Lots to get to in today's links:
- Harrison Barnes was the featured prospect at yesterday's workout. Here's a sampling of coverage. [Wizards Insider (pre-workout, post-workout) | Washington Examiner | CSN Washington | Wizards Minute]
- Here are some post-workout media interviews with Barnes, Syracuse's Kris Joseph and Northwestern's John Shurna.
- Ivan Carter and Brian Mitchell discuss whether Barnes is a fit for the Wizards at No. 3. [CSN Washington]
- Chad Ford still has the Wizards choosing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist over Bradley Beal, but calls the decision "very close" and says that Harrison Barnes and, to a lesser extent, Andre Drummond are in the mix, as well.
- The CSN Washington crew debate whom the Wizards should select at No. 3.
- CSN Washington's Frank Hanrahan and Ben Standig have both mocked the NBA lottery.
- Good lord, how much closer could the vote for the No. 15 spot on our Community Draft Board get?
- Gotta admit, Tomas Satoransky is getting more burn in the local blogosphere than I ever thought possible. [Truth About It]
- For any Georgetown fans, here's a neat story about the nostalgia Hollis Thompson and Jason Clark felt while working out in a familiar arena, but in a different jersey. [Washington Times]
- Speaking of Thompson, his workout included a few matchups with Old Man Cassell, who pulled his best Uncle Drew impression on the young ex-Hoya (for those of you who don't yet know who Uncle Drew is, educate yourselves). [Truth About It]
- NBA GM's are trying to figure out if Andre Drummond is the next Dwight Howard or Hasheem Thabeet. [Akron Beacon Journal]
- The Bucks are having a hard time getting all of their potential draft targets to agree to workouts. [Journal Times]
- We already know a current Wizards is the NBA's most overpaid player, but is a former Wizard the best paid bench warmer in all of sports? [Forbes]
- Lukas Kuba has penned another can't miss update on Jan Vesely's offseason. [Truth About It]
- You guys have had your say, so now it's time for BF's editors to weigh in with their player evaluations. Yesterday, it was Trevor Booker's turn.
- Mike got to Better Know free agent center Omer Asik.
- Craig Stouffer weighs in on the Bobcats' perplexing head coaching hire and one school other than Kentucky and North Carolina which could figure prominently in the NBA Draft.
- For those interested in such things, Ted Leonsis blogged a bit about the new "digital displays" he is trying to put on the 7th Street facade of Verizon Center. More coverage here, here, and here.
- For 47 minutes last night, Russell Westbrook was absolutely unstoppable. For awhile, it looked like he might win Game 4 by himself. Then, with seconds left in the game, Westbrook committed an unnecessary foul with let Mario Chalmers put the game out of reach for OKC. Throw in some late-game heroics from a cramping LeBron James, and you had the formula for one helluva Game 4. Recaps: [SB Nation | Washington Post | SI | Daily Dime | Yahoo! Sports | Ball Don't Lie | AP]
- Remove anything heavy and throwable from your reach, because Michael Rosenberg thinks the Heat *gulp* deserve to win the NBA title. [SI]
- This Finals has been branded LeBron vs. Durant, but even more so it's a battle of two Big Threes, and OKC's isn't getting the job done. [ESPN]
- Henry Abbott recaps Game 4's biggest moments. [TrueHoop]
- Chris Mannix offers his five thoughts on Game 4. [SI]
- Steve Perrin has more on Russell Westbrook and the mistake that might wipe away any memory of the brilliant 47 minutes he played in Game 4. [SB Nation]
- Here's more on Westbrook's mostly-brilliant Game 4. [Yahoo! Sports]
- Andrew Sharp makes what you would think is an obvious point about Westbrook, but one that few analysts ever mention: The Thunder might not be able to win with Westbrook, but they certainly can't win without him. [SB Nation]
- Most will probably consider Westbrook's gaffe the biggest play of Game 4, but there's a good argument to be made that LeBron's 3-pointer on cramping legs, which gave the Heat a 97-94 lead, was the game's biggest shot. [Yahoo! Sports]
- If Mike Wise has anything to say about it, you will learn to respect LeBron James, damnit! [Washington Post]
- Tom Ziller says only "someone who lives to troll LeBron James" will blame this NBA Finals on the refs. So that means about 95 percent of the people watching the Finals will blame it on the refs. [SB Nation]
- The oft-maligned Chalmers came up big for the Heat in Game 4. [Heat Index]
- Chalmers carried a 'clutch' reputation with him into the NBA thanks to the huge shot he hit to send the 2008 NCAA title game into overtime, from which his Kansas squad emerged as champions. Well, Chalmers lived up to that billing last night. [Yahoo! Sports]
- John Hollinger says it's time for Scott Brooks to bench Kendrick Perkins. [ESPN Insider]
- What's the only thing more awesome that Lebron vs. Durant? Watching them dual in slo-mo, obvi! The cheesy guitar solos really round out the whole video.
- Tom Haberstroh has come up with a new nickname for LeBron, and it's not very catchy. [Heat Index]
- Cleveland is really digging these NBA Finals. [Plain Dealer]
- How big a factor has free throw shooting been in this NBA Finals? Answer: Gigantic. [Hornets247.com]
- Okay, I'm becoming more impressed with the ability of NBA superstars who maintain a straight face at the podium whilst wearing ridiculous things than by their actual skill on the basketball court. [SB Nation]
- Phil Jackson, in an interview with HBO's Real Sports, gave his thoughts on how his most famous pupils - Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant - compare to LeBron James. [Palm Beach Post]
- Here is a very rosy take on Mike Dunlap, the Bobcats' aforementioned perplexing hire at head coach. [ESPN]
- Speaking of bizarre Bobcats' decisions, I must be the only one that likes their new jerseys. [SB Nation]
- The NBA's proposal to "fix" flopping is a little insane. [SB Nation]
- Kevin Garnett is going to re-sign with the Celtics, so says Flip Saunders, who might know better than anyone who isn't Garnett. [Red's Army]
- Oh David Stern, you cash whore. [SB Nation | Yahoo Sports!]
- Is Seattle looking to do to Sacramento what OKC did to it? [Grantland]
- Is it me, or is Raymond Felton setting the bar a little low when he says he can score 50 points on NBA bloggers? Has he seen us (try to) play? [SB Nation]
- Charles Barkley is the best. [SB Nation]