OFFICIAL: Thunder get Chandler

[miggs]

Hey guys, fellow Laker fan here and HUGE fan of Durant. You guys busted a highway robbery like we did when we picked up Gasol. Chandler is a very good center for your very young team. If your young trio can stick together then you guys and Portland may be the scariest young teams in the West in 2-3 years. It's scary knowing you have Westbrook-Durant-Green-Chandler and possibly a top 3 draft pick!

GREAT JOB! and sick jerseys btw lol i like 'em. I'll keep watching OKC, they're definitely one of my favorite teams to watch next to the Lakers and Blazers.

I'm excited to see what the Thunder will do in the 2nd half of the season.

[sonic-ben]

hopefully chandler sprangs an ankle and we still get a top 4 pick

and Collison breaks a hand

all recoverable

[sonic-ben]

P.S. Devon Hardin could be really good in the NBA. I played against the guy in H.S. and I can proudly say he dunked on me 3x (not in the same game).

I have been dunk on by a 6-1 guard 3 times in a game YET HE NEVER MADE IT TO COLLEGE BALL

big deal....

[wiff]

For the record I'd still take Thabeet if here is available in the draft. SG's are much easy to acquire than a 7 foot center who can defend in the post.

[sonic-ben]

preaching defensive TWIN TOWERS

could happen would not argue against that train of thought


Westbrook
Durant
Green
# 3or 4 Thabeet ... very mobil for a 7-3 big dude ... good feet
Chandler

bench Weaver, Collison, #25 T Williams, #26 Sam Young

could live with that team

[wiff]

I'd like to see

PG Westbrook, Watson, Atkins
SG Treek Evans, Weaver
SF Durant, Wilkins
PF Green, Collison, DJ White
C Chandler, Krystic, Thabeet

Somehow I'd like to see Presti package the 2 late firsts to move up for Treek Evans the dude is 6'5" plays the point and SG.

[big L]

The great thing is we're now in the position to take the best player available. Busts happen on draft day when you reach to fill a position.

[wizkid27]

I just want the long-term lineup to be:
Westbrook
Somebody
Durant
Green
Chandler

That is a great lineup for longterm. You just find the right player (doesn't even have to be a star) to fill in at the 2, and that is a great team that has TONS of room to grow!

[nba_addict]

Im starting to like this team. Steal trade.

PG - Westbrook
SG - Durant
SF - Green
PF - Blake Griffin (?)
C - Chanlder

Monster team!

[wiff]

Does anyone ever see Durant being moved back to SG after he has been putting up monster numbers at the SF?

Heck I see Green going to SG before Durant.

And lastly the chances of Griffin landing in OKC with Green still on the team are next to none. Sure I guess they could win the lotto but the odds are not in their favor at all.

Hate to pop any bubbles just trying to be realistic.

[Twizman]

Damn I was hoping the Wolves could get this guy.

Congrats you have a really great young core.

[wizkid27]

wiff, agree with you from all angles. It seems like there is a decent amount of the NBA population saying Durant is a 2. I will make the bold prediction that they're the people that saw the least of Durant at 2 and Green at 3, and also the least of Durant at 3 and Green at 4. The difference is night and day.

I hope, honestly, that OKC doesn't win the lotto (that may be the first time that a fan has said that). But they simply can't trade out of Griffin. They HAVE to take him for PR reasons... therefore, I think it's ideal that they get the 2nd pick. I really like the Harden pick at this point, but there's a lot of time before the draft.

[theokie]

I honestly think if they do end up with Griffin, that Green will end up coming off the bench by next season, or he will be traded eventually.

[wizkid27]

If Green is coming off of the bench, you can bet that it will be a fairly short amount of time until he's not on the team any more. A player like Green that can play multiple positions and has no glaring weaknesses doesn't belong on anyone's bench. Generally the time when one of your top 4 or 5 players isn't starting is because they have a big weakness (ala sparkplug scorer due to lack of size or shot selection) or because they just don't fit with the team (meaning trade is on the way).

Also, please note that as of now (assuming everyone holds their current winning %) the Thunder have an 11.9% chance of winning the lottery. That's not all that great... I would assume that they will continue to improve to the point that they have about the 7th best probability (4.3%).

What I'm saying is... let's not get comfortable with the idea of trading away one of our best players due to a 1 in 25 chance.

[Harry10]

jealous Hawks fan here!

[theokie]

I still kinda feel like the past month and half was kinda an illusion to how good this team is. Sure they won a lot more games than Nov/Dec, but if you look at who they played, and who they have up next you might be singing a different tune.

From Dec. 31 to Feb. 8, the Thunder won 10 of 9. Of those 10 wins, only 3 came against teams with winning records, and all were at home. SInce then their schedule has picked up, and OKC has lost 3 straight. (Lakers, Suns, Hornets). To finish of February, we play at Dallas, at Phoenix, and home against Dallas. In March OKC plays 15 games, 10 against teams with a winning record. They also have 4 more road games then home games, and with a 3-22 record thus far on the road, that number won't increase by that much.

What I'm saying is, if anyone expects OKC to play .500 ball the rest of the way, then they might be getting their hopes up. Technically for the time being, OKC is worse than before the trade, because we picked up an injured player. Don't expect Chandler to be rushed back into playing anytime soon. Presti and company are no fools, they realize that a two point loss to the Hornets last night is actually a great thing, much better than a win and much better than a 25 point beat down.

As it stands right now, I could see Minnesota walking away with the worse record, but thats really the only team with a worse record than us i see us passing.

[wizkid27]

Honestly, I'm trying to think long-term and hope that they're in enough games to be fun to watch, but still lose enough to get themselves a pick in the top 5. After the top 4 or 5 in this draft, you go from a VERY solid starting-level player to a crap-shoot of which combo guard you want to pick.

[klemen4]

Great young team...all props to Presti, great job. I wish you number one draft pick in 09.

Cheers from Boston

[OzThunder]

man i was excited enough watching durant go 1 on 5 for a year and a half, but now i'm in heaven.

Playoffs next year? Prolly not, but we'll be close.

Any way, totally agreeing with most people. Durant is set at the 3. I wouldn't trade Jeff Green for nearly anyone, he's a stud. I don't see a problem with us trading down for a SG if we get #1 pick. If we somehow got in a set position with a young SG i'd be real happy. I'd almost prefer getting the 2 or 3 pick so we know Green isn't gonna move.

How good is Presti by the way.

[Sauce Boss]

I dont understand the Griffen idea so much, I have this like Mike Beasely feel to him-hyped up but not so good as a pro. Plus he would probably drive out Green if he is good. I think you will have like the 4th-7th pick area, then I smell either a SG or a Presti move where he trades it for like 2 future 1st rounders or something crazy like that. I here hype moving on Salmons, he might be your SG in 2 days in which you'd have a solid line up for the next few years. Also..dont give up on DJ White, he was great in college and when he finally is healthy he good be a phenomenal SF/PF 6th man kind of like your own personal Antonio McDyess. I really almost think you guys dont need those draft picks, you dont want to take away from the core too much now do you?