NBA FanHouse

Kobe Hits Over-the-Backboard Shot

Chris Sesno — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:45:00 EST

These days, we expect greatness from our NBA stars, and Kobe Bryant is one who delivers on a consistent basis. On Sunday night, he drilled one of the craziest shots of his career in the Lakers' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Kobe got the ball on the low post, guarded closely by OKC's James Harden. As he tried to spin to the hoop, Harden bumped him just enough to force him along the baseline right behind the basket. Thinking he would draw the foul, he fired up a shot from near out of bounds along the baseline that sailed high over the backboard and fell perfectly through the net, mimicking Larry Bird's famous shot that forced a rule change and Rajon Rondo's high-soaring floater over the Sixers' Jason Smith.

The Lakers got two points for Kobe's circus shot whereas Larry Legend's shot was then against the rules. The NBA later changed those rules, declaring that if the shooter is clearly in bounds, such a shot would count. I'm sure Kobe is glad for the rule-change, giving him yet another spot on the court for him to hit improbable shots from.

Check out the video after the jump.

More Coverage: Recap | Game Stats

With the help of Kobe's acrobatics, the Lakers beat the Thunder easily, winning 101-85 and moved to 10-3, just one game shy of the division leader Phoenix Suns.

Kobe finished with 26 points, seven assists, six boards and two steals. He also got plenty of help in the paint as Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol put up a combined 40 points and were responsible for snatching 16 off the glass.

The Lakers were able to slow the promising 21-year-old, Kevin Durant, holding him to 19 points and six rebounds. The Thunder have been enjoying his astonishing success this season -- the former Longhorn is averaging 27 points and seven boards, leading the team to a 7-7 record that lands them in the middle of the Northwest division.

Sunday's game puts the Lakers on a three-game winning streak going into their next game at home against the Knicks on Tuesday.

Follow Chris Sesno on twitter: @csesno

Kobe Hits Over-the-Backboard Shot originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Durant Struggles Against Childhood Hero

Tim Povtak — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:50:00 EST

Filed under: Magic, Thunder

ORLANDO -- You figured it might be a long night for young Kevin Durant and his Oklahoma City teammates after he spent a good portion of his pre-game chat Wednesday talking about idolizing Magic veteran guard Vince Carter.

"When I was growing up, I always thought Vince was the best. I still look up to him, and I'm still a big fan,'' Durant said. "I used to watch his highlights as a kid. When I was about 11, my mom bought me a Vince Carter jersey and shorts, his Raptors uniform, and I wore it to every game. I guess that's a little embarrassing to say now, but it's something I'll never forget.''

Durant's innocence was refreshing. It made him and everyone around him smile. But it's probably not the kind of competitive edge that the Thunder needed from him. He is on the verge of becoming an NBA All-Star, but he sure didn't play like one Wednesday night, sinking to his worst performance of the season.

The Thunder fell meekly, 108-94, trailing from start to finish. Durant managed just 12 points in a pedestrian 26 minutes, looking more like he wanted to be watching Carter instead of competing against him.

Oklahoma City had no chance without him.

"It's tough to lose like this,'' he said afterward. "I can see why they (Magic) are picked to win the East again. You can't guard them. I was just a tough game for us. I talked to Vince. He said he was proud of me.''

Durant, 21, came into the game looking like he wanted to become the youngest scoring champion in league history, averaging 28.5 points, trailing only Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade. Trailing him directly were LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki, sandwiching him between some future Hall of Famers.

He had averaged 32.8 points in the previous five games, including a big victory in Miami Tuesday night when he had 32 points. In just his third NBA season, he has been everything the Thunder had hoped when they made him the No. 2 pick of the 2007 Draft. He is a star in the making, and a good kid, too.

"There are so many great scorers in this league,'' Durant said. "I can't even think about a scoring title. Just being in that company is nice. Those guys have proven themselves, been to the playoffs, the Finals, won championships. I've got a long way before I can get there.''

The Thunder (6-6) are hoping to establish themselves now as a rising young team, centered around a nucleus that includes Durant, point guard Russell Westbrook and forward Jeff Green. They are the second youngest team (average age of 25 years) in the league, and opened the season with the youngest starting lineup (23 years).

They also have won in Detroit, San Antonio and Miami. On Wednesday, though, they looked awful, which might have been a scheduling loss. It was their sixth game in nine days.

"I think Kevin was frustrated tonight,'' said Thunder Coach Scott Brooks. "The Magic did a good job guarding him, and getting into him. But he'll bounce back. He usually does from bad games. He's still learning.''

Durant Struggles Against Childhood Hero originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA HouseCast: Magic Fall, Celtics Impress, Lakers Survive

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Heat, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, Rockets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Last Night, Thunder

Welcome to the NBA FanHouse podcast, where our writers get together a few times a week to talk about everything going on in the world of hoops. Want to participate? Leave a comment, or follow us on Twitter @NBAFanHouse.

In a Wednesday edition of the HouseCast (and our first of the season), Matt Watson and Matt Moore joined me to discuss this week's Power Rankings. Of course, we couldn't do that without mentioning that once again, the top-ranked team -- Orlando, in this case -- went down the very same day the rankings were published.

We also recap a busy and interesting night of action, one where the Celtics remained dominant, the Suns remained undefeated, and the Lakers remained underwhelming, while barely surviving the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Download MP3

NBA HouseCast: Magic Fall, Celtics Impress, Lakers Survive originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's What's Jumping Out of (NBA) Box

Matt Steinmetz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Bulls, Kings, Raptors, Wizards, NBA Last Night, Thunder

Couldn't help but notice some interesting box score lines from a busy Friday night of NBA games. Among them ...

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte: 4-for-20 from the field, 0 assists in 53 minutes. You almost have to try not to get an assist in that many minutes. And for what it's worth, five of Wallace's misses were actually blocked. To be fair, we'll mention Wallace's 15 rebounds, but even they come with a caveat. New York, the Bobcats' opponent, shot 38 percent from the field and the game went into double OT. In other words, there were plenty of misses.

Gilbert Arenas, Washington: 23 points on 9-for-22 from the field, 7 turnovers and 4 assists. Arenas made it look easy the other night when he had 29 points and nine assists in a win over Dallas. So ... maybe there are going to be some ups and downs for him.

Nick Young, Washington: 0-for-8 from the field in 12-plus minutes. It's not the eight misses we're focusing on, it's that he got up eight shots in little more than a quarter's worth of work.

John Salmons, Chicago: 2-for-14 from the field. To say Salmons is off to a terrible start shooting the ball is an understatement. He's now 5-for-29 from the floor through two games.

James Harden, Oklahoma City: 8 assists in 16-plus minutes. That's not bad for a two guard, especially when you're talking about a rookie.

Jose Calderon, Toronto: 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 34 minutes. Hey, it's just one game, but we're talking about a player here who had a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season and a 5-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio two seasons ago. Is the fact the ball isn't going to be in Calderon's hands as much -- with Hedo Turkoglu on board -- going to be a factor?

Kevin Martin, Sacramento: 9-for-29 from the field. No excuse for taking that many shots ... unless you're knocking down more than half of them.

Jason Thompson, Sacramento: 4-for-16 from the field in 39 minutes. That kind of shooting really mitigates those six offensive rebounds.

Here's What's Jumping Out of (NBA) Box originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thunder Extend Thabo Sefolosha

Chris Tomasson — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Thunder, FanHouse Exclusive

Oklahoma City has signed guard Thabo Sefolosha to a contract extension to beat Saturday's deadline, his agent confirmed Wednesday to FanHouse.

The agent, Guy Zucker, had told FanHouse on Monday an agreement wouldn't be reached. But he said everything began to change by Tuesday when the Thunder stepped forward with an improved offer.

The deal is for four years, starting with next season. Zucker would not comment on dollars.

"Clay Bennett (the Thunder owner) and Sam Presti (general manager) did an amazing job,'' Zucker said. "It never was an issue of whether (Sefolosha) wanted to stay there. We couldn't agree to terms. But they came up with an improved offer. They really stepped up."

Sefolosha becomes the fourth member of the 2006 draft class to sign an extension, with the deadline to get deals done Saturday, joining Toronto's Andrea Bargnani and LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy of Portland. Sefaolaiah was acquired last February from Chicago and started 22 of the 23 Thunder games in which he played the remainder of the season.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at fanhouse.com

Thunder Extend Thabo Sefolosha originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Draft Class of 2006 Not Cashing In

Chris Tomasson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Celtics, Grizzlies, Jazz, Lakers, Raptors, Trail Blazers, Thunder

Saturday is Halloween, but don't expect many NBA owners and general managers in this shaky economy to dress up as Bill Gates and throw money around.

Oct. 31 is the annual deadline for one-time first-round picks entering their fourth seasons to be eligible to sign extensions that would kick in for their fifth seasons. For stars, it's a chance to land their first really big contract.

But much is silent as the deadline approaches, meaning the overwhelming number of eligible players from the 2006 first round will become restricted free agents next summer. Three players from that draft -- Andrea Bargnani of Toronto and LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy of Portland -- have inked extensions, but not a lot more activity is expected.

An agent who represents a 2006 first-round pick told FanHouse on Monday it's his understanding only three other players from that draft -- Memphis' Rudy Gay, Utah's Ronnie Brewer and Boston's Rajon Rando -- are even still involved in serious negotiations to reach a deal by Saturday.

Even if all three signed extensions by Saturday, that would make the total of six an all-time low since this format started with the 1998 draft (draftees from 1995-97 became unrestricted free agents after three seasons so there was much more urgency). The 2005 class got just seven extensions before Oct. 31, 2008.

Two agents confirmed to FanHouse on Monday their former lottery picks won't sign extensions by Saturday and will become restricted free agents next summer. While it's pretty much confirming the obvious, Mark Bartelstein said Adam Morrison, the No. 3 pick in 2006, won't reach a deal with the Lakers. Guy Zucker said the same is true with his client, Oklahoma City's Thebo Sefolosha, taken No. 13 in that draft.

Indications are Tyrus Thomas, who went No. 4 in 2006 to Chicago, won't sign an extension with the Bulls. Thomas' agent, Brian Elfus, wouldn't offer a confirmation of anything that will happen to his client. But he said he wouldn't consider it a setback if no agreement reached by Saturday.

"I wouldn't be considering it a huge deal (if Thomas doesn't sign by Saturday),'' Elfus said.

With Nos. 1 and 2 selections Bargnani and Aldridge locked up, the highest pick from 2006 bound to be a restricted free agent is Morrison. While there never has been any serious discussion about an extension, Bartelstein said he and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak decided early this offseason that the team would continue to evaluate Morrison into this season.

"We want to give him this year to get his feet back under him,'' Bartelstein said of Morrison, who was traded by Charlotte to the Lakers last February and then played sparingly, not getting into a single playoff game during their title run. "(The Lakers) have a good feeling about him (for the future).''

Three of the 14 lottery picks from 2006 aren't even eligible for extensions due to having previously not had options on their original contracts picked up. Those busts are No. 5 Shelden Williams, No. 9 Patrick O'Bryant and No. 10 Mouhamed Sene.

Thabo Sefolosha, like Morrison, has been dealt, but a trade doesn't change anything when it comes to eligibility for an extension if the rookie contract third- and fourth-year options get picked up. Zucker said there were talks about the Thunder possibly extending Seflosaha, who started 22 of 23 games after being acquired last February from Chicago while averaging 8.5 points.

Update: Sefolosha Signs Extension with Thunder

"We had some discussions, but it didn't result in any conclusions,'' Zucker said. "But (team officials) like (Seflosha) for the future even though we weren't able to reach any financial arrangements.''

With teams wary about costs due to the economy, that has cut down on the number of extensions. So has fears about the salary cap going down significantly next summer and teams losing flexibility.

"Teams know that a player will be restricted next summer and they can still match an offer on him,'' Bartelstein said of the lack of extensions being handed out. "Each team has a unique set of circumstances and some are trying to create cap room and have flexibility. I would say those factors, cap room, the player becoming restricted, and the economy.''

Also, 2006 won't exactly go down as a landmark draft in NBA history. Roy, a two-time participant, is the only player picked that night who has made an All-Star Game, although Aldridge is knocking hard on the door. Bargnani, No. 7 pick Randy Foye, No. 8 Gay, No. 14 Brewer and No. 21 Rondo are also all very much on the rise, but after that the first-round list drops off at the pace of an Acapulco cliff diver.

Here's a look at the 14 lottery picks and No. 21 Rondo and how they stand as Saturday's extension deadline approaches:

No. 1 Andrea Bargnani, Toronto: Has signed a five-year, $50 million extension.

No. 2 LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland: Has signed five-year, $65 million extension.

No. 3 Adam Morrison, Lakers: It remains to be seen if there's any chance of a Lakers return after he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

No. 4 Tyrus Thomas, Chicago: Unlikely to receive extension after averaging 7.7 points in three seasons. He will have ample chance this season to continue to prove himself.

No. 5 Shelden Williams, Boston: Originally chosen by Atlanta and then traded to Sacramento, but his third-year option for 2009-10 wasn't picked up the Kings last year. So he's not a candidate for an extension.

No. 6 Brandon Roy, Portland: Has signed a five-year maximum extension that could be worth more than $80 million.

No. 7 Randy Foye, Washington: Unlikely to sign extension, with a so-so preseason not helping. The Wizards will continue to evaluate Foye, acquired last June from Minnesota, in his first season with the team.

No. 8 Rudy Gay, Memphis: After averaging 16.7 points in three seasons, he's definitely in the Grizzlies' future. The sides are talking, and it's 50-50 a deal can be reached.

No. 9 Patrick O'Bryant, Toronto: Originally chosen by Golden State, such a colossal mistake that his third-year option for 2008-09 wasn't picked up before the Oct. 31, 2007 deadline. So he's not a candidate for an extension.

No. 10 Mouhamed Sene, out of NBA: Originally chosen by Seattle, which moved to Oklahoma City, but his option for 2009-10 wasn't picked up and he was waived last February. He's now playing in France.

No. 11 J.J. Redick, Orlando: Unlikely to sign extension. Might be looking for a new home next summer.

No. 12 Hilton Armstrong, New Orleans: Unlikely to sign extension. Might want to change his name to Red Roof Armstrong after he's averaged 3.6 points in three seasons and put his long-term future with the Hornets very much in doubt.

No. 13 Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City: While he won't be extended, he could be another young piece Thunder officials might want to hold on to after he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

No. 14 Ronnie Brewer, Utah: An intriguing athletic player on a team that always has been short on athleticism. It wouldn't be a surprise if an 11th-hour agreement were to be reached on an extension.

No. 21 Rajon Rondo, Boston: The steal of the 2006 draft, having developed into an upper-echelon point guard. The sides are talking, and it's not out of the question a deal could be hammered out by Saturday.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

NBA Draft Class of 2006 Not Cashing In originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kevin Durant Wants You to Know He's a Team Player

Chris Tomasson — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:52:00 EST

Filed under: Thunder, FanHouse Exclusive

TULSA, Okla. -- It's no surprise Kevin Durant is really pushing the team angle this week.

When asked by FanHouse if he wants to play for Team USA in the World Championships next summer in Turkey, the Oklahoma City forward couldn't stop talking about how badly he wants to represent his country. Sounds as if he'd settle for the role of scorekeeper.

Asked, though, about wanting to play next February in his first All-Star Game, Durant mostly just shrugged. This is apparently not a good time to be talking about such an individual accomplishment.

Durant made news on his Twitter page last Sunday by responding to an Oct. 9 ESPN TrueHoop post that, due to his poor plus-minus rating, Durant "has been killing his team.''

"Everybody that is doubtin' me as a player and my team as a whole ... all I can say is that we all are tryin' and workin' our hardest!'' Durant wrote. "What more do you want? Let me be the player I am," he added in another post. (The Daily Oklahoman reported his full comments.)

News travels fast these days. Soon, Durant's thoughts were all over the Internet.

Looking back a few days later, Durant wondered if he should have held his tongue, er, keyboard.

"I felt like I wanted to defend myself,'' Durant said in an interview with FanHouse while the Thunder was in Tulsa for Wednesday's 96-91 preseason win over Miami. "I've let a lot of stuff slide. I shouldn't have done it. But when contributions to this team [are questioned], I got kind of offended because I'm passionate and emotional about all that stuff. I try to do everything to my best of my ability. Some people overlook that, and don't see how hard we work every day.''

So why did Durant regret expressing himself on Twitter the way he did?

"I didn't think it would be out there,'' he said. "I'm not a like a Dwyane Wade or a Kobe Bryant that everything they do is out there. I just wanted to express how much I care for this team, and how hard I work for this team, and I want to see us get better. I was standing up for what I thought was right. I thought it was appropriate to share how passionate I am for this game.''

So what did Durant learn after he saw his comments get picked up by all sorts of Web sites?

"I guess that's why it's called the World Wide Web,'' he said.

After Durant's Twitter posting, Henry Abbott, the author of the original TrueHoop post, came out with another post pointing out he had been complimentary about Durant but that his plus-minus numbers can't be overlooked. Durant, who admitted he didn't read all of Abbott's original blog, didn't deny that.

"It was mostly complimentary,'' said Durant, who said he had friends who alerted him last weekend about Abbott's blog and then he read "just a little bit of it. But I think when he said I hurt my team, I took that to heart because I go to battle with these guys every day. They know that. That kind of hurt me. But it is was it is. That's what his stats are about. So I just got to do a better job of playing harder for my team.''

Durant, it seems, did not fully grasp that Abbott, using numbers compiled by Dallas Mavericks statistical expert Wayne Winston, was analyzing confounding statistics much more so than expressing that Durant is lacking as a player. Of course lost in much of this cyber-battling is the question: Why in the world has Durant had such crummy plus-minus ratings over two NBA seasons.

"I really don't know,'' Durant said. "It might be small things. I really don't know. I know that I come out and try to do my best for my team, and work hard every day for my team. I'm doing all I can.''

His head coach doesn't doubt that.

"All I know is that Kevin Durant has a chance to be a special player,'' said coach Scott Brooks, who can't say for sure why Durant's plus-minus ratings have been unflattering, but that it's just one of many statistics he looks at and isn't too concerned. "He works as hard as anybody on our team. He's coachable. He does exactly what good teammates do. He's not about himself. More important, he's focusing on helping our team get better. Everybody I've talked to, from players to coaches to general managers, they like Kevin Durant.''

With that in mind, many believe Durant, who averaged 20.3 points as a rookie in 2007-08 and 25.3 last season, is a good bet to play next February in his first NBA All-Star Game. But Durant isn't getting into such talk now.

"I'm not thinking about that,'' Durant said. "If anybody tells you coming into this league they don't want to be an All-Star, they're lying. That's a goal that everybody wants to achieve. But I'm not thinking about that right now. I want to help out my team.''

But there is one team other than the Thunder that Durant is thinking about. This one wears red, white and blue.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told FanHouse last month that "Durant is going to replace somebody'' off the team that won the Olympics last year in Beijing and will head to Turkey next summer for the World Championships. Durant's inclusion looks like even more of a slam dunk considering Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Michael Redd are among holdovers from the Olympic team who are wavering about committing to the World Championships.

"I just want to be on that team,'' Durant said of Team USA next summer. "I'll do anything. I had thought most of [the players] were coming back. But, if not, I'll gladly take their place. I just want to be part of that team. It doesn't matter if I'm the last guy or the first guy.

"It would mean a lot to represent a whole country that looks up to its players. It would mean a lot to me, to my family and to my friends. Just to go back home to a small town in Maryland [Suitland] and say I represented my whole country would mean a lot.''

Two of Durant's teammates, who joined him at last summer's USA Basketball camp in Las Vegas for young players, also say they want to play in Turkey next summer. Guard Russell Westbrook said, "I would love to represent my country.'' Forward Jeff Green said, "Representing my country has always been a dream of mine.''

Westbrook has a decent chance considering the Americans might need a third point guard behind Chris Paul and Deron Williams. But Green is a long shot.

Both Westbrook and Green, though, don't dispute Durant is all but a lock to be on Team USA next summer.

"He's done a great job [at Team USA camps], and he's got a high possibility of making the team,'' Westbrook said.

There apparently has been no word on what Durant's plus-minus ratings have been for USA Basketball.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Kevin Durant Wants You to Know He's a Team Player originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Most Likely to Spark a Stathead Civil War: Kevin Durant

Tom Ziller — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Thunder

NBA FanHouse walks through the Valley of the Most Likely; we shall fear no topic.

Some basketball statisticians think Kevin Durant has been overrated through two seasons of work, a tunnel-visioned volume scorer. Others believe him to be The Second Second Coming, a future pantheon invitee getting his sea legs. Where's the truth?

We'll find out more this season, I'd bet ... but not without a war.

The Durant Divide has always been there, but it's reached a fever pitch this fall as KD enters his third season as the star of the Oklahoma City Thunder. You may be surprised to know that lightning rod sports economist David Berri -- of Wages of Wins infamy -- is not at the center of this conflagration. Berri did bemoan the honors bestowed upon Durantula based on his rookie season, but last season admitted KD deserved the Most Improved Player award. After two years, Berri's controversial metrics have bought in.

John Hollinger of ESPN always bought in. Hollinger, who is behind PER and other box-score driven metrics, believes so much in KD that he projects him to be one of the best players in the league this season. The folks at Basketball Prospectus -- Kevin Pelton and Bradford Doolittle -- also think highly of Durant. Buy their incredible book for details.

The dissenter in all this would be adjusted plus-minus, with the fanfare played by former Mavericks adviser Wayne Winston. Adjusted plus-minus, made available publicly at BasketballValue.com, rates Durant very poorly in both 2007-08 and 2008-09. Plus-minus measures how a team does when a certain player is on the court. If a player leaves the court after five minutes of play, and his team is up 10-7, the player is a +3. Yahoo!, NBA.com and others have this basic stat available in box scores these days. But the metric isn't useful until statistical adjustments are made -- adjustments based on who the opponents are, and who the teammates are. As the Sonics/Thunder have been poor during Durant's career, it's no surprise that Durant's raw plus-minus would stink. But it's bad even after adjustments are made. Real bad. Winston (who won't be consulting for the Mavs this year for the first time this decade as Dallas switches to an in-house analyst) did a set of talks with TrueHoop's Henry Abbott this month. In one of the exchanges, Winston -- a devotee and pioneer of adjusted plus-minus -- reveals how little he thinks of Durant's game.

Knowing that just about any NBA general manager would trade his own children for a prospect of Durant's caliber, I asked Winston if he'd advise his team to accept if the Mavericks were (in some alternate universe) offered Durant for free. "I'd say probably not," he replied. "I would not sign the guy. It's simply not inevitable that he'll make mid-career strides. Some guys do. But many don't, and he'd have to improve a lot to help a team."

Durant's adjusted plus-minus is so bad a legit stathead says he wouldn't advise a team to take him for free. Meanwhile, another legit stathead (Hollinger) projects Durant as the fifth best player in the NBA this season. There is a Divide.

Some APM practitioners aren't as adamant as Winston as to Durant's shortcomings, while not all "box-score" devotees are as high on Durant as Hollinger has been. But there is a clear Durant Divide. What the kid does this season will go a long way toward giving the correct side a legitimacy boost.

Most Likely to Spark a Stathead Civil War: Kevin Durant originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player to Watch: Jeff Green

Matt Moore — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Thunder

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The English dictionary defines relentless as "Jeff freaking Green." I'm not kidding. Go look it up. And if it doesn't say that, then your dictionary has been scared into a lie.

Jeff Green is the other-other Thunder. If Russell Westbrook is The Edge to Kevin Durant's Bono, Jeff Green is one of the other U2 members that you don't actually know because they aren't The Edge or Bono. But if you haven't been paying attention to Green because you've been too busy calling your friends to tell them Kevin Durant is breaking your mindskull, take a second look at the power forward for the Thunder. Because if Oklahoma City is going to take the next step this season, it won't be on the back of Westbrook, but the man they call Predator.

Green's growth last year didn't indicate that he was destined to be an All-Star, but a 4-point jump in PER, a 4.4% improvement in True Shooting percentage, and an overall substantial increase in efficiency leads you to believe he's at least headed somewhere worth watching. At 23 he's not a spring chicken like some of the young pieces in the league, but he's definitely still young enough to get excited about his growth. Green's not at that dreaded point where he simply "is what he is." He still has that capacity to make a leap, even if it's not in the box score, and make an impact for his team. The trouble is figuring out what that impact should be.

If you look at it from a team functional standpoint, Green's got to be more battering ram, less missile. The team needs rebounding, especially with Chris Wilcox headed to Detroit. While Etan Thomas still has some legs beneath that politically-minded cerebrum, the Thunder need their starting power forward to produce more boards than 6.5 a game, plain and simple. That means playing tougher, stronger, bigger, and doing the dirty work which Green is certainly capable of, but not necessarily naturally adept at.

From a player standpoint, Green has natural scoring instincts. He gets out on the break well, hustles, shows energy, and can certainly deliver the boom stick when called upon. But when you look at his shooting statistics, the closer you move Green to the basket, the more he struggles. Green attempted 64% of his shots as jumpers, compared to only 36% as "inside" shots. While inside, he hit just below 60% of his shots. Not great, but not lacking a natural touch. As Green matures into a more traditional power forward, he's capable of using the savvy that comes with wisdom to make his athleticism even more dangerous.

He's already developed a rapport with Kevin Durant, which is of vital importance, as chemistry between the two will be one of the ingredients the Thunder will need to turn that potential into wins. Additionally, Green functioned well at times with Westbrook when Durant was off floor, and his ability to function at both forward levels gives Brooks some flexibility in lineups.

Still, Green's going to have to prove this season he can play, if not as a true power forward, then as a "I Can't Believe It's Not Power Forward!" power forward. If he can start to learn what it takes to be a big in this league and translate his athleticism to advantages, it could be a huge year for "Uncle Jeff."

Player to Watch: Jeff Green originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Thunder

Matt Steinmetz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Thunder, NBA Preseason, NBA Previews

FanHouse previews all 30 NBA teams in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The goal of the Oklahoma City Thunder should be apparent: Rise from the dregs of the Western Conference and into the middle-of-the-pack. That's a realistic endeavor, and it will be the responsibility of coach Scott Brooks to get the Thunder there.

Nobody expects the Thunder to be lumped in with the Lakers, Spurs, Blazers, Nuggets, Mavericks or even Hornets. But it does seem doable for OKC to gain some separation from the Kings, Timberwolves and Grizzlies of the world.

Year by year, piece by piece, position by position, Oklahoma City has accumulated young talent. This should be the year they begin to grow up. In 2007, the Thunder drafted swingman Kevin Durant and traded for power forward Jeff Green.

OKC drafted point guard Russell Westbrook with the No. 4 pick in 2008, and followed that up with taking shooting guard James Harden with the No. 3 pick in the 2009 draft. Harden could be the most pro-ready of this year's rookie class, and that includes the Clippers' Blake Griffin.

It's now time for the Thunder to turn potential into production, maybe get north of 30 when it comes to wins. The only way that happens, though, is if Durant is committed to the process. As talented as Durant is, there are now issues about whether he's the kind of guy you can build around, the type of player and leader who makes teams and teammates better.

From this angle, those doubts seem a little premature. After all, Durant improved in critical areas in Year No. 2 of his career, including scoring, shooting percentage, rebounding and assists. He also cut down his rate of turnovers.

The next step for Durant is to score less, assist more and at least attempt to make a consistent and conscientious effort on defense. He's got better teammates this year than he has in the past, and it's up to him to begin showing he can better rely on them.

Where the Thunder might come up wanting is in the leadership department. They are a little short on veterans, a conscious decision made by general manager Sam Presti. In different ways, OKC has said goodbye to Earl Watson, Desmond Mason, Damien Wilkins and Chucky Atkins.

That leaves Etan Thomas as the only player 30 years of age or older who figures to be in the rotation.

It's almost as though Presti has made it clear to his young core that this is the year he expects them to mature. Winning 20-some games and yakking all season about potential apparently isn't going to cut it in 2009-10.

No, we're not talking playoffs. But we are talking about more wins, plain and simple.

Last Season By the Numbers

Record: 23-59 (1-12 under P.J. Carlesimo, 22-47 under Scott Brooks). Finished 5th in the Northwest Division, 13th in the Western Conference.

Offense: 102.9 points per 100 possessions, 29th in the NBA. 30th in shooting, 28th in turnover rate, 4th in offensive rebounding, 10th in free throw rate.

Defense: 109.4 points per 100 possessions, 20th in the NBA. 25th in shooting defense, 18th in opponent turnover rate, 13th in defensive rebounding, 8th in opponent free throw rate.

Top Performers: Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 25.3 points per game, and finished third in rebounding (6.5) and assists (2.8) and second in steals (1.3). Russell Westbrook tallied 5.3 assists per game. Nick Collison was the top rebounder at 6.9 rebounds per game in 26 minutes.Thabo Sefolosha averaged 1.1 blocks per game as a guard.

All statistics via Basketball-Reference.com.

Player to Watch

FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller preview one player to watch from each team. Here's a snippet of Moore's post on Thunder forward Jeff Green.

Jeff Green is the other-other Thunder. If Russell Westbrook is The Edge to Kevin Durant's Bono, Jeff Green is one of the other U2 members that you don't actually know because they aren't The Edge or Bono. But if you haven't been paying attention to Green because you've been too busy calling your friends to tell them Kevin Durant is breaking your mindskull, take a second look at the power forward for the Thunder. Because if Oklahoma City is going to take the next step this season, it won't be on the back of Westbrook, but the man they call Predator.

See Moore's full post on Green.

Offseason Tracker

IN: James Harden (draft), B.J. Mullens (draft), Etan Thomas (trade).

OUT: Chris Wilcox (free agency), Chucky Atkins (trade), Damien Wilkins (trade), Desmond Mason (free agency), Earl Watson (buy-out).

FanHouse Preview: Thunder originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chandler Not Offended by Bobcats Trade

Chris Tomasson — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Hornets, Thunder

It wasn't as bad as the minor league baseball player who last year was traded for 10 bats. Nevertheless, center Tyson Chandler wasn't too thrilled when he saw last February what New Orleans received for him from Oklahoma City.

Players, you see, are often sensitive about what a team gets back when they are traded. Marcus Camby wasn't dancing the Cha-cha-cha when Denver, in a July 2008 salary dump, got nothing more from the Los Angeles Clippers than the right to exchange second-round picks in 2010.

And Chandler grumbled when he saw all the Hornets, in an attempted salary dump, got for him were Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, who both had expiring contracts, and the draft rights to somebody named DeVon Hardin.

"The... deal was like, 'Come on,''' Chandler said in an interview with FanHouse. "Because I'm pulling for my teammates, even though I was gone to a new situation at the time, I wanted to still see them succeed. I felt like, 'Come on. You still got to give my boys a chance to succeed.'''

Fortunately for the Hornets and for Chandler's piece of mind, the trade was rescinded when Chandler failed a physical due to an alleged troublesome toe. But Chandler was traded again last July to Charlotte, and this time it went through. What the Hornets got back, center Emeka Okafor, hardly was embarrassing.

"Emeka is a great player,'' Chandler said. "(The Hornets) still got a chance to do some things.''

Other than executives from contending teams going to lunch when Allen Iverson's representatives were on hold, Chandler again being dealt was the NBA's biggest offseason non-surprise. The Hornets were looking to shave payroll, and Chandler will make $12.2 million this season and likely won't opt out of the $13.2 million he's due in 2010-11.

"I definitely knew they had to make a move, and I knew I was the piece,'' Chandler said. "I was just hoping I would land in a good spot, and I'm very happy where I landed because of the coaching (Hall of Famer Larry Brown in charge) and the good young players. ... I knew that I was going to be the one that was going to be traded.

"It's a business. If I was a businessman, I may have treated this differently. But, if I'm a businessman and I got to make a business decision, it is what it is.''

But the latest deal was hardly the salary dump the Hornets sought to do last February. Okafor does make $1.4 million less over the next two seasons ($11.5 million and $12.5 million), which allows the Hornets to save in the short term on luxury tax. But he has two more years than Chandler left on his contract, earning $13.5 million in 2011-12 and $14.5 million in 2012-13.

There actually has been more talk about the deal being made to save the Bobcats bucks.

"You can figure out why it was made,'' Brown said when asked why Charlotte made the trade, apparently referring to Chandler having a total of $25.4 million left on his contract to Okafor's $52 million. "It's not about the players.''

Welcome to Charlotte, Tyson. Your new coach, who says "I love Emeka,'' was not excited to see him depart.

But Chandler remains undeterred. He could care less what anybody might say about why he was picked up by the Bobcats.

"I feel like they acquired me to get better regardless of what anybody says,'' said Chandler, 27, who has career averages of 8.2 points and 9.0 rebounds in eight seasons to 14.0 and 10.7 for Okafor, 27, in five years. "Even if management says it, I feel that way. ... I feel that I bring a great presence. I feel I bring leadership. I feel like I speed up the game.''

For now, Chandler is stuck in neutral. He underwent surgery on his left ankle last May and wasn't yet ready to play Tuesday in Charlotte's preseason opener.

Brown, who at least likes that the 7-foot-1 Chandler can play some power forward while the 6-10 Okafor is pretty much just a center, foresees Chandler returning very soon. Chandler said the ankle feels much better and his only concern is conditioning since he couldn't do much running during the offseason.

As for his left big toe that torpedoed his Oklahoma City physical, Chandler is still confused. He underwent surgery on it in April 2007 but said it hadn't been a problem for a while.

"That was an interesting thing for me because I was out because of an ankle injury,'' Chandler said. "I thought it was my ankle (when Chandler learned he failed the physical). I was very surprised when they said it was my toe because that hadn't kept me out of anything.''

It was indeed an interesting February for Chandler, who was a member of the Thunder for one day. But at the least the Hornets hadn't tried to trade him for a rack of balls.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Chandler Not Offended by Bobcats Trade originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Few Jobs Remain Open ... but Ruffin, Bowen Hope the Thunder Has One

Chris Tomasson — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Hawks, Hornets, Magic, Pistons, Thunder

The word is out in the NBA. Oklahoma City might be hiring.

In this tough economy, any job for a player these days is a good one. And there is talk the Thunder, with 14 guaranteed contracts and no worries about the luxury tax, might be a rare team that has no problem with a 15-man roster.

That's why veteran forwards Michael Ruffin and Ryan Bowen will be heading to the Thunder camp on nonguaranteed contracts, looking to earn a job.

"I think I've got a chance," said Ruffin, a nine-year veteran who played last season with Portland.

But also thinking that way is Bowen, a nine-year man who played last season with New Orleans.

"They tell us they have a spot," Bowen's agent, Guy Zucker, said of Thunder officials. "And they're looking for somebody similar to Ryan. So we think we have a good chance. They've got a young team, and they're looking for [a good veteran influence]. Ryan is incredibly professional, he's unbelievably smart, he's experienced, and he has no ego."

Some would say Ruffin is worthy of a similar description. Let the battle begin for the 15th spot.

With teams that are going overseas in October beginning training camp Saturday and others starting next Tuesday, teams are filling out their training camp rosters. And not too many are handing out fully guaranteed contracts. Consider that Desmond Mason couldn't even get a guaranteed deal last week from Sacramento.

Among other free agents going to camp trying to earn jobs, guard Morris Almond is heading to Orlando, guard Kareem Rush to the Los Angeles Clippers, center Earl Barron to New Orleans, forward Maceo Baston to Detroit, center Courtney Sims to Atlanta and guard Mario West, a restricted free agent, is returning to the Hawks.

"It's been a tough summer," Ruffin said of players looking for teams. "With the economy, teams are going to keep one or two less players than before. There's less jobs."

But the Thunder might be hiring. Candidates are lining up outside.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Few Jobs Remain Open ... but Ruffin, Bowen Hope the Thunder Has One originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three Teams Cheaper Than the Grizzlies

Tom Ziller — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Kings, Trail Blazers, Thunder

I, among others, have given Michael Heisley and the Memphis Grizzlies some gruff over the franchise's thrift this summer. While the team did take on Zach Randolph's hefty contract and eventually signed Allen Iverson, the perception remains that the Grizz exist only to suck the lives out of anxious prospects and to serve as financial lubricant for the rest of the NBA.

Part of that is, unfortunately, still valid. But with the acquisition of A.I., the Grizzlies find themselves at the threshold of the salary cap. Memphis will no longer be able to help the teams in contention execute swaps as a third party.

Luckily, three teams remain under the cap -- yes, three teams actually look to be cheaper than the Grizzlies this season. Check them out, after the jump.

Oklahoma City Thunder. Barring a major trade or an offer sheet to someone like David Lee, OKC will enter the season with the cheapest payroll in the land. (That's probably good, considering the financial trouble lead owner Clay Bennett has had over the past year.) According to ShamSports (the most trustworthy contract repository on the web), the Thunder have $50.7 million in payroll locked up this season. No Thunder player will be paid more than Etan Thomas's $7.9 million. The projected starting five -- Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic -- will earn a combined $21 million. (By comparison, Boston's starting five will make $61.7 million next season.)

The Thunder are still two seasons away from writing a massive check to Durant. He is eligible to negotiate a contract extension next July, but such an extension would not take effect until the 2011-12 season. OKC is being tagged as a playoff contender in the West this season.

Sacramento Kings. The Kings, however, are not being tagged as a playoff contender in the West this season. Sacramento expects to have the second lowest payroll in the NBA this season, currently tabbed at $52.3 million with second-round pick Jon Brockman still officially unsigned. (When -- not if, when -- he does sign, he'll only add roughly $500,000-$800,000 to the ledger.) Sacramento also expects to have something like 25 wins, an improvement over the 17 wins of 2008-09, but still way far off the rat race.

It remains to be seen what will make the Kings spend, and when. There's the idea the team is seeing what happens with the Tyreke Evans/Kevin Martin pairing, and is waiting to find out if Spencer Hawes and/or Jason Thompson will provide what the team needs long-term, and that the franchise will adjust (with its checkbook) from there. That could take longer than one season to sort out, so here's an opinion that the Kings may not actually be ready to spend in the summer of 2010, and that this team could be back on this list this time next year.

Portland Trail Blazers. It amazes me that Portland, which spent its entire free agency period trying to give away money, ends up with what will be the third lowest payroll this season. What's better is that this team is a legit NBA title contender. Darius Miles will take up the biggest chunk of salary this season -- yes, if not for the Miles stint in Memphis, the Blazers would have had an additional $9 million to fritter under the cap this July -- with Brandon Roy's payday waiting until 2009-10.

All told, the Blazers are in incredibly reasonable position in 2009-10 in terms of salary, too. The team won't likely be under the cap next July, as the extensions for Roy and (perhaps) LaMarcus Aldridge kick in. But the team won't be anywhere near the tax line either. Only Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake will be free agents come next summer, and the team should be able to deal with him (extensions or replacements) without breaking the bank.

This is all to say that the Blazers may be the most brilliantly run franchise in the NBA right now. A team that costs less than the Memphis Grizzlies and might win 60 games? Unbelievable.

Three Teams Cheaper Than the Grizzlies originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gary Payton Hopes to Help Bring the NBA Back to Seattle

Elie Seckbach — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, SuperSonics, NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Thunder, Interviews, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Former NBA All-Star Gary Payton became "The Glove" when he starred for the Seattle Suppersonics alongside Shawn 'The Rainman' Kemp and many other great players. But this coming NBA season will be the second year in a row that Seattle won't have an NBA team, leaving many fans disappointed.

In this exclusive FanHouse video, Payton tells us what he's doing to bring back an NBA team to the city he loves so much. We also ask Gary about his intensity as a player, which is rarely seen in today's NBA.

Check out the video after the jump.

Gary Payton Hopes to Help Bring the NBA Back to Seattle originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Sonicsgate' Documentary Explores Truth Behind Team's Exodus From Seattle

Brett Pollakoff — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:54:00 EST

Filed under: SuperSonics, NBA Videos, Thunder

Any basketball fan -- with the possible exception of those living in Oklahoma City -- can sympathize with the people in Seattle. After 41 seasons, the Sonics were unceremoniously ripped from the city, for a combination of reasons that still aren't a hundred percent clear, even more than a year after the fact.

That's where "Sonicsgate" comes in. This documentary film, set to be released online October 12, seeks to "expose the truth behind the SuperSonics' tragic exodus" from Seattle. Looks like it'll be some pretty compelling stuff, so check out the trailer after the jump.

Sonicsgate Trailer from sonicsgate on Vimeo.

'Sonicsgate' Documentary Explores Truth Behind Team's Exodus From Seattle originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Twitter Mailbag: Shaq, Kevin Durant, and the Celtics Roster

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Pistons, Rockets, Thunder, NBA Twitter

In our inaugural edition of the NBA Twitter mailbag, we've got some interesting topics to get us started. How will Shaq's ego fit in Cleveland? Is Kevin Durant getting the attention he deserves? And what's left on the Celtics' summer to-do list?

These questions and more, answered for you below.

Over / under on number of games it takes Shaq to start (complaining) about touches? I go under 25. -- @ZoDogg34

I'll go under 25 too. Remember, Shaq is willing to fit in on a championship contender at this stage of his career, as long as the team is winning. All it will take is a couple of losses where Mo Williams or Delonte West goes 7-for-24 from the field, and you'll start hearing what we heard in Phoenix: Shaq will recite his career field goal percentage statistics, look at the box score from the game where he only got something like nine shots, and then it'll be on.

Shaq won't criticize LeBron James for taking too many shots. But yes, as soon as he goes through some losses where other guys have some poor shooting nights, there's no doubt he'll start to lobby for more touches.

In fact, let's lower the over/under to 16.

is there any chance Allen Iverson can/will be signed to the rockets for their scoring needs? -- @Abel86

With Yao Ming out for the season and Tracy McGrady out until sometime around the All-Star break, there's no question the Rockets could use some scoring. But Allen Iverson doesn't fit in with the Daryl Morey (super-genius!) template of finding hard-working, team-oriented guys to work towards a common goal. Iverson is a volume shooter, and tends to dominate the ball while turning possessions into a one-man show. Add in the fact that he's personally offended if you should ask him to come off the bench, and Houston just doesn't seem like a place where Iverson could peacefully coexist.

What's Ainge doing with big baby? Marbury? How is he getting daniels? A back up pg? -- @CS_Clips_Falcns

There has apparently been a recent snag in the sign-and-trade negotiations to bring Marquis Daniels to Boston. That doesn't mean it isn't going to happen, but at this point a third team may need to get involved for the Pacers to get something they want in return.

This could also affect the Glen Davis situation, as the Celtics could include him in that three-team deal to get something back for him, instead of simply choosing not to match another team's offer in restricted free agency. The New Jersey Nets are rumored to have the most interest in Davis at the moment.

As for Stephon Marbury, don't expect him back. He rejected the Celtics' minimum offer at the beginning of the month, and at the time said he believed his days in Boston were done.

Durant or LeBron? I guess that's the question now according to Sam Smith. -- @dailythunder

Why are people sleepin' on KD? He's going to lead the L in scoring for the next decade. He's abstract art on hardwood. -- @JustinRWalsh

Kevin Durant personally wants no part of any comparisons to LeBron James; he said so himself via Twitter. But yes, Durant seems poised to be the guy that takes that leap into the LeBron/Kobe/Wade stratosphere.

Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman relays this anecdote about Durant's work ethic and attitude, and this, to me, says a lot about what we can expect from Durant in the seasons to come.

As an aside, several times throughout the season I'd joke with Durant about how his shooting stroke is effortless. He never seemed to like my opinion, and each time I voiced it he agitatedly insisted that his shot isn't effortless. While I was referring to the sheer sight and mechanics of it, he made sure I knew that he's given a great deal of effort, through time and reps, to get his form and results to the point they are today. It's one small example of Durant's mentality.

Is Will Bynum a legit #2 point guard in the NBA? Maybe even a lower-end #1, given his playoff performance? -- @WestMIAllStar

Matt Watson: Legit number two? Absolutely. Starter on a bad team? I think so. The only reason people dismiss Bynum is his size -- he's officially listed at six-foot, but remember, NBA players are measured in their shoes, so he's closer to what you and I would call 5-10. That said, he's built like an NFL safety, so he's not going to get bullied by bigger players, and he's probably the most explosive leaper on the team, so he's not going to stopped from attacking the rim.

Bynum isn't much of an outside shooter (to say the least), but that's the only serious flaw in his game. He can penetrate, play above the rim, score in bunches and make plays for teammates (he averaged a team-high 7.0 assists per 36 minutes last year) and be a pesky defender -- just about everything you'd expect from a backup point, or, surrounded by the right players, from a starter.

He didn't come into regular playing time until late in the season (and even then was reduced to garbage minutes while Rodney Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and Allen Iverson gobbled up most of the time) but by the time the dust settled he was the most efficient of all, leading the team with a 17.4 PER in the regular season and 19.9 PER in the playoffs. He'll be Rodney Stuckey's primary backup from Day 1 this season, and by the time he hits unrestricted free agency next summer, he just might get a chance to go somewhere as a starter.

Want to be part of our next NBA Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @NBAFanHouse.

NBA Twitter Mailbag: Shaq, Kevin Durant, and the Celtics Roster originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kevin Durant on His Summer Plans and Talking to Fans on Twitter

Elie Seckbach — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Videos, Thunder, Interviews, NBA Twitter, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma Thunder is one of the brightest stars in the NBA. In this FanHouse exclusive, we talk to him about his summer and what he does when he's not playing ball. We also ask Kevin who in the NBA he thinks can beat him one-on-one, how often he's on Twitter and what question his fans ask the most in 140 characters or less.

Check out the video after the jump.

Kevin Durant on His Summer Plans and Talking to Fans on Twitter originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Etan Thomas Should Help Protect Durant

Tim Povtak — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Wizards, Thunder, NBA Transactions

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren't just getting a backup center in Etan Thomas, they are getting a much-needed bodyguard for rising star Kevin Durant. And that's a good thing.

According to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, the Thunder are close to acquiring Thomas from Minnesota in a trade for reserve guards Damien Wilkins and Chucky Atkins, neither of whom were expected to help Durant very much. The Thunder also will be getting a second-round pick in 2010.

Thomas went to Minnesota earlier this summer from Washington, along with the No 5 pick in the draft, as part of the deal that sent Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the Wizards.

Thomas is well known as the center who returned last season after being struck by a serious illness that required open heart surgery in 2007. Before that illness, though, Thomas often provided the inside toughness that the Wizards needed with a mostly offensive-minded lineup.

Thomas, a 6-9, 260-pounder who was born in Harlem, N.Y., isn't all that athletic or basketball skilled, but his role with the Wizards often was to help toughen up more talented center Brendan Haywood. More than once, he and Haywood came to blows in practice.

As the Thunder try and build a team around Durant, a superstar in the making, they are beginning to understand they can't allow teams to get too physical defending Durant without providing him with some physical protection, which explains the need for Thomas.

The Thunder already have penciled in Nenad Krstic as their starting center, but he is far from a banger who can take or deliver much physical play. Before getting Thomas, they would have had to use power forward Nick Collison as Krstic's backup. They drafted Ohio State center B.J. Mullens, but he is s few years ago from providing serious support.

Thomas is scheduled to make $7.35 million in the final year of his contract. For the Wolves, the trade may be more of a salary dump than anything. Wilkins has one year remaining at $3.3 million, while Atkins has only $760,000 of his $3.48 million contract guaranteed.

Etan Thomas Should Help Protect Durant originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thunder Waives Earl Watson, Who Could Sign With Indiana

Gary Washburn — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, Summer League, Thunder, NBA Transactions

The Thunder waived guard Earl Watson on Friday and Watson is expected to sign with the Indiana Pacers as soon as his one-week waiver period expires. The Thunder will have to pay Watson a portion of final $6.6 million of his contract and it gives Oklahoma City more roster flexibility.

The move may be an indication that former lottery pick Shaun Livingston has cemented himself as the reserve point guard and it gives Watson a chance to play significant minutes. That wasn't going to happen this season for OKC, which is preparing for the future.

Watson, 30, averaged 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Thunder last season but he became increasingly unhappy when Russell Westbrook was given the starting job. OKC has a couple more veteran contracts -- Damien Wilkins, Chucky Atkins -- that could be gone by training camp.

Watson's signing is also a sign that Indiana won't match Toronto's offer sheet to Jarrett Jack. Watson is a solid reserve point guard and good defender. And he also just married actress Jennifer Freeman (My Wife and Kids) in May, so it has been a good couple of months for the former UCLA standout.

Thunder Waives Earl Watson, Who Could Sign With Indiana originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OKC's Livingston Trying to Make It All the Way Back

Gary Washburn — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:20:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Summer League, Thunder

LAS VEGAS -- It was five years ago that Shaun Livingston made his summer league debut for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was a rail-thin 18-year-old with a large Afro and immense talent to match. He wasn't physically developed, but the point guard from Peoria Central High School was tabbed as cornerstone for the Clippers -- he just needed time.

Time wasn't a concern for Livingston five years ago and something he still possesses at age 23. But his stock has fallen considerably because of a Feb. 2007 left knee injury that would have ended many other careers. Now the hair is short and faded on the sides. The focus is on now, not tomorrow. And his left knee continues to improve, but it may never be the same.

In case you forgot, Livingston dislocated his kneecap, tore his anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament and his meniscus, and sprained his medial collateral ligament. He also dislocated his patella and tibia-femoral joint making a jump-stop against the Charlotte Bobcats.

The gruesome injury and arduous rehabilitation limited Livingston to 12 games the past two years, and he is trying to stick with the Thunder, which has yet to guarantee his contract.

He remains 6-foot-7 with superior ball-handling and distributing skills, yet Livingston seeks a job in the NBA despite lacking the explosion of three years ago.

"It's good, just taking my time to getting back," he said following OKC's 74-68 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. "It's really about just playing for my knee, my situation's different. Obviously after six years, I wouldn't be playing summer league. But after injuries and everything else, I'm getting back into the flow and getting ready for the season."

Livingston tallied eight points, four assists and three steals Tuesday as he actually started at small forward. Point guard Russell Westbrook, attending the ESPY awards in Los Angeles, was replaced by Kyle Weaver. Livingston is hoping his versatility will garner him a guaranteed contract. With Westbrook a staple at point, Livingston may have to be satisfied with a backup role.

But he's been humbled. The Clippers renounced his rights in June 2008 to clear cap space for Baron Davis and then he had a brief stint with the Miami Heat before signing with OKC and heading to the NBDL.

"I think that says a lot about him that he was willing to go to the D-League," OKC general manager Sam Presti said. "We are talking about a guy who was the fourth overall pick. That said a lot about him and his willingness to get back."

Livingston said the knee is healthy but he still needs to get back in basketball shape; that has been the purpose of summer league.

"The knee is very sound as far the mechanics of it, strength and explosiveness is the last part that's coming along," he said. "Right now I have to be more of a different player, more pace, just learning some of the younger guys trying to work with them. It's still learning my game and still molding it."

There are no signs of gray hairs on Livingston, but he's definitely been aged by his experience. At a time when draft contemporaries are enjoying large contracts and franchise tags, Livingston just wants a role on a team. The lure of glamour and shoe contracts have been replaced by meager thoughts of making a contribution.

"There were no words for (what I have experienced), an everyday grind, one day at a time," he said. "I'm years ahead of my age. I don't think like the average 23-year-old guy that's been in the league. Some of these rookies are my age or older and I got a different role than these guys. Now I'm back, it obviously was a long road but now I'm looking forward to continuing to improve."

OKC's Livingston Trying to Make It All the Way Back originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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