ReignOfSerge
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Ty. Glad to be back. I'm often here just lurking. Thought i'd just dive in today (hope it isn't a shallow pool!)
I totally agree about the ball movement point. And that's something that the team has shown flashes of but still doesn't practice regularly enough. I'm sure it's gotta be a point of emphasis. But i think the "pretty damned good" ball the team played with Uncle Jeff and Nenad had alot more to do with Mr Durant and Mr Westbrook than with those two. This team took a big jump when they moved on and Ibaka got the minutes he needed to develop (and to a lesser degree Perks arrival). Obviously it was worked out (just a bit slower than some of us had hoped)
@MisterJohnsonOKC @Sick Iballison Agreed MJ. And if he WAS actually some kind of Dwight Kryptonite (which he's not) does that justify all the negatives playing him more than sparingly brings?
I'm sure alot of people would make that argument and justifiably to a degree. I just think it's a rather obvious achilles heel. (and i doubt i'm alone on that)
Are you just talking bigs?
Sorry bout the lack of paragraphs.I hit the post button by accident before i had it fixed:(
There was a time when i half bought in to the whole 'We need Perk's Tougness and ability to limit the elite bigs" theory. But the game is evolving and so is our team. I don't know what the defensive metrics say about his defense this season, but my eyes tell me he's barely been better than Ibaka at what's supposed to be his best skill (Post defense). His other "skills" are subpar. His rebounding in particular has been really disappointing. He just doesn't seem to be anticipating or blocking out as well as he has at times in the past to compensate for his utter lack of athleticism. When he was first acquired it seemed like his defensive and rebounding positioning was pretty good. When there was a defensive breakdown somewhere it seemed you could almost always bet it wasn't HIS fault and i think his experience in Boston helped our guys to take a step forward defensively. But now...the guy stands out like a sore thumb. He looks a step slower in every aspect of the game. The benefits of playing him more than 10-15 minutes in ANY game are far outweighed by his shortcomings. He's served his purpose but i just can't see the team taking the next step with Perk getting 20 -30 minutes every night. Numbers aren't everything but they don't often lie either. I'm sure Presti is working on this problem but it's becoming another Uncle Jeff situation with Brooks. The best coaches in the league aren't afraid to make even tough changes when it's obvious that something isn't working.
The Kemp piece is great reading. Glad to hear he's doing well. He truly was a great all around big man for a few years before his crash and burn. Not JUST the best in-game dunker ever (which of course he is).
New guy here. Also a Libra. 10/6/63. And celebrating 41 years of franchise fandom. Started folling the Sonics way back in '71. (Bob Rule,Lee Winfield, Spencer Haywood..yeah i'm old)
I'm not at all worried about losing Harden. I'm nearly certain he'll be extended for a bit less than the max. I also think we keep Ibaka by using the amnesty clause on Perk. Maynor may or may not have to go (depending on what it takes to lock up Serge). Other tweaks will have to be made as well but i'm confident that the organization realizes it's alot harder to replace a 23 year old power forward with alot of untapped upside left over an injury prone and declining center with one skill (post defense). The sky isn't falling quite yet.
P.S. - That Thunderchick is mighty smart as well.
@shiki Per ESPN:
Paul's decision was a formality, as the star guard could re-sign for $48 million more after next season.
Paul will make $17.7 million next season, the final year of his current contract, and will wait until the end of the 2012-13 season to sign a max five-year, $108 million extension, according to the Times report.
When a team makes the finals and begins to get a big boost in national exposure bandwagoneers are inevitable. Sad but true
He's a tall small forward/stretch 4. . He playsmore of a small forward game. A taller, more athletic Derrick Williams game with a taller McGradyesque build and athleticism.
There goes my man Nicholson. Would have been a perfect guy for us.