OKC Thunder in the news: Woj PG interview, AI may be Russ’ biggest fan

Welcome to OKC Thunder – In the news for Friday, July 14, featuring topical daily news on your favorite team and the NBA.

It’s been a couple of active days for the OKC Thunder as free agents Patrick Patterson and Raymond Felton were introduced and welcomed. Paul George’s arrival upped the ante with every word he spoke generating copious articles dissecting their meaning.

Paul George interview with Adrian Wojnarowski sends scribes into a frenzy:

Other than George’s own responses at his welcome party the main interview which drew the most attention was with the NBA’s master of breaking news — Adrian Wojarowski. Again, George made it clear he’s excited about playing with Russell Westbrook. He reiterated his belief the Thunder can be special and  how overwhelmed he was by the fan’s welcome. Moreover,  George told Woj a strong 2018 Thunder performance will help OKC retain his services.

Yet, it was another comment not included in the above video that had NBA scribes in a frenzy. In particular George’s comments regarding a potential George for Klay Thompson trade. Woj cleared it up pretty quickly by  clarifying it was the Pacers NOT the Warriors who inquired.

Thunder trade for Paul George deemed top offseason move on Bleacher Report:

Writer Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report outlines his top 10 moves of the offseason ranking the Paul George trade as tops on his list. Although there will be debates on this issue citing Chris Paul, Gordon Hayward or other moves as tops on the list Fromal gives solid reasoning.

"George, meanwhile, finished his Indiana career with 1.14 points per spot-up possession (84.1 percentile), and he immediately becomes the best weapon for Westbrook to use as he bursts toward the hoop. This is a perfect fit for one of the league’s 20 best players, and it came while parting with two contributors who struggled to boast consistently positive production in 2016-17. Everything checks out, which should allow OKC to rocket up the Western Conference standings and compete for home-court advantage in the postseason’s opening round."

Is Allen Iverson the Brodie’s biggest fan?

Although it’s not the first time The Answer has reaped praise on Russell Westbrook he’s reiterating his fandome for Westbrook. Writer Victoria Nguyen of the Score details A.I.’s comments  in her article:

"“Incredible,” Iverson said, according to Erik Horne of The Oklahoman. “He’s my favorite player in the league. I have a lot of respect and admiration for the guy. I think the MVP was well deserved. I called it early in the season. It was an epic moment for us fans.”“I think it’s something that we may not see again for years to come,” said Iverson, who earned MVP honors in 2001. “It’s something that we thought might never happen. I didn’t ever think it would happen on this level, so that tells you what type of player he is and how great he is.”"

5 Reasons Paul George Should Stay with OKC Thunder:

More from Thunderous Intentions

• Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
• Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
• 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

Thunderous Intentions writer Joshua Lea serves up the argument which no doubt will be repeatedly visited this season.

"Oklahoma City has a different vibe than most metros. There’s a sense of community here that I’ve never felt before. You could feel it when the Thunder moved here in 2008. This city welcomed the Thunder organization with open arms. We’ve watched as this team asserted itself atop of the Western Conference. We cried when Kevin Durant left for Golden State. We cheered when Russell Westbrook grabbed his 42nd triple-double.This, along with five other reasons, will give Paul George something to think about when it comes to deciding his future. Some will say that the Oklahoma City Thunder has no choice at retaining George. However, I believe OKC has more of a chance than any team in the league."

That wraps up OKC Thunder In the News for July 14. Make sure to check back with TI tomorrow  and we’ll have your most up to date news and things Thunder.