened since our last mailbag. Kendrick Perkins made his Thunder debut. The Thunder went on a season-long six-game winning streak…then saw it snapped by Toronto, which swept the season series. And James Harden has become a player.
In this week’s mailbag, we discuss ball-hogs, buried assets and Byron Mullens’ future.
And as always, join the conversation if you’d like. Our mailbag is always open.
Enjoy!
How do you think the Rockets are finishing up the season? – Myron M.
Resiliently. After all they’ve been through they’re still in the hunt for a playoff spot. And they might actually make it! Five of their final 11 games are against teams below .500. And six of their final 11 come at home. Of their remaining road games – Miami, New Jersey, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Minnesota – only the Heat game looks like a guaranteed loss. The Rockets are only a game and a half behind Memphis for the eighth seed and the Grizzlies have a tougher home stretch with road games at Boston, Chicago, Portland and home dates with Utah, San Antonio and New Orleans remaining. I suspect it will come down to the wire between the Rockets and Grizzlies, maybe even the final day of the regular season.
Hey Darnell. Not to be overly critical because RW is clearly awesome and a work in progress. But clearly someone has not told this guy that he is incredible when he gets his teammates involved. I understand the need for him to be aggressive, but it seems like he can get his whenever and he doesn’t really need to “look for his offense.” Anyway, hopefully he can figure it out because I don’t think it bodes well for the playoffs for Russ to ball hog (a la Kobe) down the stretch. What do you think? – Marc.
We give players so much attention and adoration for scoring that few want to do anything else. Westbrook has proven he can be a great playmaker. But it always seems like there is a moment in every game when he’s just like, ‘Forget this. I’m scoring.’ You’re right, he’s awesome. But he’d be great if he was a threat to both score as well as make his teammates better at all times. It’d keep the defense off balance and improve everyone’s efficiency. Finding the right balance and consistently being able to play with it should be Westbrook’s focus this summer. His takeover-ability, however, actually should help the Thunder in the playoffs. It did last year. And if things get bogged down this postseason, it’s great to have an option that can create something in a hurry.
Hey Darnell. I’m a huge Thunder fan. Watched every game the past two years. Regarding this year’s draft, if Kawhi Leonard is still there when the Thunder picks, which is 50/50, we need to take him. He’s very athletic. A great rebounder and ball-handler. Solid defender, passer and shooter. He was a double-double machine all year. Please tell Presti or Scotty or anyone really about this kid. – Jeff S.
Sorry, Jeff. I highly doubt he’ll be around. I haven’t watched a second of San Diego State this season so I’m honestly not familiar with his game. I’ll have to take your word for it. But the Thunder is on pace to pick in the mid-20s. Leonard is projected to be a lottery pick. With Presti running the show, there’s always a chance of the Thunder trading on draft night, perhaps even trying to move up to get him or someone else. But if Leonard is as good as the scouts and so-called draft experts say he is, it’d be hard for the Thunder to get its hands on him.
Monday Morning Mailbag
While the rest of the league goes gaga over Russell Westbrook, some Thunder fans are starting to question his selfish play.
A great batch of questions in this week’s mailbag.
Thanks to those who asked questions. If you’d like to, feel free to join the discussion next week.
Let’s get right to it.
I’ve asked elsewhere, but no one has had an answer. The last couple of games Perkins is showing up on the bench of away games, but when it’s here at home he’s not anywhere to be seen. There’s gotta be a reason, but for the life of me can’t figure out why, almost like he is disrespecting the fans. Not sure how Nate is doing, but if he’s in town, he should be there too. He adds a lot of life to the bench. Others show up in suits, why not them? Thanks! – Barb C.
There are a few things in play here. Mostly, though, when they haven’t been on the bench, Perkins and Robinson have been in the back getting treatment on their respective injuries. Sitting on the bench during a game is not the best position for Robinson’s knee. Also, I was told that when Perkins first got to town he didn’t have suitable attire as set by the NBA to be on the bench. I wouldn’t consider it a big deal. You had no reason to notice yesterday, but Semih Erden did the exact same thing in Cleveland. He’s injured right now, and as I was walking out just before tip-off I saw him go into the weight room to get some rehab in. I didn’t see Antawn Jamison on the bench either. It’s fairly common throughout the league.
Hello Darnell. I am trying to understand how clinching a playoff spot works. I was looking over the Eastern Conference and I noticed that both Boston and Miami have clinched a playoff spot however Chicago the number 2 team had not. What determines how and when a team clinches? – Thanks Tiffany T.
It’s all a numbers game. A team clinches when none of the bottom seven teams in the conference can catch it even if it loses the remaining games on its schedule. That’s probably what you noticed a few days ago with Chicago versus Miami and Boston. Chicago might have had a better record than Miami, but the Bulls probably had played fewer games at that point and still had the possibility, however unlikely, of losing out and falling out of the postseason if another one of the bottom seven teams hypothetically won out. Until those scenarios no longer exist, teams don’t officially clinch.
Hi Darnell. I love your coverage of the team and the notes on Thunder Rumblings. But, I never ever see any quotes by Russell. Does he not speak to the media? I would think after Saturday night joining that select group of players he would have some words to say. Thanks for any insight, keep up the great work. – William B.
Russell isn’t the best interview. He doesn’t particularly care to talk to the media. He does it begrudgingly mostly. His answers are generally short and not so sweet. Sports journalists try to not print such responses from players and coaches, no matter who they are or what lever they are at. Also, Westbrook is typically the first player out of the locker room after games. And a good amount of the time it’s an either-or equation between talking to Kevin Durant or Westbrook. They almost always finish getting dressed and head for the exit at the same time. All that is why Westbrook is not quoted as much as some others. But it’s not something that is a problem or a knock on Westbrook’s personality. It’s just something you run into. My guess is every team has someone or something similar.
Monday Morning Mailbag
How will Kendrick Perkins change the Oklahoma City Thunder's rotation?
It’s that time again.
Our Monday morning mailbag is back.
Kendrick Perkins has yet to play a game for the Thunder after his trade from Boston. But questions about how his presence might impact the rotation are already prevalent. We also get a little history lesson on the dunk contest and some surprise talk of vuvuzelas.
Let’s get to it. And as always, feel free to join the discussion next week if you like.
Hey Darnell- With M. Daniels out indefinitely and P. Pierce getting an MRI for his foot injury today, rookie L. Harangody is the only thing resembling a SF left on the Celtics roster. Don’t the Cs NEED somebody like Jeff Green now? His salary is almost exact match with Perkins’, they have 2 O’Neals and Semih Erden under contract thru 2012, and Big Baby can play the 5 in need be. Am I crazy, or would this be a perfect trade for both squads? – Steve H.
Major props to you Steve. You sent this e-mail on Feb. 14. And you absolutely nailed it! Remind me to get you on speed dial next February.
Has a rookie ever won the dunk contest, and if so what year and who won it if you know? —- Jamie C.
Yes. Blake Griffin became the 11th rookie to win the dunk contest. Spud Webb won it as a rookie with Atlanta in 1986. Dee Brown won it as a rookie with the Celtics in 1991. Harold Miner won it as a rookie with Miami in 1993. Isaiah Rider won it as a rookie with Minnesota in 1994. Brent Barry won it as a rookie with the L.A. Clippers in 1996. Kobe Bryant won it as a rookie with the L.A. Lakers in 1997. Desmond Mason won it as a rookie with Seattle in 2001. Jason Richardson won it as a rookie with Golden State in 2002. Josh Smith won it as a rookie with Atlanta in 2005. Nate Robinson won it as a rookie with New York in 2006.
After the Boston trade went down there were some quotes from Rivers about how he and Ainge agonized over it. It makes me wonder how involved Brooks is with the FO decisions, especially since he had been playing Green so much, nearly to a fault. Insight? — Steven R.
I know that Brooks and Sam Presti talk about possible player acquisitions, whether they’re potential free agent pick-ups or trades, regularly. But at the end of the day, the Bull’s eye is on Presti for all roster moves. He’s the one who’s held accountable for player movement, so the final call is his. Brooks isn’t going to persuade or dissuade Presti from making a move if he feels it’s best for the team and its long term prospects.
Monday (Evening) Mailbag
Cole Aldrich has played just 54 total minutes in seven games. Not quite what fans envisioned from the No. 11 overall pick.
After a lengthy delay thanks to some technical difficulties, the weekly mailbag is here.
In this week’s edition, we tackle realignment, whether Byron Mullens and Cole Aldrich will ever pan out, what’s up with Thabo Sefolosha, whether the Thunder can win the Northwest Division and where OKC could finish in the standings.
As always, join the discussion next time if you’d like.
Enjoy.
Is the Northwest Division there for the taking if Melo is traded? – Nax.
The division crown is the Thunder’s to lose, no matter what happens with Melo. The Thunder currently has a 3 1/2 game lead, and if it can’t hold off Denver or Utah that has to be considered a disappointment. There is plenty of time left and anything can happen, especially with the Thunder still having to face the Blazers, Nuggets and Jazz a combined five times. Those five games could be the difference. But it shouldn’t come down to that and here’s why: 19 of the Thunder’s final 32 games are against teams currently below .500. The Thunder is 18-4 against sub-.500 teams and has developed a knack for winning close games. Even if the Thunder runs into a rough patch, I don’t see Denver or Utah coming up with enough consistency to climb ahead of the Thunder.
I was impressed with Daequan’s D. By impressed I mean that he was actually trying to play D, which is more than can be said for other Thunder players. – Rich.
Nothing inspires like a half a season sitting the bench. But I agree with you. Cook has busted his butt on the defensive end when given the opportunity to play. The results aren’t always pretty. But he’s a shooter, not a defender. If defense is mostly about effort, though, Cook has got that part down. I’m not willing to go as far as saying the others don’t try. They haven’t sustained their effort for a full game. But there have been moments when the entire team has come to play defensively.
Will the NBA restructure the divisions in near future? – Didoff
I haven’t heard anything like that. I reported when the NBA’s board of governors approved the franchise’s move to OKC that the league had no intention of realigning. As far as I know, nothing has changed. Keep an eye on the Hornets and Kings. If one or both of those teams relocate, the league might have to consider realigning. But even then, I don’t think the NBA wants to get into the business of reshuffling divisions each time a team relocates (which has become the fallback plan for every floundering franchise). If no team moves, I think it’s a safe bet that the divisions will remain intact. But that opinion is coming from a guy who thinks the current setup is fine the way it is.
DM! What’s your beef with Monta Ellis? Give the man some love. – @ShadeTreeGambler
I see you’ve brought our Twitter beef to the mailbag. Nice! But I don’t have a problem with Monta, except he’s a chucker who plays on a bad team that runs a fast-paced offense and pays little attention to defense. Other than that, I think he’s a splendid player. I love watching him put the ball in the hole. He’s one of the best pure scorers in the league in my eyes. But the coaches got it right. As I said on Twitter, Ellis had no business even being mentioned as an All-Star ahead of Russell Westbrook. : )
Why doesn’t KD use fakes that much? He can draw more fouls that way instead of shooting contested shots. Do you get a chance to see different things these guys work on in scrimmages that they don’t show in real games? What has caught your eye? – Kamal.
Rarely is KD’s shot contested. His height, length, elevation and quick and high release essentially make most of his shots good looks. I’ve never really asked around or put much thought into why Durant doesn’t use more fakes. But now that you’ve brought it up, I think that’s something that actually could hurt Durant’s game. KD is a rhythm player, much more than most. He’s at his best when he’s catching and shooting. A series of fakes could throw off that rhythm. It could make him go from Kevin Durant to Kevin Martin. Fakes work extremely well for a guy like Martin, who is one of the most efficient scorers in the league. But Martin almost has to rely on fakes because he’s shorter and has a slower and more unorthodox release than Durant. Drawing more fouls is the least of Durant’s concerns. His focus needs to be being stronger with the ball. The majority of practices and scrimmages are closed to the media. Occasionally, I’ll see a player putting in extra work after practice. Most of it is pretty standard shooting drills.
Why doesn’t Scott Brooks just play our best players instead of adjusting to the other team’s personnel? Seems as though Brooks is reacting instead of dictating. It was particularly apparent in the Wizards game when their bigs got in foul trouble. – James.
A lot of coaches do that. It took me a while to understand why as well. But it basically boils down to whether you believe your player can get the better of that night’s mismatch. If you believe he has the upper hand and will be more of a force than a liability, you go with what you have. If there is doubt, you match up. Ultimately, Serge Ibaka, the player who was most affected in that Wizards game, has a much greater chance of getting torched by an odd matchup than he does of having his way. When you look at it like that, I think you have to matchup. The only two players the Thunder has that can dominate against anyone are Durant and Westbrook. Everyone else is a role player. The way I see it, the best way Brooks can dictate is to put his best horses on the floor and make it a track meet. But that’s not going to happen consistently because the Thunder wants to be a defensive team.
Where is Cole Aldrich these days? IR, D League, end of the bench? Having played so long in College, unless he is Hurt, he looks like (another) “Sonics” miss on a big man in the first round. WOW. A LOT the past six years…Swift, Petro, the signing of what’s his name from Dallas a few years ago. ONLY Ibaka working out well…! – Bob in Seattle.
You can’t put Swift, Sene and Petro on the current regime. They had nothing to do with their selections. Let’s give Aldrich and Byron Mullens some time before we write them off as busts. Big men take longer to develop, and both guys are just 22 (Mullens turns 22 next Monday). They’ve got a lot of time to improve and make something out of their careers. Aldrich was recently recalled from the Tulsa 66ers of the D-League. He played well during his stint and has shown that he’s willing to work hard to get better. I wouldn’t count him out just yet. He could prove to be a nice defensive presence in the middle in the next year or two. At the very least, he’s got six more fouls to offer.
I’m watching the Thunder box scores from back here in Columbus, Ohio and it seems Mullens is buried very deep in the bench without much chance of ever developing into a contributing NBA player. I would like to get your take on Mullens’ future with the Thunder and or NBA. Thanks. – Scott.
It’s hard to say since he rarely plays. All I can really go on is the improvement Mullens showed from his first year to his second. He’s looked much better, dating to his first showing of his sophomore season in the Orlando Summer League. He’s become stronger, more confident and has added some more skills. Again, he’s a week shy of his 22nd birthday. I still like him as a prospect. There’s no telling what he can be in five years. If the Thunder gives up on him, I’d bet there are at least a dozen other teams willing to give him a chance. But down here in OKC, Mullens is in a good situation. There is no pressure on him right now to provide anything but an impact on practice court. Meanwhile, he’s learning from some solid veterans (Nick Collison and Nenad Krstic) and a strong coaching staff both with the Thunder (Mark Bryant) and the 66ers (Nate Tibbetts and Dale Osbourne). Be patient and see if it pays off.
It wears me out that so many fans seem to think of James Harden as successful only if he hits his 3′s. But my view has always been that the Thunder took him ahead of Stephen Curry because of the potential Harden has to be a more complete player. How do you feel Harden has performed in the starting role with Thabo sidelined, particularly on defense? – Mike.
Before Sefolosha came back, Harden looked uncomfortable playing alongside the starters. But you really can’t blame him. He’s been a reserve for a year and a half and has been asked to adjust his game to that of a supporting cast member. His defense was, however, encouraging. He had moments where he was easily beaten off the dribble and on backdoor cuts while also being ran ragged on screens. But he always stuck with it. That’s the encouraging thing. Harden has had every reason to gripe but hasn’t. He’s fulfilling his role to the best of his ability and that’s had to be a challenging assignment. I’m not sure if we would be able to say the same if Curry was on this team.
Is it too early to tell how the Thunder will be positioned for the playoffs? – Joe.
Not at all. It’s become pretty clear that the Thunder will be seeded between 3 and 5. The most likely spots are 4 and 5. And I think the first-round matchup will be either Denver or Utah. Both would be highly entertaining matchups. I like the Thunder’s chances more against the Jazz than the Nuggets.
Do you have any read on what’s up with Thabo? Is he injured, or having issues with his teammates? His on-court production has been bad this year, especially the past month or 2. I really thought he was great last year, especially on defense, and to see this kind of dramatic drop-off is a little troubling. And with Harden and Cook outplaying him almost nightly, do you sense that Thabo’s time in the starting lineup is coming to an end? – Peter.
Sefolosha admits he’s not fully recovered. The knee is still uncomfortable, and the bulky brace that he’s been wearing has restricted some of his movements. I think you’re being too hard on him though. He hasn’t been as good as he was last year. But I wouldn’t say that he’s been bad. At least not the majority of the time. One thing I’ve been curious about is how much of his slippage has to do with the overall team’s dip. Everyone looks better when the team defense is locked in. But I doubt we see a chance to the starting lineup anytime this season. Scott Brooks at the midway point of the season all but guaranteed he wouldn’t change the first five. And as long as the Thunder keeps piling up the wins, Brooks doesn’t see a reason to go a different direction.
-DM-
Monday Morning Mailbag
Sharpshooter Daequan Cook has heat up on the court and lit up our mailbag.
What a week!
Since we last emptied our inbox, the Thunder has lost on a buzzer-beater, gone into overtime twice (three times if you count double-OT) and hosted the Miami Heat.
Over that same span, Serge Ibaka has found the doghouse, Daequan Cook has found his stroke, Russell Westbrook registered his third triple-double of the year and Kevin Durant had a career night in the midst of averaging 35.5 points and 10.7 rebounds in four games.
Ready to do it all over again?
The Thunder has an abbreviated three-game schedule this week, hosting New Orleans on Wednesday before a road back-to-back set at Phoenix and Utah. It’ll be hard to top last week’s excitement. But with this team, you just never know.
Let’s get to the mailbag.
Where can we find stats/info on Pleiss? What team is he playing for and how is he playing? Are the Thunder keeping in touch with him and watching his development closely? – Daniel.
Eurobasket.com has stats that seem to be accurate and updated regularly. It looks like in 21 games Pleiss is averaging 9.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 20.6 minutes. The name of his team is Brose Baskets. And, yes, the Thunder’s front office keeps close tabs on him. Several front office executives have traveled across the water to check in with Pleiss and monitor his development. I hear he’s doing quite well. The Thunder has made it a point to maintain positive relationships with the international clubs that their draft picks play on. That was the case with Serge Ibaka and, to a lesser extent DeVon Hardin and Robert Vaden. It’s been no different with Pleiss.
This might be the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about, and I don’t mean this as a slight against Westbrook (I think he is a great, explosive player). But do you think the fact that he is not a “true” point guard holds the team back at all? Sometimes he gets into hero mode which takes others out of rhythm and Maynor sometimes seems to do a better job of getting everyone involved. Is this an issue for the Thunder or am I overreacting? – Timothy.
You’re overreacting. Westbrook’s hero-mode mentality looks terrible at times. But no one has any complaints when that style takes over and wins games. Besides, how many “true” point guards are there in the league today? Three? Four? Maybe. The NBA has changed. John Stockton isn’t walking through that door. I will say that Westbrook has fallen in love with his pull-up jumper. I wrote last year that it was much better even though the stats didn’t indicate as much. But this year, Westbrook has become more consistent and the numbers bear out that fact. Now, he forces it too much at times and that does in fact hurt the team. But he’s not the only one who takes bad or rushed shots. The bottom line, though, is Westbrook helps this team much, much more than he hurts it. And he’s got to be on the floor, doing exactly what’s brought him this far.
Monday Morning Mailbag
As Nenad Krstic (12) and Jeff Green (22) allow opposing big men to have their way on the inside, fans have set their sights on Memphis center Marc Gasol.
In our first-ever Thunder mailbag, forward Jeff Green takes the focus of 40 percent of this week’s questions. That’ll happen when you’re shooting 37 percent in January.
But should Green be sent packing? Can the Thunder acquire a center? And what, if anything, can be done about the Thunder’s dreadful 3-point shooting?
We answer those questions and more in our new Monday Morning Mailbag.
If Jeff Green opts to test the free agent market, which available players do you think would be a great fit for OKC either as a starter or reserve for Ibaka? — Kyle.
Green will be a restricted free agent this summer. So he’s going to see what offers are out there. At this point, it’s all a matter of how much another team is willing to pay. If no team throws an absurd amount of cash at Green, he’s likely to return. But if a team comes in with a high-dollar offer, both Green and the Thunder have a decision to make. Green must decide whether to take the money and run or to take less money to continue to be a part of something that’s building from the ground up. And the Thunder must decide whether it can afford to keep Green around and risk his bloated contract potentially blowing up the books. It’ll be an intriguing situation. There are a lot of hypothetical/fantasy options out there. You don’t need me to feed that beast. But if Green bolts, the truth of the matter is the Thunder might have to just plug in Ibaka and move forward. Every quality big man carries a big contract. And with the Thunder having so many young players coming up for contract extensions (not to mention the potential for more restrictive rules in the next collective bargaining agreement possibly hindering teams), this franchise can’t risk bringing in a pricey big man if it comes at the expense of retaining the current core. Unless there is a super value somewhere, which rarely exists and often is in the form of a rugged, more one-dimensional player when he is out there, my gut says the Thunder marches on with Ibaka while getting Cole Aldrich ready for duty.
What does Thabo’s future with Thunder look like? I feel like if/when Harden cracks the starting lineup that Thabo playing against second units is pretty pointless. — Andrew.
I wouldn’t call it pointless. Every team will always have a need for defenders, no matter how his minutes come. Thabo’s got three years remaining on his contract, and I suspect he’ll be around for the duration of this deal — unless of course some opportunity comes along that is too good to pass up. But Thabo is still just 26, and the economics of his deal work incredibly well for the Thunder going forward. That’s important to remember as extensions for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook begin to make their way onto the books. If Harden ever takes over the starting spot from Thabo, the Thunder will still have tremendous flexibility when looking to match up with opponents if Thabo is coming off the bench. Look at how players like Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus and James Posey impacted games on the defensive end in the playoffs over the past few seasons. Of course, what separates Thabo from that group and others is perimeter shooting. If Thabo ever gets that part of the game down, he’ll be a great asset to have coming off the bench for 15-20 minutes, especially in future postseasons.
