The Mailbag of Ed: Russell Westbrook signs with Jordan Brand, 'Thudner' alternates leaked

I write this mailbag post while being stuck in Denver, Colorado's airport for six hours. The thought of shooting myself popped into my mind somewhere between 1 and 238 times while seeing a blend of cowboy hats, Peyton Manning jerseys and an abundance of women wearing Uggs. It was truly a sight to see.

I wouldn't have made it out of that place alive if I hadn't found a phenomenal bar at the airport. I know, most airport bars are hokey, expensive and lack a bar selection worthy worth my mustache to tickle, but Colorado has a phenomenal selection of locally made whiskeys, gin and microbrews. $50 later, I'd consumed more brown liquor than a classroom of kids consume chocolate milk. I'd had my fill.

Thank God for spellcheck and not hitting "send" on articles. Otherwise, this post might've looked like a cast member of Jersey Shore wrote it. WIth that being said, here is the Mailbag of Ed, with questions from Ed's twitter feed.

After reading your piece this week on Cole Aldrich, I began to think about this current roster. Does it stay in tact or are there moves to be made outside of James Harden? - @YaasirAli

Potentially. If Reggie Jackson emerges into another find for the Thunder, then Eric Maynor becomes expendable. I've said this plenty of times, but Maynor could possibly start for 8-10 teams at point guard right now. If the Thunder decided to pair Maynor, another young player and a draft pick to solidify the front line? I couldn't blame them. The problem is, is that player out there? The example of this move is Rasheed Wallace to the Pistons in '04, but who would be that guy in '12-13? Chris Kaman? Elton Brand? Yikes and yikes.

Tell me you saw the leaked "Thudner" alternate jersey on NBA 2K13? Yay or Nay? - @MichaelEstep1

Yes. I. Did.

Reminds me of the old Cincinnati Royals jersey of the 60's, but I like it for no other reason than the jersey doesn't look like anyone else's in the league. That's important to me. Although I'd like to see a third color thrown in there somehow, it looks clean and efficient. It will sell like hot cakes.

Settle a debate for me and my girlfriend: The ladyfriend and I are watching television and Love Jones comes on. She gets excited and cries to watch it, saying that Love Jones is a phenomenal movie, I say that Nina was the worst girlfriend of all-time. What do you think? - @KalamitySmith

Man, i hate this movie. If you're dating a woman (Nia Long), then she decides after awhile that she's going to move to New York City to be with a dude she even thinks is lame, then moves back and dates YOUR HOMEBOY (Bill Bellamy) who just so happens to drive a hearse....we can't ever be together. Darius (Larenz Tate) is a simp, I don't co-sign that type of behavior.

Russell Westbrook signed with Jordan Brand this week. Good move? - @JoeyWessels

Its a phenomenal move for Westbrook. If Westbrook ever wanted to get out of Kevin Durant's shadow, this was the way to do it. Russell's cache just went up a ton, and the opportunity to wear haphazardly thrown together Jordan shoes will match well with Russell's haphazardly thrown together wardrobe for press conferences. This is a win-win-win.

Did you read Bill Simmons piece on James Harden and the Thunder brass? - @nidopal

I did, and there are a couple of realizations that I came to understand after digesting the piece. One, James Harden will receive a max deal, without question. If he doesn't, it will only be because either Harden gave the Thunder a hometown discount, or the Thunder sign Harden to a massive deal that will be backloaded, thus delaying the tax hit and allowing OKC to retool their roster for the next few years.

Either way, the expectation of signing Harden by Halloween is irrelevant, outside of the sheer desire to put the Harden talk to bed so we don't have to worry about it. However, why put anything in stone now if you don't have to? Right? Unless the Thunder believe that the trio of Durant-Harden-Ibaka are good enough to build around, and that Harden is replaceable, I can't see a scenario where he doesn't return. If they do find him replaceable....then the league's greatest beard will be playing for a team that isn't worth a damn at all, and that would be a damn shame.