Monthly Archives: July 2017

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 25 July 2017

NTTB Rumblings, Offseason Beat, , , , ,

img_4133-5If this off-season goes on for any longer, the Thunder will be rumored to be acquiring Michael Jordan from the Charlotte Hornets. Here are today’s Rumblings…

Soooo, Carmelo Anthony and the Thunder reportedly have have mutual interests: “For all that Melo has said about wanting to live in big cities and command large markets, this is a plausible possibility. The Knicks, now under Steve Mills and Scott Perry, could be asking for a lot in Melo deals with Houston or Cleveland. Just a week ago, Melo was all but wearing Rockets red, but after a change of leadership in New York the momentum on such a deal seems to have slowed. It’s probably a good sign for the Knicks as they try to either keep Melo or maximize his value in a trade.”

How Carmelo could fit with the Thunder: “Getting Anthony to OKC would have some of the same issues of the Blake Griffin trade that never happened. Even with questions about fit, Anthony would be a potentially lethal addition to the Thunder offense. Before Griffin, an Oklahoma City native, decided to re-sign a max contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, any deal he was involved in would have had to have been a sign-and-trade in which he’d said “send me to OKC.” Like Griffin, an Anthony trade hinges on the desire to play in Oklahoma City.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 25 July 2017 →

NTTB Podcast (Episode 3) – The Thunder Award Show

Offseason Beat, podcast, , , , , , , ,

IMG_4109On Episode 3 of the NTTB podcast, we discuss the following topics:

  • The Dakari Johnson and Yannis Morin signings
  • The Ins and Outs of the new Nike uniforms
  • Thunder Award Show
  • How Steven Adams will play with the Thunder’s new personnel
  • How much would you offer for Kyle Singler
  • And some Kyrie Irving talk

Thank you for listening. We will be doing a podcast once a week. If you have any Thunder or NBA related questions, make sure you hit us up on Twitter (@alexroig_NTTB or @Montero_A13).

We are on Itunes under the NTTB Podcast. Make sure you leave us a 5-star review if you can. As always, Thunder Up!

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 24 July 2017

NTTB Rumblings, Offseason Beat, , , , , , , ,

img_4133-5Hello, new week. Don’t be mean. Here is Monday’s edition of DTR…

Fred Katz looks at how the Ronnie Price signing and subsequent cutting will come back to haunt us this season: “The Thunder signed Price to a two-year, $5 million deal last summer, thinking they’d bring in the at-the-time 11-year veteran to be the team’s third-string point guard behind Russell Westbrook and Cameron Payne. The market didn’t dictate giving a second year to Price. It didn’t demand handing a desired third-stringer more than the minimum, either. But Presti had longed for Price for a while. In many ways, Price is the exact type of player Presti tries to keep around in Oklahoma City. He defends hard. He knows the league and the game. He’s extraordinarily bright. Just about anyone who’s played with him describes him as a tier-one teammate. He could probably lock down a coaching job tomorrow if he wanted to stop playing.”

The Thunder pre-preseason team bonding begins in Los Angeles this week: “Paul George certainly isn’t immune to hard work. Every summer George has worked to improve and expand his game. He’s come back from the horrific leg fracture of 2014 which would have ended many players careers. The fact he’s back on track showcasing marked improvements speaks to his work ethic and talent. Sporting a different uniform on a new team, George looks to write his next chapter. For George this season can’t help but feel strange since he’s spent each of his 7 years as a pro with one franchise.  And, with all due respect to George Hill, Lance Stephenson and Roy Hibbert ,George has never had a player of Russell Westbrook’s ilk to share the NBA court with.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 24 July 2017 →

Scheduling Conflicts: Why hasn’t Russell Westbrook signed his extension?

Offseason Beat, Random Thoughts,
Russ camp
Alex Roig – NTTB

With each day that passes, the fan base of the Oklahoma City Thunder grows a little more worried that Russell Westbrook hasn’t signed his Designated Veteran Player Extension (DPE). Now that Stephen Curry, James Harden, and John Wall have all extended their contracts using the DPE, Westbrook is the only one left that has the eligibility to sign that type of extension this off-season. The extension, which could pay him as much as $229.5 million over the next 6 seasons, to include this upcoming season, would be the richest contract in sports history in terms of average per year.

The fact that Westbrook hasn’t rushed over to Thunder headquarters and signed the contract yet has given many in the fan base a little bit of pause. Why would someone leave that much money on the table for that long? If any of us were in that position, we would’ve signed the contract at 11:00:01 pm CST on June 30th (remember, the NBA operates out of the Eastern Standard Time Zone, so free agency began at midnight on the East Coast, but 11 pm in Oklahoma).

That’s the problem, sometimes, in thinking like a fan. We tend to look at the fortune and the fame, and forget that athletes are people too. And like many of us, their schedules are sometimes so chock-full of commitments, that it makes it difficult to do something as simple as signing a piece of paper. I know, I know. Making a 5-year commitment to anything should never be compared to just signing a piece of paper. But in essence, that’s all Westbrook has to do to ensure his future. Continue reading Scheduling Conflicts: Why hasn’t Russell Westbrook signed his extension? →

Thunder sign Yannis Morin

G-League/OKC Blue, News, Offseason Beat, ,


After signing Dakari Johnson yesterday, the Oklahoma City Thunder have now signed 24 year old French big man Yannis Morin. The news was first reported by international website Sportando. 

Morin is an athletic 6’11” PF/C who can develop into a prototypical big man for the pace and space NBA. He moves well without the ball and can even float out to 3-point territory to space the floor. He’ll initially to be a rim runner, but he has good mechanics on his shot and may develop into a pick and pop option. He’s a little on the light side and may need some time in the weight room before he has an impact in the NBA. 

Morin played with Le Havre of the French Pro B League last season averaging 6.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He played with the Thunder in this recent summer league, appearing in 4 games. Morin was scheduled to play with Chalons-Reims of the LNB Pro A league next season, but opted out of his deal to join the Thunder. 

According to Steve Kyler of BasketballInsiders.com, the thinking is that this might be a 2-way contract to allow Morin to develop in the G-League with the OKC Blue. 

Here’s a highlight of Moran to get to know him a little. 

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 21 July 2017

NTTB Rumblings, Offseason Beat, , , , , , , ,

img_4133-5Hello, Friday. And hello, Dakari Johnson. Here are the Rumblings on Friday’s edition of DTR….

The Thunder signed 2015 2nd rounder Dakari Johnson to a 2-year contract on Thursday: “The Vertical did not report terms of the deal, but Johnson is likely to sign for the minimum. A 2015 second-round pick, Johnson has not played an NBA game, making him available at a minimum salary of $815,615 in his first season. That makes Johnson a cost-effective option for Oklahoma City, which will be above the NBA’s cap threshold of $119 million by the time it rounds out its roster. And Johnson has support in the organization. He’s made significant strides since he entered the draft in 2015 after his sophomore season at Kentucky. He’s improved his conditioning and his skills, growing in particular as a passer.”

Russell Westbrook finally gets his triple-double achievement commemorated with…….some bobbleheads.  Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 21 July 2017 →

Thunder sign Dakari Johnson

G-League/OKC Blue, News, Offseason Beat, ,

dakari johnson

According to Shams Charania of the Vertical, the Oklahoma City Thunder have signed center Dakari Johnson to a guaranteed two year deal. Johnson, who was drafted by the Thunder in the 2nd round of the 2015 NBA Draft, has been playing on their D-League affiliate for the past two seasons.

Johnson is a big, burly center in the Kendrick Perkins mold. He’s a legit 7-footer with a 7’2″ wingspan. He played two seasons at Kentucky, mainly at back-up center, averaging 15.2 minutes, 5.8 points, and 4.3 rebounds over 78 games. On a different team he may have had better numbers, but playing for Kentucky meant Johnson was usually lower on the depth chart. In Johnson’s two seasons in Kentucky, the players ahead of him were Julius Randle, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Willie Cauley-Stein. All three of those players were selected in the Top-10 of their respective drafts.  Continue reading Thunder sign Dakari Johnson →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 20 July 2017

NTTB Rumblings, Offseason Beat, , , ,

img_4133-5

We’re almost there. Just under 90 days until the NBA season starts. Here is Thursday’s edition of DTR…

Steven Adams spoke to two reporters in the Philippines. Some good things came out of that 10 minute interview.

Enes Kanter seriously thought Rudy Gay had signed with the Thunder when he put out that ill-timed tweet. He’s had a heck of a summer: “After making it back to the United States, he blew the lid off Rudy Gay’s free agency visit to Oklahoma City by tweeting a photo of Gay’s nameplate on a locker in the Thunder’s practice facility. Of course, Kanter laughs about it now. “I seriously thought he signed with us, but they just didn’t say it publicly,” Kanter told The Oklahoman Tuesday from New York City. “After I saw he signed with the Spurs, I was like, ‘man I need to get a new source.’”

Jenni Carlson ranks the Thunder’s alternate jerseys.  Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 20 July 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 19 July 2017

NTTB Rumblings, Offseason Beat, , , ,

img_4133-5Happy Hump-Day all. Here are the Rumblings…

A moment of silence for the orange Sunset jerseys (according to Erik Horne).

On that same note, here are some interesting tidbits about the upcoming apparel change for the NBA.

Dakari Johnson is getting a lot of attention in his quest to make it to the NBA: “The Developmental League (re-named to the NBA Gatorade League) has given Johnson the minutes he has needed to prove he’s capable of producing for an NBA organization. “Playing in the D-League, they put you in a lot of different positions where I can expand my game. Shooting the mid-range (jumper), handling the ball, doing different things. I feel like my game has grown,” Johnson said. “In college, it was kind of a system thing. Up in the NBA or in the D-League, there’s a freedom. It’s players making decisions.” His expanded game was evident in the Orlando Summer league. Mark Daigneault — head coach with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G-League affiliate, and the coach of OKC’s Summer League team — has worked with the talented big man every step of the way this offseason, mentioning he sees a lot of a former Thunder player in Johnson’s abilities.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 19 July 2017 →

Sam Presti: Putting back the Jenga pieces

Offseason Beat, Random Thoughts, , , ,
img_5382
Alex Roig – NTTB

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti has had himself quite the off-season. From acquiring Paul George to signing Patrick Patterson and Raymond Felton to cap-friendly contracts, Presti has gone from the man that let Kevin Durant walk for nothing to the man most likely to win Executive of the Year at next years’s NBA Awards.

But if we rewind back to July 4th, 2016, the state of the organization was on much more treacherous footing. One of the pillars of the franchise, Durant, chose to defect to the team’s biggest rival instead of re-signing with the team. Another pillar, Serge Ibaka, was traded two weeks prior to garner younger assets. And the team’s lone remaining superstar, Russell Westbrook, was coming up on the final year of his contract. From the outside looking in, this felt like the end of a memorable, yet disappointing run from a group of young superstars who were drafted together and rose up to prominence, likely a little too fast for their own good.

That was the feeling during the press conference Presti had the evening following Durant’s departure. The questions ranged from, “when did you know Durant was signing with the Warriors?” to “are you now going to trade Russell Westbrook?”. It was the first time I’d ever seen Presti a little rattled during a press conference. (And by rattled, I mean Presti stumbled over like five words over a 45 minutes presser.) Continue reading Sam Presti: Putting back the Jenga pieces →