OKC Thunder in the news: George and Westbrook bond, Presti MacGyver’s NBA offseason

Welcome to OKC Thunder – In the news for Saturday, July 15, featuring topical daily news on your favorite team and the NBA.

OKC Thunder In the News for July 15 column focuses on George and Westbrook bonding, Collison’s signing, and Sam Presti, MacGyvers the NBA offseason

Russell Westbrook and Paul George begin their bonding:

Not surprisingly the OKC Thunder got every nuance down for Paul George’s arrival. This included his favorite snacks -Fruit Gushers and sunflower seeds. But, how Presti choreographed his 2 stars meeting was perfect. The informal setting for Westbrook and George to talk feels like Presti’s hands were all over it. George was at O Bar with family and friends. When Westbrook arrived it afforded the two an unfettered setting to just hang out. Hopefully this is just the start of what will be a long term relationship with the OKC Thunder.

Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins serves up yet another brilliant article. In it Jenkins details all the behind the scenes moments beginning with  George’s arrival. Jenkins cover George’s initial interaction with the OKC Thunder front office, fan base and Westbrook. It’s a must read:

"This exchange reveals nothing about how Westbrook and George will function together, whether Westbrook will achieve more harmony with George than he did Durant, and if the July outcome will be any different. The question Westbrook put to Durant 13 months ago about changing did not have to be answered last season, when the Thunder needed his triple doubles and headlong rushes, but it does this fall. Fruit Gushers are sweet, but Westbrook remains OKC’s most valuable recruiting tool, and George is obviously seeking to join a union rather than witness a solo act."

Sam Presti’s penchant for MacGyver:

It is no secret OKC entered this offseason with precious little cap space. Nor were there discernible big name free agents to dangle, aside from the one star they were intent on building around.  So, learning the man dubbed the Thunder Magician has a sense of humor isn’t surprising. For Sam Presti to equate his staff needing to attack free agency with MacGyver like precision is the perfect analogy.  And, a task they’ve done an excellent job of.

Scooby Axson of Sports Ilustrated The Crossover offers up further insight in his current article:

"“Presti handed all his top lieutenants notecards with a picture of Richard Dean Anderson, the actor best known as MacGyver. The implication was obvious, at least to elders in the building.We’ll have to use some tools we don’t have yet or some tools we haven’t had,” says director of basketball operations Paul Rivers, “and look from a perspective we haven’t had to look from before.” The Thunder did not possess a trove of draft picks, like the Celtics, but they did employ another kind of asset. When Durant bolted they made a conscious decision to invest in young controllable players, partly because they could be developed, but also because they could be traded far more easily than veterans."

Nick Collison re-signs with OKC Thunder:

Perhaps it was a foregone conclusion Nick Collison would return, but it was never a certainty.  Dakari Johnson and Josh Huestis will potentially get minutes this season with the varsity team. So, Collison represents the perfect veteran to have on the bench to work with the youngsters. That, and it’s befitting of Sam Presti to make Collison a lifer with one organization. No doubt this is his final season. My counterpart Tony Heim details the big man’s re-signing.

"Collison isn’t going to play much this season. Last year was the first in which he saw his minutes per game drop below 10 (6.4) and his games played drop below 50 (20). Steven Adams, Enes Kanter, Jerami Grant, Dog McDermott and Patrick Patterson will garner most of the minutes at the 4-5 spots, leaving Collison with a role he’s perfectly suited for: a pseudo player-coach."

That wraps up OKC Thunder In the News for July 15. Make sure to check back with TI tomorrow  and or topical news on your favorite team.