--Thunder coach Scott Brooks has enjoyed a busy offseason crisscrossing the country to meet with most of the players on the roster. The talks weren't all business. "Just get them away from basketball, just get to know them as people," Brooks told the team's website. "We train them, we develop them. We have a serious approach of our development of our players." Brooks met with Russell Westbrook, Shaun Livingston and rookie James Harden in the Los Angeles area. He also spent time with Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, D.J. White and Kyle Weaver, among others.
"The summer was good," Brooks said. "We really believe in supporting our players and we put a lot of time and thought and sweat into it."
--Coaching veterans Maurice Cheeks and Rex Kalamian were added as assistants to Scott Brooks' staff. They join Ron Adams, Mark Bryant and Brian Keefe from last year's staff.
"We are thrilled to add Maurice and Rex to our coaching staff," Brooks said. "They bring a wealth of NBA experience and solid work ethic that will help our players continued development."
Cheeks brings 30 years of NBA experience to the Thunder bench. He was most recently the head coach of Philadelphia from 2005-2008. He's compiled a 284-286 record as a head coach with Philadelphia and Portland.
Prior to taking the helm of the Blazers, Cheeks spent seven seasons as an assistant coach with the 76ers. Cheeks spent 15 seasons as an NBA point guard, helping the 76ers advance to the NBA Playoffs 10 times in 11 seasons and was a member of the Philadelphia's 1983 NBA Championship.
Kalamian, a 15-year coaching veteran, was most recently an assistant with Sacramento.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's quiet. It's real mellow, which is a great thing. It's more time in the gym. It's more hard work you have to put in." -- James Harden, on moving to Oklahoma City.
