Weaver sent to D-League
The good news is that now we can hate absolutely everything about the Oklahoma City Thunder operation.
Well, except for Kevin Durant.
(Edit: Hat tip to Peaty411s, who I just noticed found this way before I did)
about 3 years ago
Grady Clapp
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What!?!
On March 29th he played 19 minutes with 7 assists and 2 steals. If you look back at the end of February and beginning of March, he was getting 30 minutes and scoring in double digits with steals and rebounds.
I wouldn’t care if I didn’t like Weaver so much.
Strange...
Is Desmond Mason coming back or something? Maybe they just want Weaver to get as many minutes as possible before the season wraps up? I’d have to assume that he’s going to start and get at least 35 minutes a night in the D-League…perhaps their D-League affiliate is in the playoffs and this will give Kyle a chance to keep playing?
OK, so here's the analysis from the OKC SB Nation blogger
As for Kyle Weaver, moving him to D-League Tulsa will allow Kyle to get unprecedented playing time, and allow the newest Thunder guard, Shaun Livingston, a chance at more playing time than he would otherwise get with Weaver ahead of him in the rotation. This move screams to me that the organization is trying to get some of these young guys as much playing time as possible in an effort to tirelessly evaluate all of them so they know which direction to head in the off season.
Essentially they are killing two birds with one stone. They already know what Weaver can do, but called up Livingston to see where he’s at against NBA competition. To do that, they’d have to cut into rookie Kyle Weavers minutes, and potentially slow his progression down. By designating him for assignment to the 66ers, it will allow Livingston to get playing time with the Thunder without slashing Weavers minutes, since he’ll likely get big minutes in any games he plays with the 66ers.
I guess I did not realize the developmental league
had progressed to where is like a AAA baseball team.
It isn't in general
They basically bought the Tulsa D-League team, which is a 90 minute drive from the city, so that they could shuttle players back and forth pretty easily, and also keep a close eye on the players instead of relying on scouting reports.
DJ White, who they took with their second 1st round pick, has been rehabbing a bit and been “called up” and “sent down” multiple times over the last few weeks. This is Weaver’s first trip down, and Livingston’s first trip up.
by johnnycougar on Apr 2, 2009 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Livingston?
Isn’t that the guy whose knee exploded a couple years ago with the Clips? Too bad for Kyle, but hopefully he dominates in Tulsa and the team that shall not be named realizes that he’s a real asset.
Thanks for the research, Nuss!
My guess is they do realize that
But like the guy said, as the season winds down, they need to see who’s in their future and who’s not. And, of course, Kyle Handled it with class:
40 minutes, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks.
Now THAT’S the Kyle Weaver I know and love.
He had a bad shooting night though, just 3-10
-This comment brought to you by Mr Pappagiorgio aka Mister P
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by Mr Pappagiorgio on Apr 2, 2009 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions
You didn't trade for him thinking he'd be a shooter, didya?
You got him for the rest of that line — including the four OR.
No
But he needs to become a more consistent shooter in order to be a key player on the team. Right now he does all the little things well, as well as a couple of the big ones (good A/T ratio, solid D), but he still is a streaky shooter like he was at WSU.
If he becomes even a consistent 45% shooter, and maybe 35% on 3’s, that plus his other contributions will make him a solid 6th or 7th man no matter who they get in the draft or via free agency.
oops
I meant to say “in the future.” Obviously he can be that guy this year as-is, but for a team that expects to be contending for playoff spots in a couple years he needs to be more dependable as a scorer – at least be able to hit key shots like Bowen or Horry used to do, for example.
Don't Freak Out
It’s pretty certain he’ll be back for the insane amount of games OKC has next week (5 in 7 days).
The purpose of this officially was to get him more playing time, and the unofficial purpose was to try him out at PG to see how he did. He’s already shown better court vision at times than Russell Westbrook (like we all knew he would) but he’s not as aggresive driving the lane and such. Most of his minutes for OKC have come at shooting guard so they’re trying to figure out if he is a reasonable backup for Westbrook if necessary. The timing with Livingston is sort of coincidental, but basically they feel that since he has already been a proven PG in the league that he should get the “backup PG trial” in the NBA while the rookie Weaver gets the “backup PG trial” in the D-League. No biggie.
I think he’ll probably play on Friday at home in Tulsa for the 66ers finale and then get called back up for the final stretch. The 66ers do have three more games on the road after the home finale though, so it’ll be interesting to see if they keep him down for a few more games, or if they’ll bring him back for the 5 games next week.
-This comment brought to you by Mr Pappagiorgio aka Mister P
Welcome to Loud City [BRING THE THUNDER] | WTLC on Twitter | WTLC on Facebook | SBNation
by Mr Pappagiorgio on Apr 2, 2009 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Agree
My guess is that if Livingston works out well then Weaver will stay down a bit longer. I still think he’s better than Livingston right now, but I understand wanting to try different things out in the last few games of the year.
So Weaver still gets his full $800,000 salary even though they sent him down right?
I
This is where per game statistics go to die.
CougCenter
I’m not sure if he does or not. I spoke briefly to Keith Clark when DJ White was first sent down, and he joked about him “missing some money” but “he’ll be aight though”
I need to ask Ridiculous Scott for some clarifications on all the rules with the D-League.
-This comment brought to you by Mr Pappagiorgio aka Mister P
Welcome to Loud City [BRING THE THUNDER] | WTLC on Twitter | WTLC on Facebook | SBNation
by Mr Pappagiorgio on Apr 2, 2009 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions
I would guess the per diem is a little less ...
No way DJ White, as a first round pick with a guaranteed contract, would get less salary when sent down.
I'm not sure how it works
Not all of the money in those contracts in guaranteed, I just know that some of the 1st round pick’s money is guaranteed. Probably a fair amount of the contract is incentive-based, and he probably can’t get that in the D League.
Good thinking
regarding having the team down the road to “act” like a AAA team. Damn Bennetts everywhere! (not you Dick)
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