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Thunder Notes: Westbrook, Christon, Grant

October 10th, 2017 at 5:57pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Russell Westbrook, who finds himself playing alongside two perennial All-Stars after GM Sam Presti made a pair of offseason trades, doesn’t believe chemistry will be an issue, as Erik Horne of The Oklahoman relays.

“I think one thing [that’s] key for everybody to know, especially you guys … you guys keep asking about the chemistry every damn day … we’re gonna get it together,” Westbrook said to the local media in OKC. “It’s a season-long thing. It’s not gonna happen overnight…We’re professionals. This is something we obviously want to see work and make it happen, so it’s gonna be a process.”

Here’s more on the Thunder:

  • Semaj Christon, whose contract will become guaranteed on October 15, may be the favorite for the team’s final roster spot, as his energy and defensive ability makes him popular among the coaching staff, Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman writes. Isaiah Canaan could always steal that last spot, though it’s worth noting that the point guard didn’t play in the Thunder’s final two preseason games.
  • Coach Billy Donovan hasn’t yet had an opportunity to sit down with the front office to discuss the 15th roster spot, Dawson passes along in the same piece. “Sam [Presti] and the front office, they’re always trying to figure out and find ways to help improve our team, and I totally trust that,” Donovan said. “When we get a chance to sit down and talk about that and discuss that, we will. But right now, there hasn’t been time.”
  • The Thunder are thin at the center position with Steven Adams as the team’s only proven option, Dawson contends in a separate piece. OKC’s lack of depth likely means Jerami Grant will see time at five this season. Donovan has faith that Grant can protect the paint in a situational role. “Jerami is strong, he’s got length,” Donovan said. “He may not necessarily have the size or the height of a center, but he’s got the length to be able to alter and challenge shots. He’s a really good rim protector.”
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Pacific Notes: Lakers, Teodosic, Reed, Labissiere

October 2nd, 2017 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Russell Westbrook‘s decision to sign a max extension is bad news for the Lakers in their pursuit of two top-level free agents next summer, as Eric Pincus examines in a Bleacher Report column.  The Lakers were hopeful they could fill a max slot with Westbrook, who now has all season to convince another Los Angeles target, Paul George, to re-sign with the Thunder in the offseason, Pincus continues. Moreover, the Lakers are currently projected to have $47MM in cap space if they let restricted free agent Julius Randle walk, which isn’t enough to land two star free agents, Pincus notes. Unless they can convince LeBron James to come West, their best remaining options could be DeMarcus Cousins or DeAndre Jordan, provided Jordan doesn’t sign an extension with the Clippers, Pincus adds.

In other items regarding the Pacific Division teams:

  • Clippers point guard Milos Teodosic has a simple explanation why he decided to play in the NBA this season after gaining a reputation as Europe’s top player, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times passes along. “I decided long time ago that I wanted to play in the NBA, but I didn’t have that much chances because I was always under contract and I was not free agent,” Teodosic told Turner. “This summer I was free and the first big opportunity was here with the Clippers.” Teodosic signed a two-year, $12.3MM contract to be the Clippers’ primary ballhandler.
  • Clippers center Willie Reed had his arraignment hearing for a misdemeanor domestic battery charge in Miami rescheduled from today to Oct. 16, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel tweets. Reed was booked on the charge in August. The alleged incident occurred shortly after Reed, who played for the Heat last season, signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Clippers.
  • Kings coach Dave Joerger doesn’t believe Skal Labissiere will reach his full potential until his body fills out and he gets stronger, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports. Labissiere, entering his second season, averaged 10.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 25 games after DeMarcus Cousins was dealt to the Pelicans. “He won’t be a finished product this year either,” Joerger told Jones. “It’s three, whatever number of years from now, when he fills into his body completely.”
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Thunder Notes: George, Westbrook, Injuries

October 2nd, 2017 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

While Russell Westbrook‘s new extension with the Thunder certainly doesn’t guarantee that new teammate Paul George will also choose to stick around beyond this season, the All-Star forward intends to give Oklahoma City an audience next summer, a source tells TNT’s David Aldridge.

According to Aldridge’s source, George has been impressed by the Thunder’s culture and by Sam Presti‘s approach to roster building. As the source puts it, George was impressed that Presti and the front office had the guts to essentially retool the entire roster in order to land him and Carmelo Anthony this offseason.

Whether that ultimately results in George deciding to stay in Oklahoma City and sign a new deal with the Thunder remains to be seen, but he appears more open to the idea than he would have been a few months ago. Meanwhile, owner Clay Bennett appears more open to being on the hook for a big tax bill to keep his roster together than he was a few years ago.

Here’s more on the Thunder:

  • Speaking on Sunday to reporters, including ESPN’s Royce Young, Westbrook declined to get into specifics on why he waited nearly three months to sign his extension, but said his commitment to Oklahoma City never wavered. “I like where I’m at,” Westbrook said.
  • Westbrook, Patrick Patterson, and Alex Abrines will all miss the Thunder’s preseason opener on Tuesday, writes Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman. “For Russell, it’s just a slow progression,” head coach Billy Donovan said of the reigning MVP, who underwent PRP therapy on his left knee. “There’s no reason just to throw him back in so quickly, but he’s doing more and more, and he did everything today at practice.”
  • Addressing the status of Patterson and Abrines, Donovan said that it’s difficult to put a time frame on either player’s return, but he doesn’t view their injuries as long-term issues. Like Westbrook, Patterson and Abrines are dealing with knee issues.
  • Earlier today, we passed along details on Rob Hennigan‘s new role with the Thunder.
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Northwest Division: George, Morrow, Plumlee, Burks

September 30th, 2017 at 4:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Russell Westbrook‘s decision to sign an extension with the Thunder is making it easier for Paul George to decide whether to stay put when he becomes a free agent next summer, as he told ESPN’s Royce Young and other media members (Twitter link). George is impressed by the commitment between the reigning Most Valuable Player and the franchise, as Westbrook decided this week to sign a five-year, $205MM extension. George’s overt desire to leave the Pacers after this season, specifically for the Lakers, led Indiana to trade him to Oklahoma City. It appears George is now seriously interested in re-signing. “Not only in us pairing together but just knowing what type of dude Russ is and his values and his beliefs and him being committed to this organization says a lot,” George said. “And I’m one person that’s enjoying it here, so I think when that time comes the decision will be easier to make for myself.”

In other developments around the Northwest Division:

  • Anthony Morrow has apparently taken an early lead in the fight for the Blazers’ 15th roster spot, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports. Morrow received a one-year, non-guaranteed contract prior to training camp and is battling Archie Goodwin and Isaiah Briscoe for a spot on the opening-night roster, Freeman continues. After four days of training camp, he’s already impressed coaches and teammates with his shooting, leadership and positive attitude, Freeman adds.
  • Center Mason Plumlee will be Nikola Jokic‘s backup but he’ll have a big role with the Nuggets, coach Michael Malone told Gina Mizell of The Denver Post. Plumlee was re-signed by Denver to a three-year, $41MM deal this summer after being acquired from the Blazers in February. “He brings us a physicality and presence that, really, none of the other guys really have,” Malone said. “He is a lob threat on offense and he’s a rim protector on defense. On top of that, he’s a very skilled and capable playmaker.”
  • Jazz guard Alec Burks believes he’s finally fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered in December 2015, according to Mike Sorensen of The Deseret News. Burks is looking for a bounce-back season, even though coach Quin Snyder isn’t sure what role Burks will have this season, Sorensen adds. “This summer I felt like I was before I got hurt on that December day two years ago,” Burks told Sorensen. “I felt more explosive, more like myself. As you could tell, last year I wasn’t myself athletically, I wasn’t at all.”
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Thunder Notes: Extension, PRP Injection, Recruiting

September 29th, 2017 at 9:06pm CST by Austin Kent

The Thunder locked down MVP Russell Westbrook through the end of the 2022/23 season and it’s not hard to imagine the impact the deal will have on the franchise as a whole. Erik Horne of The Oklahoman broke down the role the extension might have in shaping the team’s roster in the years to come.

First and foremost, the fact that Westbrook will be under Oklahoma City control for the next half-decade could entice Carmelo Anthony to stay with the club after the 2017/18 campaign. Even in a scenario where Paul George could choose to opt out via his player option, Anthony may be inclined to stay in order to continue playing alongside the perennial All-Star.

The move also serves as a message, loud and clear, that the Thunder aren’t afraid to flirt with the luxury tax if the team stands a legitimate chance of being competitive.

Finally, the extension changes the perception that small market teams can’t be a destination for big name players. Anthony’s decision to accept a trade to the Thunder could inspire other players – perhaps during buyout season next February – to consider signing with Oklahoma City.

There’s more from the Thunder:

  • Days before signing his historic contract extension, Russell Westbrook underwent a standard platelet rich plasma injection in his left knee, Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman writes.
  • While there has been some resolution in regards to Russell Westbrook’s future, there’s no guarantee that this super-team-ified version of the Thunder will exist for long considering that both Paul George and Carmelo Anthony could conceivably exit next summer. Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes that fans ought to embrace it while it’s here.
  • He may still be settling into life in Oklahoma City but Paul George is a passionate enough member of the Thunder to recruit for the franchise. “My job is to make this team as good as possible, elevate this team as much as possible. Whatever I can do I will do, and that’s whether I’m on the court or off the court. My job is to try to make things happen,” George told the media, including Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman. The forward played a role in recruiting Carmelo Anthony and he tried to convince Dwyane Wade to sign with the team as well.
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Thunder Sign Russell Westbrook To Extension

September 29th, 2017 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

2:50pm: Westbrook’s five-year extension is now official, with the Thunder formally issuing a press release to announce the new deal.Russell Westbrook vertical

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, there is no place I would rather be than Oklahoma City,” Westbrook said in a statement, calling Thunder fans “the best in the world.”

Meanwhile, Sam Amick of USA Today reports (via Twitter) that the final year of Westbrook’s extension will be a player option.

2:18pm: The Thunder have reached an agreement on a contract extension with Russell Westbrook, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the new deal is a five-year pact projected to be worth about $205MM. The extension will replace Westbrook’s player option for 2018/19, running through the 2022/23 season.

Westbrook’s new deal is a Designated Veteran Extension, similar to the ones signed by Stephen Curry, James Harden, and John Wall earlier this offseason. However, Curry’s DVE took effect this season, while Harden’s and Wall’s won’t begin until 2019/20, so the final numbers on Westbrook’s extension will look a little different.

Westbrook’s starting salary will be worth 35% of the 2018/19 salary cap. Based on the NBA’s latest projection, that would work out to $35.35MM in year one, and $205.03MM in total. Taking into account Westbrook’s $28,530,608 salary for 2017/18, the reigning MVP will be locked up for about $233.56MM over six years, which would be the largest contract in NBA history.

It’s appropriate that Westbrook would ink a historic contract at this point in his career, since he’s coming off one of the most impressive individual seasons in the history of the league. In 81 games for the Thunder last season, the star point guard averaged a league-high 31.6 PPG to go along with 10.7 RPG and 10.4 APG, making him the first player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson accomplished the feat in 1961/62.

Despite Westbrook’s heroics, the Thunder were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last spring. However, the team added significant reinforcements in the offseason, acquiring Paul George from the Pacers and Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks.

Westbrook’s decision to sign an extension with Oklahoma City will make things interesting for George and Anthony, who both have the opportunity to reach unrestricted free agency in 2018. Westbrook will have a full season to convince George – who will likely decline his player option – to stick around for the long term in OKC. As for Anthony, he’s a better bet to pick up his player option if he enjoys his time with the Thunder, since it’s worth nearly $28MM, a figure he’s unlikely to match on the open market.

While Westbrook’s extension won’t have an impact on this year’s cap for the Thunder, it could create some difficult decisions down the line for the franchise. If we were to pencil in Westbrook’s projected 2018/19 salary along with Anthony’s option-year salary, the Thunder would have nearly $117MM in guaranteed salaries on their books for next season, and that number doesn’t include George or any of the Thunder’s other pending free agents or non-guaranteed players.

Still, Oklahoma City’s management and ownership groups will likely worry about future team salaries and tax payments at a later date. For now, the Thunder are presumably thrilled to lock up Westbrook, about 15 months after failing to get a similar commitment from Kevin Durant.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Thunder Notes: George, Anthony, Westbrook, Kanter

September 24th, 2017 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George says the Thunder feel like a “championship team” after Saturday’s blockbuster deal that brought Carmelo Anthony to Oklahoma City, relays Sam Amick of USA Today. The Thunder now have last season’s scoring champ in Russell Westbrook [31.6 points per game], along with No. 15 in George [23.7] and No. 22 in Anthony [22.4].

“You put us three together, who all have something to prove still, [and] we’re going to be a special team,” said George, who was acquired from Indiana in OKC’s other major offseason move. “We have a young group, a lot of talent here, an unbelievable coach [in Billy Donovan], [and] as you see, a front office that’s willing to do whatever it takes to improve the team. It just has all the makeups to be a great organization and a chance to put championships together.”

There’s more news out of Oklahoma City:

  • Anthony’s college coach, Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, believes he is headed to a much better situation with the Thunder, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Boeheim says the 33-year-old Anthony improved his conditioning this summer and probably has three to four good years left in the league. “Melo had to work so hard in the triangle,” Boeheim added. “It’s a good offense, but not what he does best. He had to work so hard to get his shot, and get a shot at the end of clock, and he’d have seven seconds. He’s much better when he plays with good players, gets open shots, opportunities to post up and do things, post up as well. It’ll just be a lot easier. I think he’s anxious to prove he’s still [a star].”
  • If the Thunder are the NBA’s newest superteam, Westbrook’s decision to accept an extension after Kevin Durant left for Golden State last summer made it possible, writes Royce Young of ESPN. Without that commitment, Oklahoma City may have explored a trade to avoid losing superstars in back-to-back years with no compensation. And without Westbrook, the team never would have dealt for George or Anthony. Westbrook is facing an October 16 deadline to decide on a new extension offer that would pay him $207MM over five years.
  • Anthony will continue to wear No. 7 with the Thunder, Young tweets.
  • Enes Kanter, who was shipped to New York in the trade, was part of the effort to convince Anthony to waive his no-trade clause for Oklahoma City, according to Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). This summer, Kanter spoke with a coach who works with Anthony and put in a good word for the Thunder.
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Northwest Notes: Robinson, Thornton, Westbrook

September 14th, 2017 at 7:01pm CST by Austin Kent

The Timberwolves have plenty of room on their roster to bring aboard talent ahead of the 2017/18 season and have been busy looking for the perfect fit. Per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), veterans Nate Robinson, Shawne Williams and Marcus Thornton have all stopped by to make an impression.

Of the three, Robinson is the highest profile but the 33-year-old hasn’t seen consistent NBA action since 2014/15 when he played 33 games in half a season with the Nuggets. The scrappy guard with a career average of 11.0 points per game could potentially add depth to the Timberwolves second unit.

A more intriguing option for the Timberwolves, however, may be adding Thornton.  Not only is the two-guard three years young, he’s played more substantial roles for other teams lately than Robinson has. The journeyman has suited up for seven teams in the past four seasons, granted, but has the ability to put points on the board when given the opportunity. In 2011/12. Thornton averaged 18.7 points per game for the Kings.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Jazz are still reeling from the loss of Gordon Hayward this summer but have an intriguing long-term prospect in lottery pick Donovan Mitchell, Shaun Powell of NBA.com writes.
  • With his original five-year Jordan Brand deal set to expire after this season, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook signed a 10-year extension with the Nike offshoot. Now, Nick DePaula of ESPN writes, the company will start developing an on-court Westbrook shoe.
  • The massive 10-year Jordan Brand extension could impact Russell Westbrook’s decision to sign an extension with the Thunder, Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman writes. While a player like Westbrook, who relies heavily on athleticism, may normally be inclined to lock in a long-term deal at age 28, Westbrook won’t exactly be hard up for cash if he decides to pursue other options.
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Russell Westbrook Still Undecided On Extension

August 24th, 2017 at 6:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The introduction of the designated veteran player extension in the new collective bargaining agreement has forced Russell Westbrook to re-evaluate his future, writes Royce Young of ESPN.

The DVPE didn’t exist last summer when Westbrook agreed to a three-year extension with a player option for the final season. His plan, Young explains, was to get two more years of service to become a 10-year veteran, which qualifies him for an extension worth up to 35% of the salary cap, then make a long-term decision in 2018.

But Westbrook became retroactively eligible for the new extension option and can make that decision now if he chooses. The Thunder formally made a max offer almost two months ago worth $207MM over five years. Westbrook has until October 16, the day before the season starts, to accept the deal.

The Thunder would like an answer this summer, but other than long-term security there is no advantage to Westbrook from signing right away. As a 10-year vet in 2018, he can receive the same money, although he could opt for a shorter contract, while the DPVE is locked in at five years.

Thunder officials may be getting nervous after watching Kevin Durant walk away last summer, but Young says the team is giving no thought to trading Westbrook if he lets the offer expire. Likewise, there hasn’t been any indication that the reigning MVP is giving consideration to signing elsewhere if he hits free agency again.

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Northwest Notes: Westbrook, George, Hood, Murray

August 15th, 2017 at 9:42pm CST by marksuleymanov

Russell Westbrook and Paul George will be teammates for the first time in the NBA this upcoming season after George was traded to the Thunder earlier this offseason. Just like any other superstar duo in NBA history, it will take time for both players to get acclimated to each other on and off the court. The duo got a head start after having their first workout together on Monday at a UCLA gym with four Oklahoma City teammates, ESPN’s Royce Young writes.

Young noted that Monday’s workout was the second organized by Westbrook this summer but George was unable to attend the first one due to a pre-planned vacation. Monday’s acclimation was the first of many steps for the reigning MVP and George to become comfortable; George addressed the importance of establishing a chemistry with his new teammates during his introductory press conference.

“Right now, it’s taking it as it comes,” George said (via ESPN). “We have a fresh start, and a chance to do something special is really the first thing that comes to mind. I’m not looking past 2017-18, we haven’t accomplished nothing yet. When it comes to that, when I get there, we’ll address that, but right now me and [Westbrook] have something to build now, and we’ll see where it takes us. It could be something that’s special that we build and want to continue on building.”

Read up on other news around the Northwest Division:

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