Biggest need going forward

[Earl Sweatshirt]

Personally, I think we'll have money enough for both Harden and Ibaka. I'm actually not too worried about that. I don't foresee the nucleus of this team breaking up for some time. That aside though, I wouldn't say any drastic additions are necessary. The core pieces in place now, if they continue developing correctly, are competent enough to consistently contend for titles for the foreseeable future. Unless we can steal a tweener or adequate big, I don't expect a signing of significance.

What this team needs, more than anything else; is for Durant(And Ibaka for that matter) to develop a potent, efficient, and consistent post game. I can't stress enough how beneficial an additional 10-15 lbs of muscle on KD would be. If he were to refine that aspect of his game, and couple it with a tighter handle and improved passing/play making abilities; he'd almost ensure a position amongst the top 20 ATG's list upon walking away from the game. It'd increase his efficiency, as well as make him a far more dynamic offensive threat and all around player. And more importantly, it would aid in the franchises pursuit for a title.

Send he and Ibaka to work with the Dream over the summer. It did wonders with Dwight.

[theokie]

Durant already got paid. Perkins got paid. Westbrooks getting paid this summer.

I might be wrong about this, but I think the time when Harden and Ibakas extension money off their rookie contract would kick in during the 2013/2014 season.

Right now were on the books for about 31.5 million that year (2.5 for Collison, 4 for thabo, 8.5 for Perkins, and 16.5 for Durant). Lets just guess that Westbrook will be making 14.5 million. So that brings our total salary up to 46 million, 11 below the current cap.

At this point it all just matters how good we are, and how much we want to spend to keep our core together. Obviously a lot can change with our roster in 3 years, but if our core remains in tact its clear were gonna have to spend more than 11 million between those two guys, not too mention fill out a roster around them. For hypothetical arguments, lets say Ibaka gets paid 11 mill in his first year of his extension. Other rookies and role players will bring our total up an additional 10-15 million.

So wed be on the books for 67-72 million, well over the cap and thats without James Harden. I really see us having to let him walk away. Hell be a restricted Free Agent, but he could honestly be good enough to be a first option and an all star somewhere else by then and I think hell get a good offer that we wont be willing to match. I dont see OKC ever being in the top 3 of team salaries, and thats where wed probably have to go to keep Harden.


Keep in mind that with the new CBA coming up all of this may be a moot point

[kd35sneighbor]

A SF in the mold of Jeff Green so Durant has someone to practice against or else he's not gonna get any better as a player.

[teamjosh04]

http://nbaprospects.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... needs.html

My thoughts on who you guys could take at #24.

[bbms]

Jordan Hamilton is intriguing. I think we need a 25 minutes swingman that can create his own offense and shots. He can replace Harden and Durant. I don't think Sefolosha is more useful to our team than Daequan Cook. He is a stopper, but our defense is fine without him.

[dream_catcher_9]

http://nbaprospects.blogspot.com/2011/05/oklahoma-city-thunder-team-needs.html

My thoughts on who you guys could take at #24.

You really know our team well, those are pretty much my thoughts on the team too. I could see any one of those guys selected with our pick, but I think we may see Nate Robinson traded along with our #24 to move up and grab Hamilton if that's who we are after. I just don't see him falling all the way to where we pick without a trade.

[dream_catcher_9]

http://nbaprospects.blogspot.com/2011/05/oklahoma-city-thunder-team-needs.html

My thoughts on who you guys could take at #24.

something I found very interesting on Chandler Parsons...

"I headed over to Oklahoma for my first workout, which went really well. The Oklahoma City Thunder invited 12 players to the Sunday workout and split us up into two groups of six. They held it at 9 a.m. on the day the team played game seven [of the Western Conference Semifinals].

Right when I got in there Saturday, there was a room in the hotel where a bunch of people who work in the front office for the Thunder interviewed me. [They asked] typical questions about my game, upbringing and childhood – basically every question you could imagine they were asking just to get to know me better. There were also a lot of questionnaires and surveys and a background check.

On Saturday night before the workout, the GM [Sam Presti] took me to dinner. There were 12 players there, and I was the only one to go to dinner, so that was pretty special."

Read more: http://www.onlygators.com/05/17/2011/ch ... z1NKVBsTEy
ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive

[Devilanche]

On Saturday night before the workout, the GM [Sam Presti] took me to dinner. There were 12 players there, and I was the only one to go to dinner, so that was pretty special."

Read more: http://www.onlygators.com/05/17/2011/ch ... z1NKVBsTEy
ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive

I won't read too much into a dinner. It could just be because presti wanted a 1 on 1 talk or something and arranged the other guys on other days or other meals.

edit: anyone know who the 12 players are though? i think i read somewhere that we gave xavier silas a workout. seemed from his article E’twaun Moore was there as well.

[nbalova]

Biggest need going forward: Rick Adleman or Van Gundy (the bald wise one)!!!

[Fella504]

[quote="bbms"]I like the mid-late first round draft wing scorers like Jordan Hamilton and Kyle Singler.

I'd maneuver this way: make a package of Thabo, Cole Aldrich, Nate Robinson, BJ Mullens and go to market trying to sign some new guys or some draft picks.

Westbrook / Maynor
Harden / Hamilton
Durant / Singler
Ibaka / Collison
Perkins / Nazr

Then you sign some guys to fill the roster. Maybe some guys like Latavious Williams, Tibor Pleiss, Daequan Cook...

Do you think Knicks would bite Thabo + Cole Aldrich for Landry Fields? I like him, he is a high BBIQ rebounding swingmin who can drop open 3s. I think he could be along with Cook two good shooting options for Eric Maynor. I think they could find their niche at Knicks.



HELL YEAH im from the Knicks board.... I'll do it in a heart beat....