OKC Thunder 2022-23 Regular Season Discussion

[slick_watts]

tanking will be a self-limiting process for okc. only 15k fans for a home opener? yeesh.

Living here I have to say the fan base does feel a bit like it is slipping away. People mostly don't talk about the team anymore and you see a lot less thunder gear out on the streets. Just walking around town. Back, during the real hay day that stuff was everywhere.

There aren’t many small markets or even midsize markets that stay passionate with a losing team. Presti talks about not pushing the panic button and rushing the rebuild but the reality is if we don’t get a legitimate 2-3 man core that can compete in the playoffs, he’ll have to do something. I enjoy watching guys develop but you can’t spend 4 years trying to get bazley and poku to become end of bench rotation players.

So as not to be overly negative, there is a scenario where things get better quickly if Chet recovers, puts on some muscle, Giddey improves his shot, someone else takes a leap forward and we get another good pick. However I think it’s fair to say that the early returns are show that this season might be a drag.

i'm not so high on giddey but chet would have made this team immediately engaging imo.

[kdthunderup]

Man Dort has been downright terrible to start this season.

It will be interesting to see how long he can hold on to his spot as a starter if a couple young guys like JDub, Mann, Wiggins or Ous start coming along. Timing the point which we trade him will be important if we still want to get value back or at least not have to give up any positive assets. If we bench him too early and not let him rehab some value we could be in a pinch.

[Dadouv47]

Chip Engelland has a lot of work to do.

[ThunderBolt]

It’s like we went from all athletes that can’t shoot to skilled position-less guys that can’t shoot. At least we have shai.

[mr570]

We have some good young players. I think the issue is we desperately need someone else to take a huge leap forward in Chet’s absence to feel better about the team’s trajectory. I’m not quite as optimistic as Schlecht that Chet just comes back fully healthy with no lingering issues. I really don’t think anyone is overly negative but the rebuilt has hit a bit of a snag. Even houston who has nice young players had Smith and Green arguing last night. These things just don’t goes as scripted. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ve wanted to rebuild for a long time and it sucks as bad as I knew it would.

Was a really bad look to see Green and Jabari arguing. But damn does Green just have something that some guys just don't. He is a big time player and when those guys gel they'll be great.

OKC on the other hand has a lot of work to do still. Really not confident in Giddy as a running mate and Dort is not playing within himself. But Mark seems to be encouraging this for some reason? I don't really get it.

[1bigfan13]

I know he's been given a tough hand to work with but one of the few things I'd like to see Daigneault do is hold these guys accountable for their shot selection. I don't think that's asking too much.

I'm getting pretty tired of watching Dort coming down on fastbreaks and pulling up for 3 with 18+ seconds on the shot clock. And just chucking threes in general when there is plenty of time left for a better shot.

I like Dort. He just shouldn't be chucking 7 threes per game.

[1bigfan13]

Man Dort has been downright terrible to start this season.

It will be interesting to see how long he can hold on to his spot as a starter if a couple young guys like JDub, Mann, Wiggins or Ous start coming along. Timing the point which we trade him will be important if we still want to get value back or at least not have to give up any positive assets. If we bench him too early and not let him rehab some value we could be in a pinch.

I think Mann will eventually wrestle the starting job from him. Even if he's benched I still think Dort will end up playing 20-25 minutes per night. That's plenty of PT to retain/rehab trade value.

As I said in my post, Dort's biggest issue is shot selection. I put that on the coaches as well because they're the ones allowing him to play like this without consequence. He needs to cut his 3PA in half and get his shots from midrange and in. That's when he's at his best. He's good at drawing fouls as we saw last night.

[ThunderBolt]

Dort is not playing within himself. But Mark seems to be encouraging this for some reason? I don't really get it.

Last year through about the first month of the season Dort started out 15-64 from three for 23%. Dort is streaky. He's always been this way. I don't see this changing. That fact along with his struggles at the rim and defense success being very match up dependant is one of the reasons I am not a fan of the contract and don't consider him someone that would play meaningful minutes on a contending team. That being said, it's not like we have anyone else that has outplayed him so far.

[mr570]

Dort is not playing within himself. But Mark seems to be encouraging this for some reason? I don't really get it.

Last year through about the first month of the season Dort started out 15-64 from three for 23%. Dort is streaky. He's always been this way. I don't see this changing. That fact along with his struggles at the rim and defense success being very match up dependant is one of the reasons I am not a fan of the contract and don't consider him someone that would play meaningful minutes on a contending team. That being said, it's not like we have anyone else that has outplayed him so far.

This is a good point too. I think you're right about Dort. But, you know, maybe Chip can work some wonders here?

I do expect some pretty drastic moves next season though.

[ThunderBolt]

Good win.

[Old Man Game]

I feel like I'm coming around to the idea that Giddey has been overrated. But his fit next to SGA may be an even bigger issue than judging Giddey as a player, objectively. These games without appear to underscore that concern. Floor was better spaced and the offense more dynamic without him.

[ThunderBolt]

Nah if spacing is an issue get rid of Dort. He played better last night but still finished 1-5 from three. Shai and a Giddey still haven’t played many games together yet. They need more time. The fit isn’t seamless yet but awkward fitting talent is better than low talent. We need Giddey and shai both. That Chet guy would help too.

[slick_watts]

shai himself is a wonderful playmaker. for the thunder to take the ball out of his hands and let giddey run things, he must somehow develop a route to becoming a passable scoring threat. low FTr and low 3PT% is a double whammy that no amount of half court playmaking will overcome in today's nba. i respect giddey for the work he is putting into using his size- he is trying his best to create value on the boards for example, but man is he rough doing anything offensively besides passing the ball.

thunder have plenty of time to sort this out, and hopefully giddey can make some changes and improvements.

[Old Man Game]

shai himself is a wonderful playmaker. for the thunder to take the ball out of his hands and let giddey run things, he must somehow develop a route to becoming a passable scoring threat. low FTr and low 3PT% is a double whammy that no amount of half court playmaking will overcome in today's nba. i respect giddey for the work he is putting into using his size- he is trying his best to create value on the boards for example, but man is he rough doing anything offensively besides passing the ball.

thunder have plenty of time to sort this out, and hopefully giddey can make some changes and improvements.

I fear it will be one of those the thunder fall in love with their own guy and stick with him no matter what hoping internal development causes it to pay off. Definitely not impossible and not the dumbest bet but at the same time his scoring acumen is just so poor. If there were some sort of realistic trade out there that could make this roster better than involved Giddey, I certainly wouldn't foreclose it.

[ThunderBolt]

shai himself is a wonderful playmaker. for the thunder to take the ball out of his hands and let giddey run things, he must somehow develop a route to becoming a passable scoring threat. low FTr and low 3PT% is a double whammy that no amount of half court playmaking will overcome in today's nba. i respect giddey for the work he is putting into using his size- he is trying his best to create value on the boards for example, but man is he rough doing anything offensively besides passing the ball.

thunder have plenty of time to sort this out, and hopefully giddey can make some changes and improvements.

I fear it will be one of those the thunder fall in love with their own guy and stick with him no matter what hoping internal development causes it to pay off. Definitely not impossible and not the dumbest bet but at the same time his scoring acumen is just so poor. If there were some sort of realistic trade out there that could make this roster better than involved Giddey, I certainly wouldn't foreclose it.

I think Giddey deserves more than 57 games to prove himself. He’s not been a teenager for about 3 weeks now.

[Old Man Game]

shai himself is a wonderful playmaker. for the thunder to take the ball out of his hands and let giddey run things, he must somehow develop a route to becoming a passable scoring threat. low FTr and low 3PT% is a double whammy that no amount of half court playmaking will overcome in today's nba. i respect giddey for the work he is putting into using his size- he is trying his best to create value on the boards for example, but man is he rough doing anything offensively besides passing the ball.

thunder have plenty of time to sort this out, and hopefully giddey can make some changes and improvements.

I fear it will be one of those the thunder fall in love with their own guy and stick with him no matter what hoping internal development causes it to pay off. Definitely not impossible and not the dumbest bet but at the same time his scoring acumen is just so poor. If there were some sort of realistic trade out there that could make this roster better than involved Giddey, I certainly wouldn't foreclose it.

I think Giddey deserves more than 57 games to prove himself. He’s not been a teenager for about 3 weeks now.

He can definitely still turn it around, not doubt. But I don't view him as untouchable but I bet management does is my point.

[slick_watts]

i don't think management views him as untouchable. giddey was a consolation prize in that draft.

[ThunderBolt]

I fear it will be one of those the thunder fall in love with their own guy and stick with him no matter what hoping internal development causes it to pay off. Definitely not impossible and not the dumbest bet but at the same time his scoring acumen is just so poor. If there were some sort of realistic trade out there that could make this roster better than involved Giddey, I certainly wouldn't foreclose it.

I think Giddey deserves more than 57 games to prove himself. He’s not been a teenager for about 3 weeks now.

He can definitely still turn it around, not doubt. But I don't view him as untouchable but I bet management does is my point.

It’s hard to see him moved for an existing player. Maybe to move up in the draft for a Mobley-like player but those deals haven’t materialized in recent years.

[Dadouv47]

Dieng and Jaylin to the Blues...it makes sense but it's sad to draft a guy at #11 (by giving up 3 FRPs) and you have to develop him in the G league.

Primo waived, he must have done something very serious otherwise I would love Presti to go after him.

[Old Man Game]

Dieng and Jaylin to the Blues...it makes sense but it's sad to draft a guy at #11 (by giving up 3 FRPs) and you have to develop him in the G league.

Primo waived, he must have done something very serious otherwise I would love Presti to go after him.

Surely it'll be one of those quick trips down and back.