20-21 OKC Thunder Regular Season News

[jake_swivel]

tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

In the near future, I predict all your will turn to

Enjoy the process.

[ThunderBolt]

tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

In the near future, I predict all your will turn to

Enjoy the process.

Let's be honest. If Moses Moody comes out and hits 6 threes in his first game, everyone will get that we had pick number 8 very quickly.

[cjmcallist]

tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

In the near future, I predict all your will turn to

Enjoy the process.

It is kind of fun.

I keep Tankathon and the Ringer's Lottery Odds up on my computer. Each morning I hit refresh, and watch us climb the ladder.

Last night was big. I predict we finish in the 4th spot.

[jake_swivel]

Let's be honest. If Moses Moody comes out and hits 6 threes in his first game, everyone will get that we had pick number 8 very quickly.

There’s no organization with a lottery pick I’d trust more to develop a top pick right now. It’s a good time to be a Thunder fan. No one is arguing over Andre Roberson.

This time is full of interesting possibilities.

[Old Man Game]

Read on Twitter

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tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

Far be it from me to question the wise one in the front office, but this season is starting to feel a bit schizophrenic. We play objectively good players (SGA, Horford, Dort, Muscala) up to the All Star break and then and only then we embark on a path of complete and obvious tanking (recent D Leaguers sign and immediately get 15-20 minutes per game). I sort of feel like tanking should be more of an all or nothing thing.

[Dadouv47]

tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

In the near future, I predict all your will turn to

Enjoy the process.

It is kind of fun.

I keep Tankathon and the Ringer's Lottery Odds up on my computer. Each morning I hit refresh, and watch us climb the ladder.

Last night was big. I predict we finish in the 4th spot.

bold prediction to think Orlando will finish ahead of us.

I guess u are predicting SGA doesn't come back this season? I wouldn't bet on this. Dort should be available pretty soon too.

I would bet on 5th spot if SGA is out for the season. Would be pretty good already

[jake_swivel]

Far be it from me to question the wise one in the front office, but this season is starting to feel a bit schizophrenic. We play objectively good players (SGA, Horford, Dort, Muscala) up to the All Star break and then and only then we embark on a path of complete and obvious tanking (recent D Leaguers sign and immediately get 15-20 minutes per game). I sort of feel like tanking should be more of an all or nothing thing.

Schizophrenia is one way to look at it. I think it’s a result of balancing multiple priorities.

1. Develop current talent
2. Increase trade value of current talent
3. Maintain culture
4. Gauge value of SGA to know contract worth
5. Draft pick value
6. Allow Coach D to develop as coach
7. Allow org. to understand coach Ds skill level

I think they’ve done a good job with all but #5. It’s an important one to fumble, but 6/7 isn’t bad.

[cjmcallist]

I predict we finish in the 4th spot.

bold prediction to think Orlando will finish ahead of us.

I guess u are predicting SGA doesn't come back this season? I wouldn't bet on this. Dort should be available pretty soon too.

I would bet on 5th spot if SGA is out for the season. Would be pretty good already

It is a little aggressive. But, I see us gaining downward momentum right now. I don't think SGA is coming back this year. Good point on Dort.

I actually think we'll pass Detroit. HOU > MIN > ORL > OKC

[thedoppelganger]

Read on Twitter

/photo/1

tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

Far be it from me to question the wise one in the front office, but this season is starting to feel a bit schizophrenic. We play objectively good players (SGA, Horford, Dort, Muscala) up to the All Star break and then and only then we embark on a path of complete and obvious tanking (recent D Leaguers sign and immediately get 15-20 minutes per game). I sort of feel like tanking should be more of an all or nothing thing.

I wouldn't say we did much different from the other tanking teams in terms of starting the year playing everyone, then phasing them out gradually. We just happened to have really bad luck in close games the first half of the year combined with our injuries all piling up at the same time right now. Orlando has basically followed the same trajectory as us all season, just with more injuries along the way. Detroit's done the same, have a much better net rating than us, but have lost every close game somehow.

Dort + Roby + Bazely are all legitimate injuries to players that wouldn't help us win games, but would help us not lose by 20-30 every night and takes minutes away from G-league level players. This is actually crucial time they're missing because we'll have to make tough decisions regarding which young players to keep based off their minutes this season and next. Plantar fasciitis isn't something to mess with, so being extra careful with SGA makes sense and I'm sure he wants to be healthy this summer for team Canada.

[Dadouv47]

Far be it from me to question the wise one in the front office, but this season is starting to feel a bit schizophrenic. We play objectively good players (SGA, Horford, Dort, Muscala) up to the All Star break and then and only then we embark on a path of complete and obvious tanking (recent D Leaguers sign and immediately get 15-20 minutes per game). I sort of feel like tanking should be more of an all or nothing thing.

Schizophrenia is one way to look at it. I think it’s a result of balancing multiple priorities.

1. Develop current talent
2. Increase trade value of current talent
3. Maintain culture
4. Gauge value of SGA to know contract worth
5. Draft pick value
6. Allow Coach D to develop as coach
7. Allow org. to understand coach Ds skill level

I think they’ve down a good job with all but #5. It’s an important one to fumble, but 6/7 isn’t bad.

I don't think #2 is that important right now. Horford's trade value is the only one that really matters. Kenrich Williams won't lose trade value and I don't think it's worth playing a lot some ''meh'' young players to try to increase their trade value (it could hurt our main guys development).

I think we are doing a tremendous job to develop our current talent. Resting SGA and Dort/Balzey out are pretty good for that as well. Wouldn't surprise me if we rest SGA 10-15 games next season to play some of our young guys.

Coach D is doing a VERY good job. We will need to see if he can keep up once we get a more competitive team.

[cjmcallist]

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

/photo/1

tank 3 weeks before and we had a top 5 pick ;(

Far be it from me to question the wise one in the front office, but this season is starting to feel a bit schizophrenic. We play objectively good players (SGA, Horford, Dort, Muscala) up to the All Star break and then and only then we embark on a path of complete and obvious tanking (recent D Leaguers sign and immediately get 15-20 minutes per game). I sort of feel like tanking should be more of an all or nothing thing.

This is true. But, I found that prefer it that way.

Each time we play MIN or SAC or other bottom dwellers, I've noticed a stark contrast. They are bottom dwellers because they're incompetent. We're bottom dwelling because we choose to. Which feels much better. The hard shift this season makes that even more apparent.

If we're still in the same spot 4 years from now, that's a different story.

[Devilanche]

Something that I saw on Reddit that looks interesting .

Who is the 5th guy ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/Thunder/comments/mn2vf5/who_is_the_mysterious_fifth_player_in_this_photo/

The fact that this leaks to the internet is amazing.

Supposedly released by Thunder care Twitter but cause of the world today , some guy on the internet is wondering who is the 5th masked man.

Can believe I typed masked man and it’s not related to wrestling

[Devilanche]

This season did not meet my tanking expectations. But I think I’m fine with it. I love the Euro direction. This team is going to be fun to watch. They are going to compete and move the ball. They’re going to be smart.

I think this season was wildly successful tbh .

SGA took the next step
Poku showing flashes
Majority of the youth showing some promises
Heck even Horford rebuilt his value abit .

Draft picks and results wise , we are trying sink now but if we get the right guy and he got the right attitude he can always improve so not too worried about that .

[Dadouv47]

This season did not meet my tanking expectations. But I think I’m fine with it. I love the Euro direction. This team is going to be fun to watch. They are going to compete and move the ball. They’re going to be smart.

I think this season was wildly successful tbh .

SGA took the next step
Poku showing flashes
Majority of the youth showing some promises
Heck even Horford rebuilt his value abit .

Draft picks and results wise , we are trying sink now but if we get the right guy and he got the right attitude he can always improve so not too worried about that .

I have to agree. Even if I badly wanted a bottom 3 record in the NBA and cried after a lot of games we won, I still rank SGA playing like a borderline all star above drafting Cade (hope he can keep playing at such a high level).

Also this recent ''tank'' is allowing some of our young guys to show up and could really help their development. Poku looks like a different player now and Maledon is legit. No idea if either of them are going to be good NBA players but the potential is there.

Still think we have too many ''meh'' prospects and we need some high draft picks but we are in year 1 of our rebuild and we have a lot of future FRPs

[jake_swivel]

I think this season was wildly successful tbh .

I meant purely in terms of having won too many games. Everything else has been good. Which is bad in one particular way. This is likely the only season OKC has to take control of its draft odds. And superstars are much, much more likely to be drafted in the top 3. Superstars change the trajectory of a franchise without having to depend on management. Without hitting on one, margins get a lot thinner for mistakes and you have to hope for more unlikely things to go your way.

But yeah, there's been a lot of positive stuff that's happened. And honestly, I'm not sold on any of this year's top three being a surefire superstar anyways.

[Devilanche]

This season did not meet my tanking expectations. But I think I’m fine with it. I love the Euro direction. This team is going to be fun to watch. They are going to compete and move the ball. They’re going to be smart.

I think this season was wildly successful tbh .

SGA took the next step
Poku showing flashes
Majority of the youth showing some promises
Heck even Horford rebuilt his value abit .

Draft picks and results wise , we are trying sink now but if we get the right guy and he got the right attitude he can always improve so not too worried about that .

I have to agree. Even if I badly wanted a bottom 3 record in the NBA and cried after a lot of games we won, I still rank SGA playing like a borderline all star above drafting Cade (hope he can keep playing at such a high level).

Also this recent ''tank'' is allowing some of our young guys to show up and could really help their development. Poku looks like a different player now and Maledon is legit. No idea if either of them are going to be good NBA players but the potential is there.

Still think we have too many ''meh'' prospects and we need some high draft picks but we are in year 1 of our rebuild and we have a lot of future FRPs

Yea have to find silver lining in the present situation .


Hopefully it will still pay off in the draft

[Devilanche]

I think this season was wildly successful tbh .

I meant purely in terms of having won too many games. Everything else has been good. Which is bad in one particular way. This is likely the only season OKC has to take control of its draft odds. And superstars are very, very much more likely to be drafted in the top 3. Superstars change the trajectory of a franchise without having to depend on management. Without hitting on one, margins get a lot thinner for mistakes and you have to hope for more unlikely things to go your way.

But yeah, there's been a lot of positive stuff that's happened. And honestly, I'm not sold on any of this year's top three being a surefire superstar anyways.

Oh yea, I get that in terms of potential lotto ball it could be better. But if you see what our competition is doing.... we just got to hope the ball falls our way

[jake_swivel]

Baze likely back:

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/thunders-darius-bazley-likely-to-return-saturday/

[jake_swivel]

I don't think #2 is that important right now. Horford's trade value is the only one that really matters. Kenrich Williams won't lose trade value and I don't think it's worth playing a lot some ''meh'' young players to try to increase their trade value (it could hurt our main guys development).

With small market teams, any asset whose value can be increased is critical. Kenrich had no value before the season. Neither did roby or Moses. Ty’s was pretty low as well. They’ve all shown to be young, borderline nba backups on cheap, mostly unguaranteed contracts. That has value. Not a ton, but some. These are the dudes you can bundle with mid to late draft picks to move up. Or add ins to bigger deals.

And some of these kinds of dudes, like dort, have pretty good value. Especially on the kinds of contracts they are being signed to.

All of these dudes are likely to get at least somewhat better going forward, and if the team is winning and they contribute, their value is even higher.

Which main cog’s development has been hurt by playing Roby, Kenrich, Moses, and Jerome?

[ThunderBolt]

Baze likely back:

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/thunders-darius-bazley-likely-to-return-saturday/

I never heard which shoulder was hurt. Hopefully not his shooting shoulder or that could be even more disastrous for him.