“Unfortunately, due to the current labor situation, I am not able to contact the guys at this time,” Brian Facchini, the Thunder’s director of basketball communications, told Chicken-Fried News. “I would be more than happy to help once I am able.”
Lockout be damned! Through the magic of the innerwebs, CFN has obtained relatively fresh quotes from Thunder players on the pro basketball blockade.
James Harden is still conditioning and getting ready, according to ESPN.com, but what if the season never starts?
“It would be a disaster,” Harden told ESPN.com. “We need both sides to get together and have a season. All of us feel the same around the league.”
And “The Beard” isn’t looking at the future through rose-colored Urkel sunglasses about reaching a potential collective bargaining agreement.
“Right now, it doesn’t look like it’s close to being done,” Harden reportedly said. “Hopefully, over these few weeks they can come to an agreement and figure something out. Fans, players, we don’t know what to do if there’s a lockout. I’ve never experienced it, and I don’t want to experience it.”
For fan favorite Kevin Durant, the biggest news this summer is the exposure of his tattoo-ridden torso. All ink aside, Durant told SI.com that the lockout doesn’t seem “real” yet because NBA players typically rest in July.
“First off, I trust all my guys,” KD told SI.com. “They are all working hard and getting ready for next season. We’re all family, and we’re going to keep checking in with each other and make sure we get through this.”
After workouts with a personal trainer, Durant said he expects to gather with “four or five” Thunder players in Houston.
“Working out with the guys, it’s going to help us get better,” he reportedly said. “I’ve talked to a bunch of them and said, ‘Make sure the schedule is clear.’” And KD hasn’t ruled out playing overseas, giving the notion a 50-50 chance.
“I want to play somewhere,” he told SI.com. “If you have an opportunity to (play overseas), it’s something you have to think about.”
How does Durant feel about the lockout dragging on?
“The
owners don’t want to give in on the things that we want,” he reportedly
said. “As players, we have to stay together. But I really want to get
(a deal) done for the fans, the people who enjoy watching the game.”
