OKC Thunder 2022-23 Regular Season Discussion

[Dadouv47]

Build.Around.Shai.Now.

I wouldn't mind trading our 2023 pick if it''s in the 6-10 range but it won't be easy to find a good player with enough years left on his contract and that would be a great fit.

forget about it if giddey comes out of his slump we won't have a lottery pick. when in the past two seasons, a healthy thunder didn't win above expected wins? W > PW was the norm.

We are not that good yet. I think the most likely is to end up 10th or 11th in the West (ahead of Spurs, Houston, Jazz and probably Lakers)

[ThunderBolt]

shai's shot reminded me of that buzzer beater by kd in 2011 @ knicks.

such a "yea im a superstar now"

not too excited nor disappointed by anything. i just wonder why poku minutes are so low. thoughts?

Coach D is experimenting with rotations. Some of it is understandable and some of it is annoying.

[ThunderBolt]

Build.Around.Shai.Now.

I wouldn't mind trading our 2023 pick if it''s in the 6-10 range but it won't be easy to find a good player with enough years left on his contract and that would be a great fit.

Yea I want to make a move now but I just don’t know who will be available. I really like Vassell but I can’t come up with any logical reason for SA to trade him.

[Old Man Game]

It's kind of amazing how much Shai gets done almost entirely as a below the rim non-prolific three-point shooting guard. He's super unique if you think about the blend of skills and where he scores from.

[slick_watts]

It's kind of amazing how much Shai gets done almost entirely as a below the rim non-prolific three-point shooting guard. He's super unique if you think about the blend of skills and where he scores from.

if he sustains what he's currently doing there are only a couple guards who have had similar seasons like this in the last 20 years, kobe and iverson (in 2006). since 2006 no one is close, no guard has made 10+ 2pt fgm per game since those two did it, and before that it was a territory occupied by michael jordan in 1998.

it's certainly an outlier in the modern, post-hand check era. the closest of the last ten seasons or so is demar derozan. shai may settle back into that range. hard to see him keeping this level up all season. if he does, then the thunder have to accelerate whatever plans they had before and trade for stars / surround him with talent by next season at the latest.

[Balkman32]

shai's shot reminded me of that buzzer beater by kd in 2011 @ knicks.

such a "yea im a superstar now"

not too excited nor disappointed by anything. i just wonder why poku minutes are so low. thoughts?

Coach D is experimenting with rotations. Some of it is understandable and some of it is annoying.

This is a training mechanism for when they are in the playoffs. Could be a great tool in players being ready to take advantages to tilt the court in our direction.

[Balkman32]

It's kind of amazing how much Shai gets done almost entirely as a below the rim non-prolific three-point shooting guard. He's super unique if you think about the blend of skills and where he scores from.

This! He is just so crafty. My man is 50/40/90 right now at scoring 32 a night, playing in 14 of the teams 15 games after rehabbing the entire training camp.

[Devilanche]

I can totally see our top 8 in minutes next season to be the following

Shai
Dort
Jalen
Giddey
SF
Poku
Chet

Plus room for one more.

[ThunderBolt]

shai's shot reminded me of that buzzer beater by kd in 2011 @ knicks.

such a "yea im a superstar now"

not too excited nor disappointed by anything. i just wonder why poku minutes are so low. thoughts?

Coach D is experimenting with rotations. Some of it is understandable and some of it is annoying.

This is a training mechanism for when they are in the playoffs. Could be a great tool in players being ready to take advantages to tilt the court in our direction.

I just wonder how much the rotations are influenced by draft position. Wiggins and Water are too guys that I think have a higher ceiling than some other people think.

[Xatticus]

Build.Around.Shai.Now.

I wouldn't mind trading our 2023 pick if it''s in the 6-10 range but it won't be easy to find a good player with enough years left on his contract and that would be a great fit.

Yea I want to make a move now but I just don’t know who will be available. I really like Vassell but I can’t come up with any logical reason for SA to trade him.

I like Toppin. He's never gotten the run he deserves because of Randle and he hasn't been the defensive disaster that was predicted before the draft. I wonder how hard it would by to pry him away given the size and duration of Randle's remaining contract.

[Dadouv47]

I can totally see our top 8 in minutes next season to be the following

Shai
Dort
Jalen
Giddey
SF
Poku
Chet

Plus room for one more.

SF?

Would hope Dieng to be in the mix as well...could be a bit too optimistic.

Hope to see one of Mann or Wiggins too.

[slick_watts]

sga is currently leading the nba in transition possessions per game, a surprising statistic to me. he's getting 7 a game, up from 3.5 last season. with everything else he is doing, perhaps this is overlooked. the thunder offense has also sped up significantly in general. sga is scoring 1.28 points per transition play, which is among the leaders as well.

[1bigfan13]

Great win last night versus a Wizards team that will probably end of making the playoffs. The only thing that bugged me was on the last defensive possession when they had Dort guarding Porzingis. It was as if Daigneault didn't learn anything from the Bucks game when Dort got switched onto Brook Lopez. I'm glad they didn't try to run some sort of lob action towards the basket, because I don't think we had enough length on the court to defend it without risking a foul.

[retrobro90]

I guess Anunoby could make some sense if he were to agree to a sign+extension but as of right now theres really no one out there (including OG) I'm willing to trade the farm for--especially since we have no idea what Chet will be next season.

I think it's probably best they stay patient with so many young guys in the fold. I understand wanting to maximize Shai's prime but he's still 24 and in the 1st year of a 5 year extension. As long as they improve incrementally I don't see any real urgency to get a star/starter level deal done this offseason. Willing to keep seeing what we have develop.

[Dadouv47]

I guess Anunoby could make some sense if he were to agree to a sign+extension but as of right now theres really no one out there (including OG) I'm willing to trade the farm for--especially since we have no idea what Chet will be next season.

I think it's probably best they stay patient with so many young guys in the fold. I understand wanting to maximize Shai's prime but he's still 24 and in the 1st year of a 5 year extension. As long as they improve incrementally I don't see any real urgency to get a star/starter level deal done this offseason. Willing to keep seeing what we have develop.

I don't see any urgency either but I wouldn't mind overpaying if a good young player becomes available (Haliburton is a good example but unfortunately those guys are rarely on the trade market).

[Devilanche]

I can totally see our top 8 in minutes next season to be the following

Shai
Dort
Jalen
Giddey
SF
Poku
Chet

Plus room for one more.

SF?

Would hope Dieng to be in the mix as well...could be a bit too optimistic.

Hope to see one of Mann or Wiggins too.

Small forward.
Yet to see anyone earn more minutes for the nominal SF .

I think whenever the rotation need to be shortened from 10 to 8 man , current Mann and wiggins will be cut from the rotation .

[Mr Thunder Nick]

I wouldn't mind trading our 2023 pick if it''s in the 6-10 range but it won't be easy to find a good player with enough years left on his contract and that would be a great fit.

Yea I want to make a move now but I just don’t know who will be available. I really like Vassell but I can’t come up with any logical reason for SA to trade him.

I like Toppin. He's never gotten the run he deserves because of Randle and he hasn't been the defensive disaster that was predicted before the draft. I wonder how hard it would by to pry him away given the size and duration of Randle's remaining contract.

Trading Bazley for Toppin could be a good idea

[cjmcallist]

I think I’ve got the right Poku comp, bear with me on this: Draymond Green.

Not in play style of course but in how they affect the team and the game. Not the primary engine, but the oil that keeps it running on offense and can play up a position on defense, keying a hard-to-match small ball lineup?

[slick_watts]

we need to find a way to get john collins. he is the perfect kind of pnr / 3pt big combo for pf next to chet and giddey.

[ThunderBolt]

A good 25 plus minutes of shai praise on the hoop collective that’s worth a listen.