OKC Thunder Blog – Page 68 – NBA Blog

Kevin Durant wanted Shane Battier to sign with Thunder

In his first game back in Memphis since Game 6 of the second round of the playoffs, Durant admitted that his lobbying last month for former Grizzlies forward Shane Battier was real.

“I was dead serious,” said Durant, who used Twitter in late November to attempt to recruit Battier. “I wanted him since last year, after we beat them in the playoffs. I was telling a few of the guys, ‘Shane would be a good fit here for us.’ He was a guy I was looking forward to playing with, but Miami jumped in and took him.”

Durant said he understood why Battier chose to sign with the Heat.

“Let’s be real,” Durant said. “Guys like LeBron (James) and D-Wade and (Chris) Bosh, they’re lobbying for you as well. And it was me and Nazr Mohammed and Nick Collison lobbying for him. And you look at the names there, you look at Miami, the weather and just that whole aura around those guys and of course he’s going to pick them. But it’s a decision that he made for him and his family. You can’t really be upset about it.

“Shane’s an unbelievable player, a great teammate from what I’ve heard. I wish him the best. If he would have come here it would have been perfect for us.”

— Via Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman

Thunder trade Byron Mullens to Bobcats

Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has acquired a 2013 2nd round draft pick from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for center Byron Mullens and cash considerations.

“While we believe that Byron will be a productive player in this league, it became apparent that in the near future it would be difficult for him to continue his development and have the opportunity to make a significant impact on our club because of the current make-up of our roster,” Presti said. “This trade allows us the opportunity to create both future financial and roster flexibility while providing us with an additional draft pick in 2013.”

In two seasons with the Thunder, Mullens has appeared in 26 games and posted averages of 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per contest.

Oklahoma City originally acquired the draft rights to Mullens from the Dallas Mavericks on draft night after he was selected in the 1st round (No. 25 overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft.

The former Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year at Ohio State saw action in 41 games for the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League during the past two seasons. With the 66ers, Mullens recorded averages of 15.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots in 30.2 minutes per game.

Celtics forward Jeff Green will miss entire 2011-12 season

The Boston Celtics announced today that forward Jeff Green will undergo surgery on Monday January 9, 2012 at the Cleveland Clinic and will miss the 2011-12 season.

A team of leading cardiac specialists who consulted with Green and the Celtics indicated that surgery should completely repair Green’s condition and that he can expect to resume his NBA career next season.

During his team physical Friday, December 9th, an aortic aneurysm was detected. As a precautionary measure, Green underwent extensive additional testing, after which doctors recommended surgery.

“While we are saddened that Jeff will not be able to play this season, the most important thing is his health, and we were fortunate to have access to an amazing team of specialists to evaluate Jeff’s case,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “The entire Celtics family supports Jeff during this difficult time in his career.”

At Jeff’s request, neither Jeff nor the Celtics will have any additional comment at this time.

Russell Westbrook not worried about a new contract

Russell Westbrook transformed from the most turnover-prone player in the NBA into an All-Star who helped lead his team to the conference finals.

Heading into his fourth season, he has positioned himself for a big payday. It’s just not the center of his focus right now.

Westbrook would be a restricted free agent at the end of the season if he doesn’t reach a new deal, meaning the Thunder would still have the right to match any offer he gets from another team.

“It’s not a distraction at all,” Westbrook said Tuesday at the team’s media day. “I’m looking forward to this year and looking forward to big things out of my team and my teammates.”

Westbrook was a second-team all-NBA selection last season when averaged 21.9 points and 8.2 assists—both good enough to place him in the top 15 in the league. He still was worst in the NBA with 3.9 turnovers per game, but all his positive plays overshadowed the negative.

“We love what Russell brings us. He’s a tough point guard. He’s one of the best in the league,” coach Scott Brooks said.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Timberwolves trade Lazar Hayward to Thunder for Robert Vaden

Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has acquired forward Lazar Hayward from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard Robert Vaden and two conditional second-round picks.

“We are excited to be able to add Lazar to our organization,” Presti said. “Lazar is someone who we followed closely through the draft process and identified as a potential fit for the culture and identity that we are continuing to build in Oklahoma City. His toughness, length and shooting are attributes that will add depth to our roster, while his professionalism and competitiveness embody the intangibles that we value as an organization.”

Hayward (6-6, 225), originally drafted by the Washington in the 2010 NBA Draft (30th overall) was acquired by Minnesota in a draft night trade. The Marquette University product saw action in 42 games during his rookie campaign, averaging 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per contest.

The Oklahoma City Thunder roster now stands at 19.

Celtics re-sign forward Jeff Green

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have re-signed forward Jeff Green. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“It is great to have Jeff back with us,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “We love the versatility that he brings to our roster and we think he will be an important part of the success that this team will have this season.”

Green, a 6’9” forward, averaged 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 32.4 minutes per game last season split between Boston and Oklahoma City. The former Georgetown Hoya was acquired by the Celtics from the Oklahoma City Thunder along with Nenad Krstic and a future first round draft pick from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson on February 24, 2011. Green recorded a double-double in his first start as a Celtic against Washington on April 11 recording 20 points, a career-high-tying 15 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Green improved his field goal percentage after the trade to the Celtics, shooting 48.5 percent from the floor in 26 games with the C’s after shooting 43.7 percent with the Thunder. Green has posted career averages of 13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 315 games. Green recorded a career-high 37 points against New Jersey last season on December 1, 2010.

Thunder re-sign guard Daequan Cook

The Oklahoma City Thunder have re-signed guard Daequan Cook, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Cook ranked 11th in the NBA in three-point field goal shooting during the 2010-11 campaign, as he connected on 42.2% of his three-point attempts (65-of-154). The Ohio State product appeared in 43 games for Oklahoma City and registered averages of 5.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per contest.

“We are excited that we were able to reach an agreement that will keep Daequan a part of our core group moving forward,” said Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “Daequan’s commitment to his own development and willingness to accept a role within our team, makes him a valuable member of our organization. At twenty-four years old, we believe Daequan’s best basketball is ahead of him. His desire to remain a part of the Thunder organization and the Oklahoma City community is what ultimately allowed us to reach this agreement.”

During the 2010-11 season Cook matched a career-high with six three-point field goals in 19 minutes during the Thunder’s win over the Washington Wizards (Mar. 14). He scored in double-figures seven times during the season and finished the year shooting 45.2% from three-point range (56-of-124) in the final 35 games of the season.

In four NBA seasons, Cook has appeared in 222 career games (26 starts) and posted averages of 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 36.9% from three-point range (337-of-913).

Thunder will attempt to part ways with Nate Robinson

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF SAM PRESTI REGARDING NATE ROBINSON

“In collaboration with Nate Robinson and his representatives, we have mutually agreed to continue working toward clarifying his future status with the Thunder. Nate is an accomplished player, but with the current composition of our roster, it will be unlikely he will have an opportunity to contribute on a nightly basis. Given the compressed period of time that we have been given to work through the current situation, it has been decided that Nate will not attend training camp while we work with his representatives to resolve the situation. We will not be commenting on this subject further but will provide notification when a resolution is reached.”

Grizzlies add Bob Thornton and Lloyd Pierce to coaching staff

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that Bob Thornton and Lloyd Pierce will complete head coach Lionel Hollins’ staff as an assistant (Thornton) and player development coach (Pierce).

With almost 30 years of collegiate and professional basketball experience as a player, scout and coach, Thornton comes to Memphis after spending the past four seasons (2007-11) as an advance scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Along with his work with the Thunder, Thornton also served as an assistant coach for two NBA teams, first with the Chicago Bulls (2002-04) and most recently with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2005-07). Before his first stint with Bulls, Thornton spent one season (2001-02) as head coach for NBA Development League’s Huntsville Flight, along with one season as head coach of the Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Association (2000-01).

As a player, Thornton played as a power forward for 11 professional seasons, eight in the NBA (1985-92, 1995-96) and three overseas, averaging 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 283 career NBA games with the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Washington Bullets.

The Los Angeles, Calif. native attended the University of California-Irvine (1981-84) where he played until graduation, earning his bachelor’s of science degree. Thornton was selected 87th overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by the New York City Knicks.

Pierce, with over 15 years of and collegiate and professional basketball experience, joins the Grizzlies’ organization for third NBA coaching job after a year (2010-11) with the Golden State Warriors, where he served as an assistant coach under head coach Keith Smart.

Prior to his stint with the Warriors, Pierce worked for the Cleveland Cavaliers as a player development coordinator for three seasons (2007-10). The San Jose, Calif. native attended Santa Clara University (1994-98) where he helped lead the Broncos to two NCAA Tournament berths.

After graduating with a degree in business management, Pierce played four seasons internationally, making stops in Mexico, Australia and Germany before returning to Santa Clara University where he joined the team’s staff as an assistant coach under head coach Dick Davey (2003-07).

Celtics reportedly once offered deal to Thunder for Russell Westbrook

ESPN’s Chris Broussard dug up yet another interesting Celtics tidbit for us this evening, one that casts last season’s Kendrick Perkins-for-Jeff Green trade in an entirely new light.

After last season’s playoffs, the Celtics offered Rajon Rondo and Green to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook and Perkins, sources told Broussard. The Celtics, looking for another scorer who can create his own offense, thought Westbrook might be available after his erratic postseason play. But Oklahoma was not interested in the deal.

— Reported by ESPN Boston

Read NBA fan reactions or share your views in this basketball forum topic.