Dynamic Roster & Potential Lineup

[dlughie]

Presti has done such an impeccable job drafting and trading players of specific criterions: long, athletic players with high upside. He has done so ever since he took over as GM by drafting players like Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Green (Harden not so much), and recently drafting players like Reggie Jackson, Andre Roberson, Perry Jones III, and Steven Adams. With trades, he has looked for players with similar attributes such as Sefolosha, Jeremy Lamb, and Hasheem Thabeet (Granted he hasn't worked out as well).

These long wingspan, athletic players become such a match up problems for other teams players depending on the line up Brooks put out on the floor. And OKC has plenty of these players and most of them hasn't finished improving, yet we have seen how devastating they can be on any given night! (Granted KD is playing like he's God)

With such a dynamic and deep roster that Presti has created, What potential lineup would you like to see or think that would be a devastating matchup for the whole league?

I for one would like to see how a lineup of: Lamb-Durant-PJ3-Ibaka-Adams (when these youngsters have more experience) would fare against some of the league's best.

Also, what Presti Player would Presti draft next in 2014, and what Presti Player could Presti trade for that would improve OKC as currently constructed?

[Balkman32]

Next year you could see players like Thabo and Jackson gone.
If Presti feels that Jackson won't resign for an allowable amount of a backup PG on a small market he might have no choice but to deal him.

[bbms]

I personally don't like any matchup that includes Durant at the two. Two lineups intrigue me:

(1) Russell/Reggie - Lamb - Durant - Jones - Ibaka;
(2) Russell/Reggie - Lamb - Durant - Roberson - Ibaka.

The first one would give the combo guard and Durant open lanes all night to get to the hoop. Potential lineup to rack up easy layups and fouls. Jones, Ibaka, Durant and Lamb gives spacing like few rotations in the NBA, and also, they combine to something like 37% from three.

The second one is similar to the first, but the exchange of Jones for Roberson changes things a bit. You loose one jumpshooter and offensive player overall to keep an elite rebounder in game. Roberson's eye for the ball makes him an unique rebounder and disruptor on the defensive end, and probably makes the lineup more balanced than with Jones.

All the two would be very explosive, with insane leaping ability, and legs to go 70s-like pace on today's NBA.

I also don't think Reggie is staying with the Thunder for so long, unless the medical staff has a pretty negative word on Westbrook.

[theokie]

Any combination of Westbrook, Durant, and Ibaka and two of the younger players has the potential to be crazy athletic and a defensive nightmare; whether it be Lamb, Jones, Roberson or Adams. Some are weaker offensively than others, but if you have KD and Russ out there we've all seen that they can carry the load by themselves.

Westbrook/Lamb/Jones/Durant/Ibaka
Westbrook/Lamb/Durant/Ibaka/Adams
Westbrook/Lamb/Roberson/Durant/Ibaka
Westbrook/Roberson/Durant/Ibaka/Adams
Westbrook/Roberson/Jones/Durant/Ibaka

I don't know what the future holds for Reggie, and I'm not that optimistic. I think the uncertainty with Westbrook however is gonna play a big part in what OKC is willing to spend. Regardless, I think we will be seeing a lot of some combination of those 5 lineups I just posted, and each look to be pretty damn fantastic.

[comingbacktousa]

I think Jackson is pretty expendable after this year. Lamb, Adams and PJ3 all need to see more minutes next season. With Roberson and Lamb getting all the shooting guard minutes so that can happen, it really only leaves backup pg minutes.
Rough rotation
Westbrook 32 Jackson? 16
Roberson 18 Lamb 30
Durant 38 PJ3 10
Ibaka 32 PJ3 10 Collison 6
Perkins 15 Adams 25 Collison 8

Ibaka would obviously play some center, but I think with PJ3, OKC would want to"protect" Durant and have him play less pf minutes. He allows OKC to still play small ball type line ups while not losing much on the defense end and not scarficing any speed or floor spacing.

If PJ3 is ready to handle 20 minutes a game, I think its unnecessary to resign Jackson long term to only play around 16-18 himself when solid backup point guards are pretty common.

[bbms]

I think Jackson is pretty expendable after this year. Lamb, Adams and PJ3 all need to see more minutes next season. With Roberson and Lamb getting all the shooting guard minutes so that can happen, it really only leaves backup pg minutes.
Rough rotation
Westbrook 32 Jackson? 16
Roberson 18 Lamb 30
Durant 38 PJ3 10
Ibaka 32 PJ3 10 Collison 6
Perkins 15 Adams 25 Collison 8

Ibaka would obviously play some center, but I think with PJ3, OKC would want to"protect" Durant and have him play less pf minutes. He allows OKC to still play small ball type line ups while not losing much on the defense end and not scarficing any speed or floor spacing.

If PJ3 is ready to handle 20 minutes a game, I think its unnecessary to resign Jackson long term to only play around 16-18 himself when solid backup point guards are pretty common.

My preferred rotation for next season is pretty similar, except that I'd like the Thunder to explore some trade partners to make Perkins' expiring into an asset, this would cut him from the rotation, altering the minutes for everyone in the PF/C rotation.

Westbrook 28 / Jackson 20
Roberson 18 / Lamb 30
Durant 30 / Jones 12 / Roberson 6
Ibaka 20 / Collison 10 / Jones 12 / Durant 6
Adams 24 / Collison 12 / Ibaka 12

I expect Jackson to get traded and Pleiss to come over. I also expect our picks to become one combo guard. I like to keep our bigs rested, since we have a ton of impact bigs... Westbrook rest a lot. 2 injuries in two years is no joke, Thunder needs to take it easy on him.

[ThunderUp1234]

Russ-Reggie-PJ3-KD-Ibaka.

Russ-Roberson-KD-PJ3-Ibaka (thats one long lineup)