Loud Links: 07|26|10

Breaking down the Team USA roster situation - CBSSports.com
Jeff Green - Green has been pretty meh so far. His 3-point shot has been inconsistent, he hasn't hit many jumpers and he hasn't rebounded exceptionally well. Yet because of the team's situation, he fits in well. He's versatile, can play multiple positions and can be a very solid offensive player. He might not see quality time, but he's worth having.

NBA.com: Durant steps up as new face of USA basketball
Kevin Durant wasn't always so humble. In fact, he was once a trash-talking 15-year-old whose mouth was bigger than his game. It was the summer of 2004 and Durant, having broken onto the high school hoops scene as a sophomore, was at Nike All-America camp in Indianapolis, where he ran into another camper named Vernon Macklin. Durant's AAU team and Macklin's AAU team were playing in the annual Peach Jam tournament in South Carolina the following week. Durant, looking to make a name for himself, got brash.

Oklahoma City's Ryan Reid: Far From LeBron James - WSJ.com
Mr. Presti says the pick was business-as-usual, following the team's philosophy of employing physical players that put an emphasis on defense. He says that because Florida State plays similarly, it makes it easier to imagine Mr. Reid in a Thunder uniform.

With 16 players signed, Kyle Weaver could be on the outside looking in | NewsOK.com
The easiest thing for the Thunder to do could be to waive Weaver or whomever it might be that is caught in the numbers game. But when have we known Thunder GM Sam Presti to take the easy route?