A series of reports in recent months have suggested that Toronto and other teams around the NBA are monitoring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s situation in Oklahoma City in case he becomes disgruntled and wants out. But after leading the Thunder to a blowout win over the Raptors on Friday night, the star point guard reaffirmed his commitment to the franchise, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes.
“It’s exciting,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the future in OKC. “And knowing the guys in the locker room personally, makes it more exciting: Guys’ mentalities, guys’ work ethic, it just makes it fun to be around and I’m very excited for the future.”
While the Thunder are still very much in the midst of their rebuilding process, they’ve been relatively competitive so far this season, with a 5-7 record and a -0.8 net rating. That respectable start is due in large part to Gilgeous-Alexander’s All-NBA caliber play — he’s averaging an eye-popping 30.5 points per game to go along with 5.5 APG, 4.4 RPG, and 2.0 SPG.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- The Timberwolves lack leadership and maturity, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective this week (YouTube link). According to MacMahon, while Minnesota is still trying to figure out “spacing and X’s and O’s,” one coach whose team recently played the Wolves said their biggest issues are “interpersonal.”
- Rookie head coach Will Hardy is happy to give his players and assistants credit for the Jazz‘s strong start to the season, but Hardy has earned his share of the credit for the impressive job he has done in Utah so far, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “I think he’s done a great job,” Jazz center Kelly Olynyk said. “He’s been really personable and good with the guys. He’s really kind of put us in situations to help us be successful. He’s given us structure and organization, but not to a point where you feel robotic or you feel like you’re constricted. He’s still letting everybody play free, be themselves and play to their strengths.”
- In a mailbag for The Athletic, Jason Quick discusses Josh Hart‘s future with the Trail Blazers, how Chauncey Billups‘ coaching style differs from Terry Stotts‘, and the positive impact Jerami Grant has had in the team’s locker room.
KAT & Gobert is my guess. Its not that surprising given KAT’s history with Butler. Gobert is a strong personality. Not ego led as much as Butler, but definitely isn’t shy about saying what he thinks.
KAT is a big crybaby. Until you accomplish something…STFU
Not true. The Wolves have a group of veterans that have come from one style of play. A group of young guys whom adjust on the fly whatever the coaches tell them and are clearly not sure what’s going on or what role they are supposed to playing and a center that’s from neither.
The natural belief was that Rudy’s defense would make the offensive game hold up much better at the end of the game and the Wolves would be a 50 wins plus team.
There is no identity on this team. Without identity there can be no direction.
The result is that all three groups are playing inside the space they know because it’s the only thing they know and no one knows how to blend the three.
I think Minnesota will Learn who the Problem is. It is not Rudy. Bad Trade. Utah has done well. Danny Anige is great! Be interesting to see what Utah’s next move is.
Rudy really isn’t the problem. D’Angelo Russell is the issue.
Not true. Danny is upside down to the master plan. I don’t believe he intended to lose near as much as believed, but intended more to leverage those picks to bring in players that are up the ladder in the things you have to have learned to manage to play in the NBA that have mostly been playing in the leauge and simply put the saddle on them and turn them loose.
He is not a young guy type. He has never coached because he can’t deal with the developmental stuff and the mistakes that come with it.
There is plenty coming free that fit his m.o. that he may have to pass on.
The Jazz are in a legit to win the championship window. There will be no regression by this team to the middle of the pack like all are expecting.
Danny and I are the only ones that know it.
Ainge had the full intention of losing. He is still happy with the wins. Markkanen and Vanderbilt are keepers. Kessler is at worst a rotation rim-protecting big.
Utah can continue to add “pieces” in the draft. Maybe get lucky and get another Donovan Mitchell. They will have a lot extra chances.
They can also package picks and players to add a “star” to a really good group of players.
Why would your two max guys. Play the same position. I’ve been saying it since the trade went down. It’s just not a smart financial or basketball move. Noel next to KAT actually can work. And you can spend the rest of money. On another good player. Or two solid rotation players. Trade Rudy this will never work.
I agree that Nerlens would work next to KAT. Only issue is that Nerlens is constantly injured. He has been coming off the bench for years. Still, constantly injured. Has Nerlens even played yet this year?
Noel is an example of what can work next to KAT at 1/8 the money. Claxton is another who was actually a FA last yr. At 40 mill a yr for Rudy. You can have Noel, Claxton, McGee, Mitch and Fournier. Or three players who actually fit your rotation. And make your team better and deeper. To have 80 million locked in to the same position. Is what a poster on this syte would do. True Genius
SGA is having a great yr. But it’s only 11 gms. On a team where he is the team. So numbers don’t really mean that much. Still his age doesn’t seem in the timeline. Of the Thunder current rebuild. So I would definitely move him now. You can sell high now. And be ready for the draft next yr. Raptors would be a good place for him.
From day 1 SGA has loved OKC and wants to be here. He signed the max and is just starting that. If he didn’t want to be here he easily could have gotten that somewhere else. However he sees the future in OKC. They’re playing pretty well and Holmgren isn’t even out on the court. This is a team built for future playoff runs. Possibly deep runs. He can be the star of that team.
He doesn’t want out, and teams, like posters on here can keep posting their stupid trade propositions that OKC won’t even consider because he’s not going anywhere. Okc doesn’t need more draft picks, they still have a ton to use.