Regular rotation next season.

[Podirk]

Surely it is pretty set.

RW, TS, KD, SI, KP as starters...

RJ, JL, DF, NC, HT as the 2nd unit with Thabeet probably getting the cut for a 9 man rotation.

Would like to see a bench of RJ, JL, AR, PJ, SA but we all no that young group won't see min in a Thunder lineup.

[Balkman32]

You forgot Nick Collison. This man is a big part of the Glue of this team!

[Podirk]

You forgot Nick Collison. This man is a big part of the Glue of this team!

Collison is in the 2nd unit...not in my wish list 2nd unit that I would like to see grow together. Collison is gonna be big in keeping this bench unit together as usual.

[Balkman32]

How is he not in your wish list if he is going to keep the 2nd unit together?

I think PJ3 and Roberson both have a decent shot to fight with Fish and Thabeet for thoes last 10-20 min by the 9th and 10th man off the bench. Liggins is also in the mix.

But, I would not be suprised to just see a core 8 man guys over 12 min's a game.

[BIG EDDIE]

Surely it is pretty set.

RW, TS, KD, SI, KP as starters...

RJ, JL, DF, NC, HT as the 2nd unit with Thabeet probably getting the cut for a 9 man rotation.

Would like to see a bench of RJ, JL, AR, PJ, SA but we all no that young group won't see min in a Thunder lineup.

I dont like these abbrevations...who is DF man??? Danny Fortson? I had to actually use google to find out that you meant Fish
Comon, Fish is not gonna be in our regular rotation in the reg season.
We have Jackson and Lamb in the backcourt, so we are set. Fish will get 5-10 mins every 2nd or 3rd game I would guess. Center position is a big question mark, as right now Thabeet is the obvious choice as the main backup, but I wouldnt rule out that Adams get that role after 10-15 games into the season.
Also playing more small ball with Ibaka or Collison at C is a real possibility.
In the frontcourt its gonna be Collison and either PJ3, Gomes or Reberson off the bench.

[Royal Ben]

please keep KP as a motivator and not a starter

[Podirk]

I dont like these abbrevations...who is DF man??? Danny Fortson? I had to actually use google to find out that you meant Fish
Comon, Fish is not gonna be in our regular rotation in the reg season.
We have Jackson and Lamb in the backcourt, so we are set. Fish will get 5-10 mins every 2nd or 3rd game I would guess. Center position is a big question mark, as right now Thabeet is the obvious choice as the main backup, but I wouldnt rule out that Adams get that role after 10-15 games into the season.
Also playing more small ball with Ibaka or Collison at C is a real possibility.
In the frontcourt its gonna be Collison and either PJ3, Gomes or Reberson off the bench.

Abbreviations are quicker and become like a second nature...I talk Thunder in abbreviations too...I think I have a problem

I'm not convinced Fish will be out of rotations completely. He could really see some time in small ball lineups.
I'm all for Adams getting backup min..but again knowing Brooks and the FO he will be working on specific game aspects in Tulsa much of the year. Small ball will be played a lot more...and if KD has really worked on a baby hook like reports suggest this summer..then small ball needs to be the focus.
If it is one of those three(pj rg ar) then I hope pj cause he has some good pick and roll options with Reggie or lamb.

[Podirk]

please keep KP as a motivator and not a starter

Talk to Brooks and the coaching staff..I'm just predicting off of the body of work the Thunder have shown.

[comingbacktousa]

I dont like these abbrevations...who is DF man??? Danny Fortson? I had to actually use google to find out that you meant Fish
Comon, Fish is not gonna be in our regular rotation in the reg season.
We have Jackson and Lamb in the backcourt, so we are set. Fish will get 5-10 mins every 2nd or 3rd game I would guess. Center position is a big question mark, as right now Thabeet is the obvious choice as the main backup, but I wouldnt rule out that Adams get that role after 10-15 games into the season.
Also playing more small ball with Ibaka or Collison at C is a real possibility.
In the frontcourt its gonna be Collison and either PJ3, Gomes or Reberson off the bench.

Fisher played about 15 minutes a game last year in the regular season, so sadly its likely we see him this year again. I have no problems with Fisher, Collison, and Perkins(besides his overpaid salary but what is done is done) to provide veteran leadership but playing them 15+ minutes a game in the regular season is dumb in my opinion. Playoff time fine go with who you trust but during the regular season PJ3, Adams, and Roberson need playing time to see what they can do. Playing them for 10 minutes a night instead of the above mentioned is going to lose any games for OKC. Collison maybe being the slight exception to that since he impacts the 2nd team a good amount but him not playing in the 2nd half when OKC has a decent lead should be fine.

Likely Rotation for next season
Westbrook-33- Jackson 15
Sef-14- Lamb 16, Jackson 10, Fisher 8
Durant-32- Sef 16
Ibaka-32,Collison 10,Durant 6
Perkins-24, Collison 10, Adams/Thabeet 14

Adams/Thabeet's minutes spilt with PJ3 some nights with Ibaka/Collison playing more center. Westbrook probably gets a slight reduction in minutes coming off injury and Jackson's improvement

What I would like to see during the regular season:
Westbrook 33, Jackson 15
Sef 16, Lamb 21, Jackson 11
Durant 32, Sef 10, Roberson 6
Ibaka 32, PJ3-12, Durant 4
Perkins 16, Collison 16, Adams 16- Thabeet mixed in some for Collison and Perkins in 4th quarter leads

Slight reduction for Durant, Westbrook and Sef, since we know what they can do and need to prevent injuries.

[spearsy23]

Fisher is probably taking some of Martin's minutes for at least the first half of the season, those are going to be the saddest minutes of Thunder basketball this season.

Roberson doesn't need minutes. I understand that people want to play the young guys, and I agree when it comes to Reggie, Lamb and even Adams to an extent, but Roberson is not an NBA player on any real level. He's new and shiny right now but realistically expecting him to be in the league after his rookie contract is probably slightly wishful thinking. I'd rather just send him to Tulsa and see if he can develop any type of offensive game, unless we cut Liggins, then he can be the 'only put in to give effort and play defense in blowouts' guy. I'd rather stick with Liggins though...

[comingbacktousa]

Roberson doesn't need minutes. I understand that people want to play the young guys, and I agree when it comes to Reggie, Lamb and even Adams to an extent, but Roberson is not an NBA player on any real level. He's new and shiny right now but realistically expecting him to be in the league after his rookie contract is probably slightly wishful thinking. I'd rather just send him to Tulsa and see if he can develop any type of offensive game, unless we cut Liggins, then he can be the 'only put in to give effort and play defense in blowouts' guy. I'd rather stick with Liggins though...

I don't ever expect him to be a star but he should be a better version of Liggins. Not that Liggins was any good really. 2nd leading rebounder in ncaa past season at only 6'7. Liggins is 2 guard size, there is 4 guys on the roster that can play at the 2 and only 2/3 at sf if you include gomes. There needs to be a backup sf on the roster. Liggins should be getting cut. 6 minutes for end of quarter subs to get KD a little bit more rest, and in blow outs should be enough to see if he has any potential for more. If Thabo leaves next summer there definitely needs to be a guy that can play sf minutes when Durant plays pf in small ball.

[RunOKC]

RWB
Thabo
KD
Serge
Perk <----

Reggie
Lamb
KD/Thabo/Russ (move Lamb to SF)
Collison
Thabeet

[Devilanche]

9 man rotation

RW:30-35mins
thabo: 20-25mins
Durant:33-36mins
Ibaka:30-32mins
Perkins: 15-20mins

Reggie: 15-25mins
Fish/Gomes/Vet: 5-10mins
Lamb/Roberson/PJ3:5-15mins
Collison:15-20mins
Thabeet/Adams/Orton:5-15mins

There should be some extra minutes to play around with at the SG/SF slot when we go smallball but that should be enough minutes of going big at around 20-35mins before adding collison at C.

[spearsy23]

Roberson doesn't need minutes. I understand that people want to play the young guys, and I agree when it comes to Reggie, Lamb and even Adams to an extent, but Roberson is not an NBA player on any real level. He's new and shiny right now but realistically expecting him to be in the league after his rookie contract is probably slightly wishful thinking. I'd rather just send him to Tulsa and see if he can develop any type of offensive game, unless we cut Liggins, then he can be the 'only put in to give effort and play defense in blowouts' guy. I'd rather stick with Liggins though...

I don't ever expect him to be a star but he should be a better version of Liggins. Not that Liggins was any good really. 2nd leading rebounder in ncaa past season at only 6'7. Liggins is 2 guard size, there is 4 guys on the roster that can play at the 2 and only 2/3 at sf if you include gomes. There needs to be a backup sf on the roster. Liggins should be getting cut. 6 minutes for end of quarter subs to get KD a little bit more rest, and in blow outs should be enough to see if he has any potential for more. If Thabo leaves next summer there definitely needs to be a guy that can play sf minutes when Durant plays pf in small ball.

Liggins is 6'6" and capable of playing the three. I don't think Roberson will be any better than liggins in the short or long term so I'd rather stick with the experience and known commodity. Realistically we're talking about a 12-15th player though so I don't particularly care.

I'm wondering if presti is holding out hope liggins can recreate thabo's career and become a (really cheap) great defender and capable 3 pt option about the time thabo is expiring.

[Devilanche]

Liggins is 6'6" and capable of playing the three. I don't think Roberson will be any better than liggins in the short or long term so I'd rather stick with the experience and known commodity. Realistically we're talking about a 12-15th player though so I don't particularly care.

I'm wondering if presti is holding out hope liggins can recreate thabo's career and become a (really cheap) great defender and capable 3 pt option about the time thabo is expiring.

Yeap, right now both is 12-15th type of end of bench player with the hope that they can progress into a 8th to 10th type situation defender at the least.

Thabo is an expiring this season so if Liggins is to start showing 3 point stroke, it has to be this season.

[comingbacktousa]

Liggins is 6'6" and capable of playing the three. I don't think Roberson will be any better than liggins in the short or long term so I'd rather stick with the experience and known commodity. Realistically we're talking about a 12-15th player though so I don't particularly care.

I'm wondering if presti is holding out hope liggins can recreate thabo's career and become a (really cheap) great defender and capable 3 pt option about the time thabo is expiring.

Liggins doesn't have a guaranteed contract this year or next.According to hoopshype, OKC is at 69.43 without Thabeets 1.2 million. Its pretty safe to add that in, so 70.63 million without Liggins, Gomes, and Orton. The tax line is at 71.75. Enough for one of them. The likely scenario is they end up in Tulsa and come up on 10 day contract with Gomes going back to Europe. Liggins is a free agent next summer and likely won't get his qo extended to him.

If there isn't much of a difference between the two on the court. It makes a lot more sense to play the guy with the guaranteed contract and younger.

[sonictecture]

Thabeet's contract is only guaranteed for $500,000. If they carry a full 15 man roster in any combination they will be just over $500,000 under the salary cap. it's part of the reason they signed Roberson to just 80% scale in the first year of his rookie contract. Meaning Thabeet isn't safe, just because his contract is partially guaranteed.

Training camp and preseason will determine who makes the roster. These guys are all here because Presti "values" them or is intrigued by their potential contributions.

[Devilanche]

Thabeet's contract is only guaranteed for $500,000. If they carry a full 15 man roster in any combination they will be just over $500,000 under the salary cap. it's part of the reason they signed Roberson to just 80% scale in the first year of his rookie contract. Meaning Thabeet isn't safe, just because his contract is partially guaranteed.

Training camp and preseason will determine who makes the roster. These guys are all here because Presti "values" them or is intrigued by their potential contributions.

Considering Perkins is 9m worth of salary cap blockage while Adams is a multi year rookie contract, if we are only running a 3 Center roster, it'll be a matter of Thabeet on 1.2m vs Orton on 1.5m(900k + 500k Thabeet guaranteed) or another veteran minimum +500k of Thabeet guaranteed.

I think at that price vs our luxury tax concern, Thabeet has to be the overwhelming favourite unless you believe Orton could be a starter down the line.

[comingbacktousa]

To me Thabeet is a superior player to Orton. If nothing else due to his size. Considering that it has now been pointed out that he is also cheaper helps his cause. I rather OKC keep their ~1.4 million until after the trade deadline and try to sign a vet that maybe gets waived after a trade or bought out. Wasting the last spot and the rest of the money on Orton or Liggins is dumb for me. Keeping the last spot open for an injury replacement or a vet late in the season makes more sense.

[Devilanche]

If Liggins/Orton/Gomes are unguaranteed, that means their contract is prorated when they get cut right?

So if we sign a vet min now or later in the season it should theoretically be the same right?
As in Gomes as vet min for a whole season,
vs
Gomes from now until we cut him before trade deadline and pick up player XX, for simplicity sake a 6-10 year vet doesn't matter if we're not paying more than the min.