New Washington Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard joins The Woj Pod to discuss the future of Bradley Beal and John Wall, changing the way the franchise does business, mining the international talent pool, the influence of Mike D'Antoni on his career, working for Tark at UNLV and much more.
James Harden says as part of his offseason efforts toward innovation, he will be working on another move this summer beyond his step-back jumper from two years ago and his side step-back jumper he introduced last season.
James Harden told Team USA coach Gregg Popovich that he will not play with the U.S. national team this summer and instead will use the extra time to adapt to playing with new teammate Russell Westbrook.
Brian Windhorst, Jackie MacMullan and Tim MacMahon talk about how the Hornets and Kemba Walker parted ways (2:20), how the Thunder will move forward with Chris Paul (18:50), if Kawhi Leonard really makes his teammates better (33:46) and some of the hidden details behind the Leonard/Paul George move (37:35).
Bill is joined by ESPN NBA writer Kevin Pelton to do some NBA "what-ifs" in the wake of the wild free agency period. The first of which being if the Thunder had not traded James Harden to the Rockets in 2012 (0:22), including what other packages were available at the time and what other player movement it would have affected. The second being if the Thunder had beaten the Warriors in Game 6 of the 2016 WCF after leading 3-1 and gone on to face an injury-riddled Cavaliers team in the NBA Finals (21:01).
In a news release Tuesday, Thunder GM Sam Presti called Russell Westbrook the most important player in OKC's history.
The trade sending Russell Westbrook to Houston is now official. "Russell Westbrook is the most important player in the brief history of the Oklahoma City Thunder," general manager Sam Presti said. "He has left an indelible mark on this team, city and state. None of us could have anticipated the player he has become, and we are all deeply proud of what he has contributed to the success of the franchise and to our community. Russell and his wife Nina, their three children, his brother and his parents will always remain part of the Thunder family. We wish them nothing but happiness and success in the future."
The NBA, it is often said, has no offseason anymore -- and so, we are determined to keep pace.
Bomani weighs in on the Russell Westbrook trade and recaps meeting Zion in Vegas (0:35). Plus, he dishes on whether or not it is fair to suggest "father time" is catching up with Serena Williams in wake of her loss to Simona Halep in the Wimbledon final (15:32) and Baxter Holmes' story about how the specialization of child athletes is causing serious health issues (26:20). An IYHH featuring a hoverboard flying over "Bastille Day" in Paris (37:10) and inspirational voicemails from listeners dealing with blackouts cap things off (49:19).
Sources confirmed to ESPN that Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta was fined for commenting about the Russell Westbrook trade before the deal was official.
Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni joins The Woj Pod to discuss the Chris Paul/Russell Westbrook trade, tensions within the Rockets locker room, why James Harden's voice is so important in personnel decisions, coaching the season without an extension, how he's had to compromise his offensive system to fit Harden's talents, working for a new, hands-on owner and a lingering regret of how he coached the Suns/Spurs battles a decade ago.
Longtime Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, now bound for Houston, took to Instagram on Friday to thank the Oklahoma City community, saying he was "eternally grateful" for the 11 years he spent with the organization.
Veteran center Tyson Chandler is going to Houston on a one-year deal. Chandler brings veteran leadership and a defensive presence.
Keep track of the chaotic NBA offseason with our Free Agency Diary. Dear NBA Diary, Time for a do-over.
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 53 | 29 | .646 | - | L1 |
| San Antonio | 48 | 34 | .585 | 5 | W3 |
| Memphis | 33 | 49 | .402 | 20 | W1 |
| New Orleans | 33 | 49 | .402 | 20 | L1 |
| Dallas | 33 | 49 | .402 | 20 | L1 |
| RD(PK) | PLAYER | POS | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2(16) | De'Anthony Melton | PG | USC |
| YEAR | W | L | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 53 | 29 | .646 |
| 2017-18 | 65 | 17 | .793 |
| 2016-17 | 55 | 27 | .671 |
| 2015-16 | 41 | 41 | .500 |
| 2014-15 | 56 | 26 | .683 |
