Tuesday Bolts - 12.30.08

• Help has officially arrived; Krstic will join the Thunder: "The New Jersey Nets have declined to match Oklahoma City's offer sheet to former first-round pick Nenad Krstic. The decision Tuesday gives the Thunder another 7-footer as they continue to look for a reliable center. Krstic was playing in Russia when the Thunder extended an offer sheet to him last week. The Nets had a week to match it but passed."

• Bright Side of the Sun said last night's Thunder reminded them of someone: "The Suns seemed to be sleepwalking in the first quarter, this could be due to the days off or underestimating the opponent. The defense was really bad (to say the least) and it seemed that The Thunder were scoring at will. They looked like the old Suns, running, cutting to the basket and getting highlight dunks and assists that will surely be on the top ten tonight. To make things even worse, just into 9 minutes of the first quarter Nash got hurt on a beautiful pick and roll play with Amundson who finished an AND1 play. Nash signaled coach Porter to get him out of the game and never came back. It was later reported that Nash had back spasms."

• Ziller says at least you're not a Bobcats fan: "When you think of utter hopelessness in the NBA today, Oklahoma City surely comes to mind. The team's record is horrific. I mean, maybe the Detroit Lions have softened the string of utter failure to our cynical eyes. But three wins, 29 losses ... that will almost always be hilarious to the neutral party. Whether justice to the jilted, brown grass to the fellow sufferer or simple joke, the Thunder have become a complete laughingstock. You feel silly for even looking for the bright side. But you can't tell me there isn't hope there. The truly bad in the NBA can offer one concession to fans: hope for a better tomorrow. In this league, that is fulfilled by youth. Oklahoma City has loads of youth: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook ... all kids, and all starters right now. OKC owns roughly two dozen draft picks to spend the next two Junes. Take away Joe Smith and Earl Watson, and you've basically got a college team. This is where we turn to our main subject, a bad team without much hope, by my count the Bleakest Team in the NBA: the Charlotte Bobcats."

• Another Serge Ibaka update: In December, he's averaging 13 minutes per game, 5.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and is shooting 57 percent from the field.

• A mock draft from Bleacher Report has Oklahoma City picking you-know-where and taking you-know-who: "Clearly the supreme talent in this class, the sophomore 6-foot-9 forward has gotten off to a ridiculous start this year for the unbeaten Sooners. His superior athleticism gives him a huge advantage crashing the boards, and his offensive game is explosive and already highly-polished. Unlike Michael Beasley before him, his work ethic and killer instinct are unquestioned and he appears willing to do anything to get the win. Unfortunately for him, it's looking like he'll have to stay in Oklahoma and play for the OKC Durants. Quite frankly, this team needs anything it can get. They wouldn't be doing too shabbily to snag Griffin, though."

Need to waste a little time clicking the same button over and over?

Try ESPN's 2009 NBA Lottery Mock Draft! I know I've done it about 59 times. The last three times I ran it, OKC got the fourth pick and took James Harden. And I cried. Out loud.

It sucks that even though OKC could potentially (and realistically) go 2-79, it would still only have a 25 percent chance of winning. There should be some kind of "total and unbelievable suckage" clause that gives a team at least a 50 percent chance of winning the lottery. And also gives said team 20 or 30 million in "spending money" for the offseason. And lowers the rim to eight feet on the offensive end.

With this draft, whoever gets No. 1 takes Blake Griffin. That hasn't changed yet. But the top five changes almost every time depending on who picks where. OKC has taken Griffin every single time at one. At two, the Thunder has taken Ricky Rubio every time. When Wizards got Griffin at one and Minnesota picked second, the Wolves almost always took Hasheem Thabeet and left Rubio to OKC at three. The lowest OKC ever fell was fourth to which it took James Harden every time. Basically everyone but Minny wants Rubio at two.

A couple of oddities:
- Once, Rubio fell to OKC at four. Washington took Griffin, Minnesota took Thabeet, Indiana took Harden, and the Thunder took Rubio.
- Once, the Thunder took Thabeet at four. Washington took Griffin, Golden State took Brandon Jennings, the Clippers took Rubio and OKC took Thabeet. Which means Thabeet is in front of Harden on OKC's board.

I would say the Thunder's big board (according to Chad Ford) is:
1. Blake Griffin
2. Ricky Rubio
3. Hasheem Thabeet
4. James Harden

OKC never took a player outside of these four. Not once did it take Stephen Curry or Brandon Jennings. According to Ford, one of those four guys will be in a Thunder uniform next year.

One thing to keep in mind is the Thunder's chances of getting Griffin really don't get better with every loss. I think it's pretty clear OKC will finish with the league's worst record. The Thunder will have a 25 percent chance to get him, which is more than anyone else. So now that you've pretty much got the most ping-pong balls wrapped up, how about winning a few boys?

Friday Bolts - 12.5.08

• Still looking ahead to next June, ESPN's Chad Ford says Blake Griffin is separating and Ricky Rubio is falling: "We began our 2009 Top 100 in July with Griffin atop the list. From the look of things, he's staying there the rest of the year. He has absolutely dominated on both ends of the court -- putting up a Michael Beasley-esque performance in the pre-Big 12 schedule this season. Griffin's combination of size, strength and athleticism, along with his growing offensive prowess, makes him the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. Right now, there isn't a close second."

• Gary Payton talks Sonics with Ball Don't Lie: "BDL: You said recently that you believe Seattle will have another team by 2011, what makes you so sure? GP: A lot of people don't know why the city took the deal ... the NBA guaranteed [Seattle] that they can get a team back in 2011. They can keep their colors, keep their tradition, and they can keep their name, and gave them 75 million dollars. Most people don't know what was in the deal, and that's why the city took the deal because they knew they're gonna get a basketball team back."

• Stan Van Gundy thinks Durant will be a "nightmare" in the future: "Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy predicts Durant, who faces Van Gundy and the Magic tonight at Amway Arena, will be a nightmare. "The key to being great in this league is you have a defined game of what you do well and continue to do it better and better,” Van Gundy said. "Will he become a better post-up player? Yeah. But if he’s spending all his time trying to become a low-post guy, honestly, I think he’s spending his time the wrong way.”

• Chris Silva of the official Thunderblog crunches some numbers: "One way you can tell the Thunder have given maximum effort under Brooks is by looking at some general statistics. For instance, in the season’s first 13 games, the Thunder averaged 88.9 points per game. In its last six games, OKC’s scoring average has jumped to 98 points per game, which backs up Brooks’ point that the team has done a better job of moving the ball and spacing themselves on the court."

• Raptor blog Cuzoogle looks at what each team wants for Christmas - the Thunder: "Five Kevin Durants, four bruising big men, three three point shooters, two All-Star guards and a partridge in a pear tree."

Let's just go ahead and start looking forward to next June

When your team starts 1-11, there's a few things you can do.
1. Stop paying attention
2. Look for positives and convince yourself improvement is coming
3. Call for your coach's head
4. Watch each game with your arms folded and with a cynical, "I don't care" attitude.
5. Start talking about next year's draft.

And that's what we're going to do here. Why not? It's clear that Oklahoma City will have another lottery pick, but the question is where? By no means am I giving up on the season, because we all knew we'd be in the lottery. It's just, there's not a ton to say about a team that 1-11 besides, "They stink." And plus, it's always fun to look ahead and dream of one player turning your life around.

So who is going to impact the Thunder the most? Who could be our Tim Duncan - the guy to take us from the bottom of the basement to the top of the townhouse?

Blake Griffin - Oklahoma
If OKC picks No. 1, this is who they take. No questions asked. Don't even think twice. Blake Griffin is your man. First, he's obviously a hometown guy. Second, I truly don't think there is another player in the country that can match him athletically or physically. He's the best player in the nation. Period. He's big (6-10, 260 lbs) but he's quick. He's developing a nice little jumper and the dude can handle the ball. I've been saying it before Fran Fraschilla decided to say about 14 times on national television - he's Amare Stoudemire, version two. Except honestly, at this point, I think Blake is stronger and more developed than Amare at 20. Blake is impossible to guard one-on-on in the post because he'll overpower you. He can face you up and take you off the dribble. And he's an ideal guy to run pick and rolls or pick and pops with. He will immediately impact whatever roster that he winds up on. Take him OKC. Take him. (Highlights)

B.J. Mullens - Ohio State
He's clearly got ability. He's 7-1 and is extremely athletic. But one thing about him is nobody will know if he will be NBA ready when he comes out after this year. Watching video of him, I see a little Greg Oden in him, just because of his length and the way he dominates the post. But he's so much more athletic than Oden. This pick wouldn't hurt OKC. He should be a nice post player in the future, but I don't see him as an immediate impact player. Right now, the Thunder doesn't need anymore projects and I fear Mullens would be one. (Highlights)

Ricky Rubio - DKV Joventut
I would love Rubio for a couple reasons:
1. To stick it to Bill Simmons. The Sports Guy (who is probably my favorite sports writer) is hell-bent on disrespecting Oklahoma City. He was outspoken about the move and now only refers to the Thunder as the SloppySeconds, the Bennett City Hijackers or Kevin Durant's Team. But he has also declared in two columns, that he has such a crush on Rubio that he "would move to whatever city drafts him." Welcome to OKC Bill. Give me a call. I'll show you around.

2. Because he's a darn fine player. At 17, he showed his talent in the Gold Medal Game against the United States in Beijing. He's extremely gifted with the ball, has excellent court vision and gets to the rim with ease. He looks like a combo of Steve Nash and Chris Paul, but with more size (6-4). If OKC took him, the Thunder might be labeled the Detroit Lions of the NBA having taken two straight point guards, but Russell Westbrook is more of a combo guard while Rubio is a straight point man. He runs a fast break with such fluidity and is awesome at penetrating and finding someone to dish to. One thing that concerns me is how much of a set-shot jumper he has. He gets basically no lift and he's got a slow release. Obviously, he did fine for himself against Team USA, but I don't know how well that would translate to the NBA. Also, he appears to be developing a bit of an ego and I'm not sure how thrilled he would be to play in small market OKC. All that aside, I am behind Rubio and would be buying billboards downtown begging Sam Presti to take him if Blake Griffin weren't involved. (Highlights)

Demar DeRozen - USC
Some are calling him the next Vince Carter. Is that a complement? I assume so, but I have to think he really doesn't fit into what Oklahoma City already has and what it wants to do. He dunks, he's freakishly athletic, but where does he play? Well, unless OKC wants to shuffle things around for him. Jeff Green would either have to move to the four or to the bench, Kevin Durant to his more natural small forward spot and DeRozen play the two. Otherwise there's a crowd. It's hard to ignore his pure, unbelievable ability, but unlike former Trojan guard O.J. Mayo, DeRozen probably won't be able to come into the league and play right away. He has absolute superstar potential, but sometimes those guys pan out and sometimes they don't. He's far from a sure thing and OKC really needs a sure thing right now. (Highlights)

James Harden - Arizona State
Get ready. I'm about to do it. I'm about to compare a black guy not just to a white guy, but to a Spanish guy. James Harden reminds me of Manu Ginobili, except without all the falling down. He's lefty, he's talented but he gets his points in different ways. He's not your traditional scorer. He's does little things well and scores a lot of awkward baskets. If the Thunder somehow fall to the fourth, fifth or sixth pick, this would be a pretty good one. (Highlights)

Brandon Jennings - Lottomatica Roma
For 6-1, the guy is a freak. He throws down windmills, 360s and reverse jams. He is the most "pure" point guard in the top 10. He's a lefty so of course, since when we make comparisons we have to stay within the realm of someone who is short, black and left-handed. So I'm seeing a lot of Kenny Anderson here, but with more athletic ability. Or maybe Dee Brown. Or Mayor Kevin Johnson. They all fit the dense comparison. But seriously, the guy can play but he really reminds me a little of Sebastian Telfair. A ton of hype, undersized and will have to understand that he can't come into the NBA and play like he did in high school. Passing lanes are smaller, jumpshots are harder to get off and getting to the rim is much tougher. He could definitely help the Thunder, but again, he's not a safe pick. (Highlights)

Hasheem Thabeet - UCONN
Let's see - Robert Swift, Johan Petro, Mouhamed Sene, Nick Collison... Hasheem Thabeet. Fits right in. One of these guys has to pan out, right?

But you know where most teams make the most strides? Those late first, mid-second round picks. The guys that turn into really nice role players or in some cases stars (Kevin Martin, Michael Redd, Kwame Brown, oh wait). These solid role players are what the Thunder need more than anything.

SLEEPER PICKS

Connor Atchley - Texas
This guy has solid contributor on a contending team written all over him. He's tall (6-10) and can shoot. He can defend and he has the awesome scrappy white guy stereotype.

Eric Maynor - Virginia Commonwealth
Want a perfect backup point guard or maybe the next Chauncy Billups. Maynor is your man. He's had four years in college, knows how to run and offense and knows how to lead a team. This guy has solid pro written all over him. (I guess my cliche sports phrase of the day is, "written all over him." You know, I'm just trying to take it one day at a time. I just really need to step back and refocus. I'm getting better... ok I'm done now.)

Darren Collison - UCLA
Russell Westbrook's defensive running buddy. Collison is a nice point guard that can score a little but will be more of a solid defensive guard that's got floor leadership and nice game management skills.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
See: Atchley, Connor. But with a better post game and a little more scoring ability.

Curtis Jerrells - Baylor
A little Michael Redd but with insane slasher ability. He may not be a starter, but he'll be that type of pure scorer every team want to have waiting. He could easily be the kind of guy that puts up 14 or 15 a night in 20 minutes. He's got basketball player written all over him.

If Oklahoma City lands to the top pick, the official Thunderworld endorsement goes to Blake Griffin. He's an Oklahoma guy through-and-through. He can immediately impact the team. He fills a spot that OKC desperately needs help. And he's a great human being. Take Blake.

Tuesday Bolts - 10.28.08

The NBA season tips off tonight! Hooray.

• One last season preview to toss up: "Let’s get the big one out of the way early: Kevin Durant is incredible. Absolutely incredible. And despite some criticism for supposedly underwhelming, the Durantula put up a LeBron-esque rookie campaign (sans assists, of course). The most exciting thing in OKC this season may be seeing what Durant does next. At the tail end of last season, Durant flipped the switch. He scored well all season long, but the last two months (err month and a half, really) he had pretty incredible efficiency for a rookie and his points per game skyrocketed despite taking fewer attempts. His defense…well, so he has some room or improvement."

• An opposing team's scouts sizes up the Thunder: "The move from Seattle will help them because they're in a city where they're wanted, and they'll have a nice home-court situation that they didn't have last year. The improved home court will help them, but I don't see as much improvement in their roster as a lot of people think. They don't shoot the ball well enough, especially from the three-point line. Jeff Green is a guy they're trying to push, but I don't think he's as good as they seem to think he is. They'll be fun to watch, but they're still such a young team."

• A nice treat for opening night tomorrow - free parking: "He’s still stunned, however, by where he will find that free parking space: Bricktown. "It’s really crazy to even believe they’re doing it,” Pauley said when told the district will provide more than 1,000 spaces. "I’ve always heard that’s the one place not to bother with.”

• A buzz in the air for opening night: "Former Oklahoma State star Desmond Mason said public appearances, season tickets selling out in five days and a packed house downtown for the nickname unveiling are signs Oklahoma City fans are stoked about the season opener Wednesday night at the Ford Center."

• Tremendous upside potential for big guy Robert Swift: "Underneath the flop-top red hair and all those tattoos lies a talented basketball player within Robert Swift. This must be true, or why else would the Thunder be clinging to this great unknown? Swift is remarkably agile for someone who stands 7-foot-1 and weighs 270 pounds, which are the primary reasons he occupies an NBA roster."

• Since we open the 2008-09 season today, why not look ahead to the 2009 NBA Draft? Currently, NBADraft.net has Blake Griffin going with the top pick and the Thunder taking seven-foot center B.J. Mullens at No. 2. We want Blake! We want Blake!