Dustin @Rolling_Thundah is an avid Oklahoma City Thunder fan and illustrates his feelings of the Dwight Howard trade and the implications it may pose on the young Thunder.
Be sure to follow Dustin at @Rolling_Thundah
So everyone enjoyed the Olympics right? I know I did, it felt very good to watch Kevin, Kobe, and King James embrace each other in joy and elation at their triumph as a cohesive unit rather than battling each other under the scrutiny of mainstream media. It was refreshing; it was a great example of everything that’s good about the game of basketball.
That being said, It’s time to return to the NBA, nearly 2 months from now one of the most compelling narratives will be Thunder vs. Lakers for the top spot in the West, you cannot count out San Antonio but as usual the narrative will not be bringing them along for the ride. These are a few thoughts going forward on what the Dwight Howard Trade means for Clay Bennet, two expiring contracts, and one Kendrick Perkins.
In Oklahoma, we believe our teams represent something, stands for an ideal of small town America, which it’s not all about the glamour and beach homes to win. It’s about hard work, and albeit good fortune every now and again. Fortune in that our leading man believes in these Ideals just as much as we do, because honestly without Kevin Durant would Russell Westbrook have signed that extension? I’m inclined not to think so, but I’d like to. It’s these Ideals that led a young run n’ gun team with raw talent to push the elite Lakers in 2009-2010 to 6 games, that inspired them, brought the building down with noise and established Loud City.
Fast Forward 2010-2011, Presti strikes and acquires Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson in a trade for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic. Presti knew what he was getting when he got Perkins, not 12-8-2 a game, but the man to defend the Laker Big Man, that has always been Perkins role and it’s a role he relishes in, even hounding Bynum into a 15% performance in this year’s semifinals, an abysmal 2-13 in game 3. So what’s this mean? It means once again, Kendrick Perkins role is vitally important to Oklahoma City, Howard and Gasol against Perkins and Ibaka? I’m excited, obviously the former will outscore the latter, but it’ll be the irresistible force clashing with the immovable object.
How does this trade effect the Oklahoma City front office? These very same Ideals are in the forefront of everyone’s thought process in the Thunder front office. You think Clay Bennet is going to let Hollywood come in and stop his team that he gruelingly tanked to build? Now?! A season after they were 3 games from being world champions now LA wants to dethrone his team in the West? I Imagine Bennet burns Laker memorabilia in his home to warm it in the winter. This changes things I do feel, I can’t see James Harden and Serge Ibaka going anywhere in the forseeable future. Sure they may have to dip into the Luxury Tax, but how much? Harden’s stated his intent to stay with the team, but what’s that going to cost? What’s that going to cost Thunder Fans? These are all questions we’ll have to wait and see the answer to. But as for the Thunder as an organization, it’s now finals or bust, and all hands are on deck.
