The Honorable Cock Jowles: I agree that he has to become a long-range threat for him to be worth his contract. And as we know, NBA players don’t change much for the better after their 24th birthday. Taller players don’t fall off as dramatically, but to ask a 29 year old PF to learn a mid-range game at this point in his career is near impossible. As I said on day 1, this contract is a huge question mark and will rely on risk, not security, to become a net positive.

For his career, his mid-range game has been pretty good- prior to this season he’s shot better from 16-23 than Bosh, Aldridge, or Boozer- he doesn’t need to learn anything, just revert back to his normal numbers. A three point game would be great (and very unlikely) but I think he can still put up very solid offensive numbers- perhaps not good enough to earn out his contract but good enough that he’s not a bust like he was this season.

I would be all for it, he would be a big upgrade over Novak, esp. because he’d be way better coming off screens and he’s an above average defender. And how sweet would it be having him bury a 3 to beat Boston? (maybe STAT needs to be taught the Garnett hip check?)

thenamestsam: OKC probably really only has a two year window with this exact group. After next year extensions for Ibaka and Harden will kick in, and unless they’re going to be a tax-payer (which is really hard to imagine for a market that size) either Harden, Ibaka or Perkins is going to have to go. Even Perkins would probably have to be amnestied which still means paying him and might be distasteful for a small market. They’re going to face some tough choices.

I think Harden is pretty critical to what they do there, but if they max him out they might have one of the weirdest roster constructions in the league in a few years. 3 max perimeter scorers and then mostly filler upfront. They’d still be lethal on offense, but their defense if they lose Ibaka will be very poor in some matchups (witness what the Spurs did to them when Perk was on the floor).

Perkins is a terrible contact. He may be an excellent defender but he is not worth losing Harden or Ibaka over. I actually think their best bet would be to trade Westbrook, but I’m sure I’m in the minority, there.

Frank: Agreed, although I have to say, I don’t mind Chris Bosh at all. He seems much more real than his two partners in crime. That Haberstroh article really put him in a good light.

Speaking of Bosh – his play in the 4th quarter of game 7 makes it so clear why Stoudemire needs to work not only on his midrange but also long-2 and 3 point range shot.Before THCJ goes off the rails on that statement – I’m not asking him to turn into a jumpshooter – certainly, his major source of shots should be on the PNR, cuts, and other such high-percentage shots.But especially when Chandler is on the floor, we desperately need to clear the lane in the interest of spacing, and to punish defenders for clustering near the rim.Those Bosh 3?s basically ended the game (in addition to that 35 foot 3 pointer that LBJ hit – ridiculous!).

I agree that he has to become a long-range threat for him to be worth his contract. And as we know, NBA players don’t change much for the better after their 24th birthday. Taller players don’t fall off as dramatically, but to ask a 29 year old PF to learn a mid-range game at this point in his career is near impossible. As I said on day 1, this contract is a huge question mark and will rely on risk, not security, to become a net positive.

“Closer to home, McClendon pursues another of his passions: the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA franchise in which he owns a 19 percent stake. As with other assets, McClendon has melded his Thunder interest with Chesapeake business. The energy company signed a $36 million sponsorship deal, and it pays up to $4 million annually to brand the stadium Chesapeake Energy Arena.

What hasn’t been previously disclosed is that McClendon mortgaged his future proceeds from the team to secure two bank loans.

The AKM unit, the jet flights and the Thunder relationship are part of the lavish but leveraged lifestyle that McClendon has built through Chesapeake, America’s second-largest natural gas producer.”

Nick C.: For me other than maybe Battier, and that’s pushing it, there is not a single likeable player.

Agreed, although I have to say, I don’t mind Chris Bosh at all. He seems much more real than his two partners in crime. That Haberstroh article really put him in a good light.

Speaking of Bosh – his play in the 4th quarter of game 7 makes it so clear why Stoudemire needs to work not only on his midrange but also long-2 and 3 point range shot. Before THCJ goes off the rails on that statement – I’m not asking him to turn into a jumpshooter – certainly, his major source of shots should be on the PNR, cuts, and other such high-percentage shots. But especially when Chandler is on the floor, we desperately need to clear the lane in the interest of spacing, and to punish defenders for clustering near the rim. Those Bosh 3′s basically ended the game (in addition to that 35 foot 3 pointer that LBJ hit – ridiculous!).

massive:
I may be in the minority here, but I don’t think that the Heat winning a championship this year “opens up the flood gates.” Dwyane Wade just turned 30 this year, and it’s looking like he’s already regressing. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wade is a shell of his former self in 2013-2014. OKC, on the other hand, has a core group of players all under 24. That’s insane. If they win it all this year, it could very well mean more of a dynasty than that of a Miami championship.

That said, I don’t think the karma OKC’s owners have developed will allow them to win a championship. They’re frackers, and they left Seattle high and dry.

OKC probably really only has a two year window with this exact group. After next year extensions for Ibaka and Harden will kick in, and unless they’re going to be a tax-payer (which is really hard to imagine for a market that size) either Harden, Ibaka or Perkins is going to have to go. Even Perkins would probably have to be amnestied which still means paying him and might be distasteful for a small market. They’re going to face some tough choices.

I think Harden is pretty critical to what they do there, but if they max him out they might have one of the weirdest roster constructions in the league in a few years. 3 max perimeter scorers and then mostly filler upfront. They’d still be lethal on offense, but their defense if they lose Ibaka will be very poor in some matchups (witness what the Spurs did to them when Perk was on the floor).

massive:
I may be in the minority here, but I don’t think that the Heat winning a championship this year “opens up the flood gates.” Dwyane Wade just turned 30 this year, and it’s looking like he’s already regressing. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wade is a shell of his former self in 2013-2014. OKC, on the other hand, has a core group of players all under 24. That’s insane. If they win it all this year, it could very well mean more of a dynasty than that of a Miami championship.

That said, I don’t think the karma OKC’s owners have developed will allow them to win a championship. They’re frackers, and they left Seattle high and dry.

For what it’s worth, WP48 has him going from .259 to .253 to .247 over the last three seasons. Maybe that’s regressing, but that’s the kind of regressing I’d like to see in Carmelo Anthony.

http://www.thenbageek.com/players/167-dwyane-wade?_=1339427792402&season=2011

That said, I don’t think the karma OKC’s owners have developed will allow them to win a championship. They’re frackers, and they left Seattle high and dry.