Thunder Pre-Draft Summit

[APerna]

I apologize for the fact that the Thunder are no longer playing, but there is one bright side to the "unofficial" start of the offseason. It's time for the annual Pre-Draft Summit, led by myself (Andrew Perna). The pieces will be turned into articles, and will be part of a three-pronged attack of draft coverage on RealGM.

Thanks in advance for the answers, and please remember to try keeping the answers as tight and concise as possible.


1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?


Thanks for taking the time, and contributing answers. We appreciate that you all help make RealGM what it is today!

[slick_watts]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

not applicable.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

free throw shooting, rebounding, flashes of good fast break offense.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

kevin durant exceeded most expectations after his so-so rookie year. nenad krstic played better than i thought he would coming back mid-season.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

earl watson was the worst backup pg in basketball. he was ok offensively but i was hoping for more defensively from jeff green.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

they've been shrewd so far. i think they'll do alright.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

outside shooting, interior defense, backup pg.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?

i guess thabeet and maybe mills. i'd strongly consider trading down from #3 to get one of the other SG in the draft, though.

[theokie]

I apologize for the fact that the Thunder are no longer playing, but there is one bright side to the "unofficial" start of the offseason. It's time for the annual Pre-Draft Summit, led by myself (Andrew Perna). The pieces will be turned into articles, and will be part of a three-pronged attack of draft coverage on RealGM.

Thanks in advance for the answers, and please remember to try keeping the answers as tight and concise as possible.


1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?


Thanks for taking the time, and contributing answers. We appreciate that you all help make RealGM what it is today!

1. Nothing

2. Athleticism

3. Westbrook and Durant. Westbrook really improved greatly over the course of the season, as did Durant.

4. Earl Watson. He went from starting PG to bench warmer. Really was one of the worst rotational players in the NBA.

5. Pretty confident. Presti has a solid track record.

6. Interior defense, outside shooting

7. Thabeet and Terrance Williams

[Hiphophead101]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?

1. Trade for vets and mess up long term chances.
2. Improvement with young nucleus and new coach.
3. Russell Westbrook
4. Desmond Mason
5. Very confident. I trust Presti 100%
6. Starting center & shooting guard.
7. Hasheem Thabeet (or trade down), Wayne Ellington

[Clangus]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

Have 2 key injuries to every team in the west.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

Rebounding, Glimpses of fastbreak offense, Hunger and improvement

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

Durant, Green and Westbrook. All improved as the season went on. Green ended last season with a crappy 3pt shot, but by the Allstar break proved quite capable of hitting the shot. Durant was outstanding. Westbrook improved as the year went on and was a nice surprise for a shock #4 pick.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

Earl F#cking Watson. Terrible terrible. He must have had the most key turnovers and fouls on 3pt shooters in the league. We need him gone.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

Presti is defiantly one of the top5 GM's IMO. We have a ton of picks, money and talent to use, we should have a very good off season.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

Everyone know this is a jump shooting SG capable of hitting 3's with good consistency and a blocking rebounding Center.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?

#3. Rubio or Thabeet. If Rubio, trade him for other assets, If Thabeet- stand pat
#25. If Terrance Williams falls this far select him. Otherwise I agree with Wiff - take Patty Mills.

[big L]

I apologize for the fact that the Thunder are no longer playing, but there is one bright side to the "unofficial" start of the offseason. It's time for the annual Pre-Draft Summit, led by myself (Andrew Perna). The pieces will be turned into articles, and will be part of a three-pronged attack of draft coverage on RealGM.

Thanks in advance for the answers, and please remember to try keeping the answers as tight and concise as possible.


1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

not applicable

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

We greatly improved movement on offense once Durant switched to the forward position; we started to run effectively; Brooks proved to be an exceptional coach and motivator; finally got some consistency in our rotation after several years of chaos.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

Durant, I would say, followed by Westbrook. Big expectations for Durant, and I think he surpassed them all (especially in the area of shot selection).

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

Watson--what happened to him?

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

Very confident

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

Talent, defensive presence on the interior, someone to shoot the three, scoring off the bench

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?

I want them to make a trade as I don't have much confidence in this draft class, but I would say Thabeet and Budinger/Ellington/Mills/Thornton


Thanks for taking the time, and contributing answers. We appreciate that you all help make RealGM what it is today!

[wizkid27]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

Getting rid of PJ and benching Watson earlier would've been a start. However, it would've taken more than a few good decisions and a little more effort to get this team to the playoffs.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

Youth, potential, and signs of what is to come are obviously the biggest strengths. Outside of the young core, I would have to say that our GM has been the biggest bright spot with his continuous diamond-in-the-rough pickups like Krstic and Sefolosha this season.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

On a team with this few wins, it's hard to pick any one guy that really exceeded expectations. Despite being the obvious best player on the team, Kevin Durant may have truly gone beyond anything he was expected to do this season by locking himself into the top 10 or so players in the league at such a young age. I know for the "mainstream" fans, the play of Sefolosha was exceptionally unexpected. Several people around OKC were wondering why we would think about giving up a 1st round pick for this "no name" guy who couldn't get any PT with the Bulls.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

The dismal season by Watson was probably the biggest hindrance, but I would say that Damien Wilkins was the one guy that I thought could contribute regularly to this team. He ended up getting every opportunity from young guys struggling to Desmond Mason being injured and he could never consistently stay on the court. It was also another incredibly ineffective season by the three-headed monster of wasted first round picks wasted on centers.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

My confidence in the front office could not be higher. I wouldn't trade Presti for any GM in the entire league. From his key free agent signings that go under the radar and pay big dividends later on to his picks of Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook, I am just a huge fan.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

The team's biggest need is a shot-blocking/rebounding center. It's a common need for NBA teams, but with the combination of Green and Durant at the forward spots, there is a lot to be gained in the interior defense department. Both of our forwards are capable of being solid rebounders, but to really excel we need a dominant rebounder at center.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?

Thabeet at 3. Somebody with consistent range from 3 at 25

[SD2042]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Find an identity first and struggle to build the team with the right parts capable of becoming a well suited playoff team.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Youth, excitement, some high hopes on becoming better.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
KD35, Sefo, and somewhat Kyle Weaver(should get better)

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Earl Watson w/o a doubt. The backup PG core needs improving and bad.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Sam Presti like the others stated is a consistant GM who has a good track record and his produce solid results during his tenure as a GM in the NBA.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Defensive minded center, backup PG, and backup SF

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?
Hasheem Thabeet and Chase Budinger/Darren Collison

[IanChang]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Establish a very very good defensive scheme and play Durant at SF from the start.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Youth, vigor, rebounding, talent and good work ethic of the young core.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Durant - He had improved from ROY to an All Star.
Green - He had proven himself as "Mr. Consistency".
Mason - He showed great passion in contesting shots and hustling for rebounds.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Watson - His role wasn't defined in this team.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Can't be higher, in Sam we trust.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
A big defensive threat in the paint, a consistent shooter.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 3rd and 25th pick?
#3 - Ricky Rubio/Hasheem Thabeet
#25 - Terrance Williams/Wayne Ellington/Sam Young/Darren Collison