PHOTO/Randy Renner
Could the Oklahoma City Thunder lose general manager Sam Presti to one of the worst run franchises in the NBA?
A report in the New York Daily News from Stefan Bondy got a lot of folks attention in these parts. Bondy wrote:
"People close to Sam Presti believe his relationship with Thunder owner Clay Bennett is such that if he wants to leave for the Knicks, or another organization, he'll be allowed to even while under contract. Bennett and Presti have worked together for 12 years."
Some are interpreting that as meaning Presti and Bennett have had a falling out and each is looking for a change. Others, me included, believe the two still have an outstanding working relationship and are close friends. It may be more like the Russell Westbrook situation where the team helped Russ get to where he wanted to go. The big question is whether Presti actually wants to leave Oklahoma City where he and his wife are heavily involved in the community and are raising two small children.
Presti and Bennett have actually worked together longer than the 12 years Bondy mentions. Before Bennett and other local businessmen bought the Seattle SuperSonics and eventually moved the team to OKC, Bennett was involved in the ownership group of the San Antonio Spurs and Presti was getting his career going with Spurs.
It's not totally surprising that Presti might want to look around but the Knicks? Really??
Would Presti, who's worked for two rock solid organizations, the Spurs and Thunder, actually want to leave and go work for Knicks looney tunes owner James Dolan? Dolan has turned the Knicks organization into a laughingstock and the butt of jokes. He's known for throwing fits and tantrums.
The difference between Dolan and the Thunder and Spurs ownership groups couldn't be greater. But New York is New York so we'll need to pay attention to how all this plays out.
Meanwhile the Thunder are getting ready for their Saturday night game at Denver then will begin a five game homestand Monday against Chicago. The Thunder have also waived 2-way guard Devon Hall and replaced him with OKC Blue forward Kevin Hervey. Hervey has been outstanding so far this season with the Blue averaging 19.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.33 blocks and 2.33 steals.
Lou Dort is OKC's other 2-way player and Dort has been in the rotation the last three games and has been excellent on defense.