Hamidou Diallo to be Re-Evaluated in 4 to 6 Weeks. Plus, Bruks is Starting for Golden State.
The news on Hamidou Diallo, as you might expect, is not good. Diallo, who is suffering from at hyperextend right elbow, will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. Diallo did not make the trip to the west coast; this season, he's averaging 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Billy Donovan says that Diallo will be able to keep up with his conditioning while he is out, and the Oklahoma City coaching staff will be able to talk with him about any tweaks the Thunder makes while they are waiting for him to return.
The required writing this week should be about the Thunder's first matchup with Carmelo Anthony. We promise to get around to that on Wednesday. But, one angle I don't hear anyone talking about is Alec Bruks. In case you forgot Burks agreed to a deal with the Thunder this summer, then was allowed to leave once Sam Presti traded Paul George to the Clippers. His destination of choice, the Golden State Warriors. Not exactly Kevin Durant making the same choice, but still, it's the Warriors, and some wounds never heal.
At the time, it seemed like a smart move for Burks. The Thunder were going into rebuild mode, Golden State still had Steph Curry, and Draymond Green; D'Angelo Russell inked a 117-million dollar deal, and there were hopes of Klay Thompson possibly returning from knee surgery by the end of the season. Since then, the Warriors have been ravaged by injury, and Burks is being thrust into the starting lineup. Over his last four games, Burks is averaging 17.4 points and has scored 20 or more in three of the previous five.
Burks probably didn't expect to be playing on the team with the NBA's worst record (3-14), but he's averaging almost 30 minutes per game, and a good showing plus being cheap could help Burks stay on when the Warriors get healthy. If Burks is playing for a playoff-bound Golden state next season, it will be another reminder to Thunder fans about what could have been.
Worth noting: the Warriors are just 1-6 in the new Chase Center, while Oklahoma City is 0-6 on the road. The Thunder's next three opponents are a combined 14-37, there may not be a better time all season to figure out how to win in the clutch.
