2018-19 Oklahoma City Thunder Preseason | October 3rd - October 9th

[bondom34]

Yeah I'm not sure I'm there with Burton, but I really think Diallo is a rotation guy, like now. And ahead of Ferguson.

[getrichordie]

Yeah I'm not sure I'm there with Burton, but I really think Diallo is a rotation guy, like now. And ahead of Ferguson.

Couldn’t agree more. I don’t see Burton being a rotation player at all. I don’t understand what he brings to the rotation that we already don’t have.

Hamidou has looked extremely composed out their and is exceeding all expectations. He’s not got nice form on his shot and to me, it looks like he understands the flow of the game better than TFerg.


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[Pillendreher]

Can someone explain to me what is going on? Patterson hasn’t taken a shot and we just look like we are all over the place defensively.


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Rough preseason for Patterson shooting-wise: 6/23 from the field, 4/16 from 3. I still think the way they're using ihm offensively is weird. He's not part of the offensive action regularly enough and for whatever reason he continues to be the only bigman on the roster who never gets easy buckets, especially in the paint.

Can we get a little bit justifiably excited about Diallo now?

Diallo is what you want Ferguson to be.

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Defensively I thought this was the worst game of the preseason for us. Milwaukee was able to generate way too mayn good looks with their graveyard roster. The rotations were kinda slow, they slipped the PnR almost every time and we didn't look like we ever got a handle on that properly.

[ThunderBolt]

I’m kind of torn on Burton. He would have been a lot more valuable to the team two years ago that let semaj run the offense. When you consider some of the players that have held roster spots like semaj, Norris cole, Dakari and singler, burton looks pretty solid. Still, I dont know how much his skill set will work playing alongside Schröder and Felton.

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

Legend.

[slick_watts]

hamidou diallo gives the thunder another option to consider. four preseason games isn't enough for me to definitively hoist him over terrance ferguson- you all will recall ferguson's game against the lakers (an actual nba game) and the overreacting about him at the time. so i'm not there with him starting over ferguson provided ferguson is healthy. the upside to that for me doesn't outweigh how much it would de-value ferguson if this 2nd round pick was ahead of him in the rotation.

[slick_watts]

Trying not to get my hopes up, but this is one of the deepest teams we have ever had. If Diallo and Burton become key contributors, we are in solid shape going forward. We really need 1 more star. It would be ideal if Hami becomes that guy.

it's not even close. why do people say this every year? abrines, diallo, ferguson, noel, felton -- those guys might not even see rotation minutes on many teams.

[Pillendreher]

Trying not to get my hopes up, but this is one of the deepest teams we have ever had. If Diallo and Burton become key contributors, we are in solid shape going forward. We really need 1 more star. It would be ideal if Hami becomes that guy.

it's not even close. why do people say this every year? abrines, diallo, ferguson, noel, felton -- those guys might not even see rotation minutes on many teams.

I know you're gonna laugh at me for this, yet I'm gonna say it anyway: I feel oddly optimistic about this collection of questionable wings on this roster. I can't quite say why exactly, but in these four preseason teams, to me it looked like the team always got something from their wings. The last couple of seasons, the 2nd and 3rd stringers looked way too hopeless way too often. They were out on the floor, but it didn't look like they could do anything. That hasn't been the case for the bench guys during preseason; not once did I feel like I was watching a complete scrub. Even when the shots weren't falling, you could still see that they were impacing the game in some other way: A hustle play here and there, a good defensive possession, a nice drive to the rim, etc.
And yes, it's preseason and you're not going to play vs that many non-rotation players during the regular season, but still. I think with Schröder leading them and Grant+Noel providing interior defense, the bench unit could find a nice identity this season. They'd have to get more than just random hustle plays from the wings, but so far I think this might have the potential to be a decent enough bench.

[Pillendreher]

Btw: If Grant keeps taking midrange jumpers, Donovan needs to call timeout every time and spank him right there on the bench until he stops doing things he cannot do. We can't afford letting him waste possessions because he suddenly thinks he can play like Durant.

[Old Man Game]

No matter what else happens can we agree that Burton is a lot better use of one of those 2 way contracts than either Hamilton or Dozier were last year? The guy is a baller. He probably never makes it against rotation caliber NBA players given his physical limitations but if there's a dude that could actually get me out to an OKC Blue game this year its Burton.

[ThunderBolt]

hamidou diallo gives the thunder another option to consider. four preseason games isn't enough for me to definitively hoist him over terrance ferguson- you all will recall ferguson's game against the lakers (an actual nba game) and the overreacting about him at the time. so i'm not there with him starting over ferguson provided ferguson is healthy. the upside to that for me doesn't outweigh how much it would de-value ferguson if this 2nd round pick was ahead of him in the rotation.

I think the difference between Diallo and Ferguson is that Diallo has had multiple good games in both summer league and preseason. Ferguson seems like he’s been nonexistent since the laker game even though he’s had a few games. I don’t edpect Diallo to continue to shoot as well as he did last night. Games of 1-4 from three and 2-4 from the line will likely be more common but he has shown potential to impact the game in other ways that Ferguson hasn’t.

[Old Man Game]

hamidou diallo gives the thunder another option to consider. four preseason games isn't enough for me to definitively hoist him over terrance ferguson- you all will recall ferguson's game against the lakers (an actual nba game) and the overreacting about him at the time. so i'm not there with him starting over ferguson provided ferguson is healthy. the upside to that for me doesn't outweigh how much it would de-value ferguson if this 2nd round pick was ahead of him in the rotation.

1) That lakers game was against players that were basically a d league team (many rookies and second year players) and one of the worst in the league on a night their locker room nearly imploded from half hearted effort;

2) You're reasoning backwards from Ferguson's draft slot and not being available in trades to justify him over Diallo. I recognize that we don't have a lot of data to go on for Diallo here but I don't think him being a second rounder is enough to justify your reasoning of starting Ferg over Hami.

[slick_watts]

hamidou diallo gives the thunder another option to consider. four preseason games isn't enough for me to definitively hoist him over terrance ferguson- you all will recall ferguson's game against the lakers (an actual nba game) and the overreacting about him at the time. so i'm not there with him starting over ferguson provided ferguson is healthy. the upside to that for me doesn't outweigh how much it would de-value ferguson if this 2nd round pick was ahead of him in the rotation.

1) That lakers game was against players that were basically a d league team (many rookies and second year players) and one of the worst in the league on a night their locker room nearly imploded from half hearted effort;

2) You're reasoning backwards from Ferguson's draft slot and not being available in trades to justify him over Diallo. I recognize that we don't have a lot of data to go on for Diallo here but I don't think him being a second rounder is enough to justify your reasoning of starting Ferg over Hami.

it kills his value. it would be an admission of failure, more or less, to make a switch so soon and rob the thunder the opportunity that still does exist that ferguson is an improved player (two preseason games is not enough to show me that one way or another). the potential difference between these two players just isn't enough to justify the change if that change is going to basically strip ferguson of any value he has.

[ThunderBolt]

hamidou diallo gives the thunder another option to consider. four preseason games isn't enough for me to definitively hoist him over terrance ferguson- you all will recall ferguson's game against the lakers (an actual nba game) and the overreacting about him at the time. so i'm not there with him starting over ferguson provided ferguson is healthy. the upside to that for me doesn't outweigh how much it would de-value ferguson if this 2nd round pick was ahead of him in the rotation.

1) That lakers game was against players that were basically a d league team (many rookies and second year players) and one of the worst in the league on a night their locker room nearly imploded from half hearted effort;

2) You're reasoning backwards from Ferguson's draft slot and not being available in trades to justify him over Diallo. I recognize that we don't have a lot of data to go on for Diallo here but I don't think him being a second rounder is enough to justify your reasoning of starting Ferg over Hami.

it kills his value. it would be an admission of failure, more or less, to make a switch so soon and rob the thunder the opportunity that still does exist that ferguson is an improved player (two preseason games is not enough to show me that one way or another). the potential difference between these two players just isn't enough to justify the change if that change is going to basically strip ferguson of any value he has.

You really think front offices will base their opinion of Ferguson on whether or not he starts? I think they are smarter than that.

[slick_watts]

1) That lakers game was against players that were basically a d league team (many rookies and second year players) and one of the worst in the league on a night their locker room nearly imploded from half hearted effort;

2) You're reasoning backwards from Ferguson's draft slot and not being available in trades to justify him over Diallo. I recognize that we don't have a lot of data to go on for Diallo here but I don't think him being a second rounder is enough to justify your reasoning of starting Ferg over Hami.

it kills his value. it would be an admission of failure, more or less, to make a switch so soon and rob the thunder the opportunity that still does exist that ferguson is an improved player (two preseason games is not enough to show me that one way or another). the potential difference between these two players just isn't enough to justify the change if that change is going to basically strip ferguson of any value he has.

You really think front offices will base their opinion of Ferguson on whether or not he starts? I think they are smarter than that.

there's still a chance he can start and be effective. in my opinion they have already committed to this with ferguson, at least for a little while. diallo can have the opportunity to usurp him later on if it doesn't work out. i just don't see the rush considering how much confidence the team has already invested in ferg.

[ThunderBolt]

it kills his value. it would be an admission of failure, more or less, to make a switch so soon and rob the thunder the opportunity that still does exist that ferguson is an improved player (two preseason games is not enough to show me that one way or another). the potential difference between these two players just isn't enough to justify the change if that change is going to basically strip ferguson of any value he has.

You really think front offices will base their opinion of Ferguson on whether or not he starts? I think they are smarter than that.

there's still a chance he can start and be effective. in my opinion they have already committed to this with ferguson, at least for a little while. diallo can have the opportunity to usurp him later on if it doesn't work out. i just don't see the rush considering how much confidence the team has already invested in ferg.

I don’t think they should give up on Ferguson. If he needs the confidence boost from being in the starting lineup, then so be it. There is also nothing wrong with making diallo earn everything he gets his rookie year.

[Old Man Game]

You really think front offices will base their opinion of Ferguson on whether or not he starts? I think they are smarter than that.

there's still a chance he can start and be effective. in my opinion they have already committed to this with ferguson, at least for a little while. diallo can have the opportunity to usurp him later on if it doesn't work out. i just don't see the rush considering how much confidence the team has already invested in ferg.

I don’t think they should give up on Ferguson. If he needs the confidence boost from being in the starting lineup, then so be it. There is also nothing wrong with making diallo earn everything he gets his rookie year.

I just don't agree with the reasoning by Slick here. You play your best players, period. I don't know if Diallo is clearly better at this point, as said, its 4 preseason games. But if the coaches feel he is in practice then I'd do it and let Ferg's trade value sort itself out later.

[slick_watts]

if the coaches feel? c'mon now. that's a cop out. ferguson has been gushed about ad nauseum by coaching staff and teammates in the same manner that diallo has. i agree that you play your best players BUT i do not think it is possible to know with any kind of confidence whether diallo is better than ferguson right now. whether you're a coach or a fan watching, there just isn't enough to go by. billy donovan and the staff were laying praise on ferg and his summer work before he was concussed.

there has to be some consideration for optics. ferg is one of the few players on the thunder with a development range that can bear some reasonable optimism. you're throwing that down the drain by benching him for diallo to start the year imo. i mean even if there is a difference it's not like we're talking about a major difference, are we?

[ThunderBolt]

If Ferguson doesn’t start I don’t think that constitutes throwing him down the drain.

[slick_watts]

If Ferguson doesn’t start I don’t think that constitutes throwing him down the drain.

if it was anyone else on the roster except diallo i would agree. starting diallo over him is a major vote of no confidence in ferguson.