2019-20 OKC Thunder Regular Season Thread

[Kizz Fastfists]

With the much better season than expected, do the Thunder make a move before the trade deadline to see if they can make some noise in the post season?

I want them to sell Gallinari and if possible CP3. However, I expect them to be buyers and try to make a push to the 2nd round this year and lock themselves into another very short window of being a playoff team. I really think Presti will get in as the 3rd team with Minny and GS in the D'Angelo Russell deal to add Covington at the cost of 3-4 first round picks. He'll trade 2-3 away and they'll lose another by moving up in the standings enough to lose their own first that is top 20 protected.

Presti might find some star player that a team is ready to let go of for whatever reason and send Schroder, Robeson and several picks off for a young star to pair with SGA. I wouldn't be upset about that type of move. However, I'm not looking forward to hearing that OKC is sending out assets for a veteran player around 30.

Then again, I also said Presti had to make moves this off-season to rid the roster of talent or this team was a lock for the playoffs. I am supposed to believe that Presti knows more about basketball then I do. That means Presti had to know he had a playoff team and chose to be a playoff team in the off-season instead of going into a real rebuild so if I assume that then I should probably also assume Presti's goal was to be a buyer all along.

[ThunderBolt]

It takes two teams to make a deal. I believe the league had one the longest trade droughts ever until the Jordan Clarkson trade. We don’t know that teams have offered anything of value for current players. Cp3 and Dennis have much better value now than they had at the beginning of the season. It’s not like we’ve been sitting on two highly sought after players with those guys. Adams is a good player but a bad contract. I’m skeptical of a Gallo sign and trade but we won’t know until this summer.

Sam stated in the off-season the rebuild hasn’t began because the team hasn’t really been torn down. I’m admittedly impatient but nothing has happened or failed to happen yet that changes anything he’s outlined for the path forward. Even adding a player like Covington for a run this year for assets isn’t necessarily a bad decision, if he’s flipped in the off-season for a better return.

[wco81]

Most of the draft assets the Thunder got are Clippers and Rockets picks right?

So those are going to be in the lower half or bottom third of the first round.

Those picks might not net a quality starter but could help dump salary.

But one of the podcasts I heard said their record and pace is about the same as the previous season with WB and PG13. And now they have a young quality starter, potential all-star in the bargain.

Currently after 50 games, Thunder are solid in the seventh seed. But the #3 seed Nuggets are only 4 games ahead.

If they want to get into the playoffs, ideally you want at least #6 or #5 seed, because facing the Clippers or the Lakers is not a good prospect.

OTOH, it's a weak draft class so might as well get into the playoffs.

[ThunderBolt]

It’s way too early to say what any of the picks will be with. George and Leonard aren’t on long term deals. Morey is making decisions like a man that has one foot out the door. How much should russ be expected to age gracefully?

Look at how much the Memphis pick has changed in expected value just this year. It’s silly to say what a pick will be like in 3-4 years.

Also, the thunder don’t need to dump salary.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Most of the draft assets the Thunder got are Clippers and Rockets picks right?

So those are going to be in the lower half or bottom third of the first round.

LAC's picks are in 2022, 2024 and 2026. So assuming Kawhi is still there you are talking about the end of his age 30, 32 and 34 seasons and PG's age 31, 33 and 35 seasons. Beverly, 31, and Lou Williams, 33, will be dropping off significantly by then. LAC isn't going to have cap space to magically add to their roster. So it is possible the 2024 and 2026 picks are lottery. I'm ignoring the pick swaps as OKC could be worse then LAC even if both are picking in the top 10. Kawhi and PG have some injury history and that could end up having them drop off in Russ type fashion, although that is unlikely with their skill sets being the type that tend to age well, but missing time due to injuries would effect those picks.

As for Houston, they are barely a playoff team right now. Their picks are after Russ' age 34 and 36 seasons and Harden's age 33 and 35 seasons. Assuming Houston still has both at that time, Russ will have dropped off significantly from even where he is today which is a shell of his former self and Harden will be declining. I'm more concerned about the Houston picks not conveying due to the top 4 protection then I am about them being in the 20s given how fast that team is dropping off.

[ThunderBolt]

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[ThunderBolt]

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[Thunder Up]

Thunder Up baby
Bazley showing signs of being a solid NBA player with a potentially high ceiling depending on how his summer goes

[getrichordie]

Is it just me, or does it feel like Presti loves to draft "nice young men" who are talented, but just have no dog in them. Give me someone who has some personality, who has some nasty. We haven't seen that in a while. Sometimes, I wish Presti would just stop experimenting and draft the 2nd or 3rd year guy who has a solid basketball foundation instead of these players who are just so raw that they could give you salmonella.

[jambalaya]

Presti is higher than normal on wingspan and backstories. Lower than normal on shooting talent (especially from 3 pt land) and it appears on giving coaches input on players.

[Thunder Up]

Presti is higher than normal on wingspan and backstories. Lower than normal on shooting talent (especially from 3 pt land) and coaches with input on players.

I'm pretty high on what I've seen from Bazley, but I still cannot fathom why he traded down (I think?) a couple spots to take him, when we could've had what I thought was pretty straight forward a stud high upside 4 in Brandon Clarke

Same thing in 2018 when we could've packaged our second rounders (maybe he did try and nobody budged) and gotten an actual competent NBA piece who could help right away and for the future in Jalen Brunson or Devonte Graham... instead he took two guys who had zero shot of being even an end of the bench guy

Same thing in 2017 when the clear 3nD caliber SG/SF in Anunoby was staring him in the face, and he took TFerg

[slick_watts]

troy weaver has been quoted as something along the lines of the thunder believe they can teach skills so they prioritize aspects they can't change, such as physical profile.

[jambalaya]

Presti's drafting in last 10 years has been mostly bad with the exception of Adams and perhaps a few others. Most GMs suck at drafting. He was great the first few years but perhaps some of that was luck. And some since has been too confident and wrong.

[Old Man Game]

troy weaver has been quoted as something along the lines of the thunder believe they can teach skills so they prioritize aspects they can't change, such as physical profile.

A funny thing to believe given their extremely poor record at actually doing that.

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[spearsy23]

Watch on YouTube

Listen to the first thirty seconds as cp respectfully admonishes reporters for asking ferg about being benched. I've always respected him as a player, but he deserves a lot of credit for where he's taking this team and culture.

[Pillendreher]

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[slick_watts]

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yeah. we all knew this when it happened. it was unconscionable that this was the move we made that deadline.

[ThunderBolt]

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The good thing about Durant is he’s completely consistent. He’s never changed the narrative for leaving in hopes to find approval.

[thor19]

Would you sign one of the buyouts?

[Thunder Up]

Would you sign one of the buyouts?

MKG as the new Roberson if he can play defense still