Thunder signs Ivey: More defense

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, left, drives around Philadelphia 76ers guard Royal Ivey, right, in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Sunday, March 8, 2009. Oklahoma City won the game 89-74. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) ORG XMIT: OKSO107

You’ve got to love the Thunder. Fans want the Boomers to draft a shooter, they sign Cole Aldrich. Fans want them to sign a shooter, they sign Royal Ivey.

Ivey, the old Texas point guard, has stayed in the NBA for six seasons via defense. Ivey has made 109 career starts and averaged just 3.6 points a game. His career shooting percentage is 40.7 percent. Ivey’s minutes really dwindled last season; 9.1 per game for the 76ers, then 5.0 per game after a trade to Milwaukee.

But Ivey would always guard you.

I don’t see a spot for him on this Thunder roster, which now totals 19 players not counting drafted German Tibor Pleiss. Guys like Latavious Williams, Ryan Reid and Mustafa Shakur are longshots to make the roster, but so is Ivey.

If the Thunder keeps Kyle Weaver, D.J. White and Morris Peterson, that’s 15 players. No room in the inn.