Marcus Smart surprisingly (foolishly?) returning to Oklahoma State

By Dan FeldmanApr 17, 2013, 12:18 PM EDT

Marcus Smart will return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore season, according to John Helsley of The Oklahoman.

Smart’s decision is rather curious. He nearly certainly would have been a top-10 pick and had No. 1 overall potential this year. The point guard needs work – especially his jump shot and his ability to take care of the ball, which are both a big deal at his position – but his athleticism is tantalizing. Especially considering next year’s draft is projected to be better than this year’s, it’s difficult to see how Smart will make himself into a higher pick.

Maybe he likes college, and if so, good for him. But NBA decision makers will have sky high expectations for Smart next season, and his stock has a lot more room to fall than rise.

James Michael McAdoo also announced he’ll return to North Carolina for his junior season. A year ago, many considered McAdoo a top 10 pick. But by returning to school and not progressing as much as scouts had hoped, McAdoo sunk to fringe-first-round levels. Now, he’s stuck (unless he too just really enjoys college) at North Carolina for yet another year.

It’s a lesson I hope Smart considered when making his decision.

Westbrook says he’s ‘all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win’

By Kurt HelinSep 26, 2022, 7:30 AM EDT

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome to NBA media day, when optimism overflows and everyone swears there are no chemistry problems, no fit questions, it’s all puppies and rainbows with their team.

The night before Lakers media day, Russell Westbrook got a head start on saying the right thing in an interview with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Trade? Not worried about it. Fit? Not going to be a problem. Everyone is good now if you ask Westbrook, and he was in trade talks all summer is irrelevant.

“I need to just do my job. Whether I’m wanted [by the Lakers] or not doesn’t really matter. I think the most important thing is that I show up for work and I do the job like I’ve always done it: Be professional and go out and play my ass off and compete…

Maybe [he is] as a starter or maybe it’s off the bench. “I’m all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win,” Westbrook said. “I’m prepared for whatever comes my way.”

Words are nice, but actions are what will matter. Westbrook reportedly said all the right things to LeBron James and Anthony Davis a year ago before getting traded to the team, but his not wanting to play a role and fit in was a big issue. Westbrook swears it won’t be this time, whatever Ham wants Westbrook will execute.

“There’s so much optimism on how we can be great, how AD, LeBron, myself — can be unstoppable in my opinion,” Westbrook said.

That’s optimism. Even if Westbrook fits in, Davis stays healthy all season, and LeBron continues to defy father time, these Lakers are not title contenders. A playoff team for sure, but not contenders.

These Lakers will face adversity — maybe early, Los Angeles has a rough first couple of weeks — and how the Lakers, under new coach Darvin Ham, respond to those challenges will define their season. Last season’s response from the Lakers was… not good. They rolled over. Ham has promised not to let that happen, but there will be things out of his control.

Last season Westbrook was one of those things for Frank Vogel, we’ll see how he responds this season.

Suns, Crowder agree he will sit out training camp while they seek a trade

By Kurt HelinSep 25, 2022, 8:17 PM EDT

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Jae Crowder wants out of Phoenix and the Suns have been looking for a trade to accommodate that.

It hasn’t come together, so the Suns and Crowder agreed he should sit out training camp while they find one (this team does not need another distraction in camp).

The Suns’ statement on Jae Crowder not attending training camp in a mutual agreement: pic.twitter.com/IaYCFRheth

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) September 25, 2022

We knew this was coming because Crowder himself announced it a couple of days ago. While he deleted the Tweet, nothing ever completely disappears online.

Jae Crowder tweeted and deleted: pic.twitter.com/bC2VnU0Zht

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) September 24, 2022

Two quick thoughts on this news.

First, it means Cameron Johnson will start at the four, something that was likely anyway as the Suns look to add shooting to help space the floor.

Second, this news does not help the Suns’ leverage in getting a trade. It’s understandable that Crowder didn’t want to be in camp and that the Suns didn’t want the distraction, but now everyone knows the pressure on the Suns to get a deal done and they will lowball their offer.

There are a few potential landing spots out there. Crowder hinted online he would welcome a return to Miami, and the Heat need help at the four after P.J. Tucker left for Philly. The Heat would base a trade around Duncan Robinson, but to make the salaries match the Suns would have to throw in another player — Dario Saric, Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne, Torey Craig or after Jan. 15 — and that seems unlikely.

Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Boston (but it’s tough to make the salaries match up), and even a team like Minnesota could work. The challenge is the Suns are a win-now team and will want a player who can help them this season and all those teams are in the same space. Right now there may not be an offer available. As camps open and teams start to understand what they do and don’t have, a deal could come together.

Crowder will be home waiting for that to happen, not with the Suns team.

Giannis Antetokounmpo says Stephen Curry is the best player in the world

By Kurt HelinSep 25, 2022, 5:25 PM EDT

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo is at the top of pretty much every “best player in the world” list right now.

Except his own.

For Antetokounmpo, the best player in the world is the one that leads his team to the title, so today, it is Stephen Curry (hat tip to Lance Allen of NBC Milwaukee).

Giannis says “am I one of the best players in the world? Yes. But am I the best in the world? No. That’s the player that takes his team to the finish line. That’s Steph Curry. Until next year.” #Bucks pic.twitter.com/331sjK1pDs

— Lance Allan (@lanceallan) September 25, 2022

It’s easy to see where Antetokounmpo is coming from, but basketball is a team game. The best player may not be on the best team, despite his skill set, and that team may not win. Curry was spectacular in leading the Warriors to their fourth banner since he arrived, he’s near the top of the best in the world list, but it’s not all about winning.

The takeaway from what Antetokounmpo said is how much he wants to win — he wants a second ring.

"I try not to focus on (MVP). I've won two and its given me a lot of joy but the joy of winning a championship for this city was 20 times more. So I just try to focus on that"

— Justin García 🎙 (@tmjgarcia) September 25, 2022

"There's something to desperation (before your first championship) but I haven't lost it. I'm blessed to be in this spot and I'm not going to take it for granted. I want to win a championship. I kind of got jealous of seeing Golden State's parade. You know that feeling"

— Justin García 🎙 (@tmjgarcia) September 25, 2022

The Bucks enter the season as one of the favorites to win that ring, but it’s going to take a lot of things going right for that to happen.

Including Antetokounmpo showing he is the best player in the world.

Is Matisse Thybulle ready for a big step forward with 76ers?

By Kurt HelinSep 25, 2022, 1:05 PM EDT

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Matisse Thybulle brings a valuable NBA skill to the table — he is an elite perimeter defender. Two-time All-Defensive Team in three years in the league.

But when the 76ers got up against Miami in the playoffs, Thybulle’s role shrank dramatically. While Doc Rivers needed his defense, Thybulle’s lack of an offensive game became a problem — the Heat largely ignored him and helped off him, allowing Miami to muck up the Philly offense (he was limited in the Toronto series because he was not vaccinated and could not play in road games). The 76ers tried to solve that problem this offseason by bringing in DeAnthony Melton, Danuel House and P.J. Tucker — solid role-playing defenders who can contribute on offense, too.

Thybulle wants to be part of the solution, too, and told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer he spent the summer focused on his offensive game.

“I’m really proud of what I did,” Thybulle said of his offseason. “I’ve worked harder than I’ve worked. And I had a meeting with [Sixers coach Doc Rivers] early this week and was telling him I feel more bought in than I’ve been before.”

No doubt Thybulle put in the work, we will find out soon if it paid off — and if that will get Thybulle paid.

Thybulle is entering a contract year — the 76ers can extend him up until Oct. 18, after which he would become a restricted free agent next summer. Thybulle said his goal is to remain in Philadelphia (and he’d like an extension).

“At this point, I would always want to stay in Philly,” he said. “And if it’s up to me, that’s always going to be my choice.

“But considering that I’ve realized the reality of how far out of my control it is, if I do get traded or something does end up happening, I can look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day.”

With a win-now Sixers team, Daryl Morey may be in a wait-and-see place with Thybulle, letting the market set his price next offseason. If he signs now, it will likely be on a team-friendly deal (but maybe one that still works for the 25-year-old).

If Thybulle gets on the court this season and shows an improved offensive game, one where he can make teams pay for helping off him, his price goes up and there may be multiple teams bidding for his services next summer. And Doc Rivers would be happy in the short term.

It’s up to Thybulle to prove it now.

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