2017-2018 OKC Thunder Regular Season Thread part one: The Fellowship for A Ring

[bondom34]

Some people need to get over their self inflated opinions of themselves.

[Atomic Punk]

Actually slick, based on the incessant bitching and complaining that we constantly hear from people like you and Pillendreher I would say that you guys are the ones that hate the team.

i enjoy basketball. the thunder are my team. i don't hate the team. it doesn't bother me that bondom34 hates the team.

Ok, so you just hate the current incarnation of the team and its star player? Again, that’s fine, I get it.

[Pillendreher]

3. Sure, and nothing they were doing was having an effect on PG.

Please don't move the goalposts like this. This season's objective is keeping Paul George long term. Fixing this roster improves our post season chances which improves our Paul George chances. Period.

If Presti goes for an actual NBA player instead of Randy Foye in 2016, we might win the title and Durant maybe stays. The same might come true with George (of course winning the title is less likely than it was back then). What if just getting somebody who can play some backup Center minutes would be enough to make it past the 2nd or even 1st round? In the postseasons, entire series can swing just on a couple possessions. The bench still not being able to rebound might break our necks even in the first round. A close series comes down to a couple of plays and not getting enough rebounds because we don't have a backup for Adams might make us lose a series.

Are you really trying to tell me that the overall quality of our roster and therefore our output as a team is irrelevant to the decision George has to make come July?

[bondom34]

3. Sure, and nothing they were doing was having an effect on PG.

Please don't move the goalposts like this. This season's objective is keeping Paul George long term. Fixing this roster improves our post season chances which improves our Paul George chances. Period.

If Presti goes for an actual NBA player instead of Randy Foye in 2016, we might win the title and Durant maybe stays. The same might come true with George (of course winning the title is less likely than it was back then). What if just getting somebody who can play some backup Center minutes would be enough to make it past the 2nd or even 1st round? In the postseasons, entire series can swing just on a couple possessions. The bench still not being able to rebound might break our necks even in the first round. A close series comes down to a couple of plays and not getting enough rebounds because we don't have a backup for Adams might make us lose a series.

Are you really trying to tell me that the overall quality of our roster and therefore our output as a team is irrelevant to the decision George has to make come July?

No. I am saying nobody attainable at the deadline was having that effect. Especially given that the nest trade assets were a bad rookie and Abrines dead money

[Pillendreher]

3. Sure, and nothing they were doing was having an effect on PG.

Please don't move the goalposts like this. This season's objective is keeping Paul George long term. Fixing this roster improves our post season chances which improves our Paul George chances. Period.

If Presti goes for an actual NBA player instead of Randy Foye in 2016, we might win the title and Durant maybe stays. The same might come true with George (of course winning the title is less likely than it was back then). What if just getting somebody who can play some backup Center minutes would be enough to make it past the 2nd or even 1st round? In the postseasons, entire series can swing just on a couple possessions. The bench still not being able to rebound might break our necks even in the first round. A close series comes down to a couple of plays and not getting enough rebounds because we don't have a backup for Adams might make us lose a series.

Are you really trying to tell me that the overall quality of our roster and therefore our output as a team is irrelevant to the decision George has to make come July?

No. I am saying nobody attainable at the deadline was having that effect. Especially given that the nest trade assets were a bad rookie and Abrines dead money

We haven't had a backup Center all season long, not just for a couple of days in February. I was talking about this with spearsy all the way back in October saying that we should not wait too long and get a backup for Adams as soon as possible. Yet here we are, 22 games away from the postseason and we still have nothing.

Like I said earlier: Especially with regards to a backup Center, we don't need anything flashy or fancy. Just somebody to grab some boards, set some picks and play solid defense for a couple of minutes when Adams rests. Hell, even Dakari Johnson could probably do that for 8-12 minutes a night. Yet a guy like that was not attainable.

Stuff like this came back to bite us in the ass in 2016 and the same thing could happen this year.

[Atomic Punk]

3. Sure, and nothing they were doing was having an effect on PG.

Please don't move the goalposts like this. This season's objective is keeping Paul George long term. Fixing this roster improves our post season chances which improves our Paul George chances. Period.

If Presti goes for an actual NBA player instead of Randy Foye in 2016, we might win the title and Durant maybe stays. The same might come true with George (of course winning the title is less likely than it was back then). What if just getting somebody who can play some backup Center minutes would be enough to make it past the 2nd or even 1st round? In the postseasons, entire series can swing just on a couple possessions. The bench still not being able to rebound might break our necks even in the first round. A close series comes down to a couple of plays and not getting enough rebounds because we don't have a backup for Adams might make us lose a series.

Are you really trying to tell me that the overall quality of our roster and therefore our output as a team is irrelevant to the decision George has to make come July?

If Dom can’t move the goalpost, don’t start with the revisionist history/if only they would have nonsense.

If PG’s decision comes down to a combination of money and basketball reasons, his options are OKC and Philadelphia (barring major moves by other teams). If its about money and non-basketball reasons, yeah, he is going to LA. If the latter is true, he was always going to go there, no matter what. I said it before, the only reason OKC made no moves are that they know beyond a resonable doubt what PG’s offseason intentions truly are.

[bondom34]

Please don't move the goalposts like this. This season's objective is keeping Paul George long term. Fixing this roster improves our post season chances which improves our Paul George chances. Period.

If Presti goes for an actual NBA player instead of Randy Foye in 2016, we might win the title and Durant maybe stays. The same might come true with George (of course winning the title is less likely than it was back then). What if just getting somebody who can play some backup Center minutes would be enough to make it past the 2nd or even 1st round? In the postseasons, entire series can swing just on a couple possessions. The bench still not being able to rebound might break our necks even in the first round. A close series comes down to a couple of plays and not getting enough rebounds because we don't have a backup for Adams might make us lose a series.

Are you really trying to tell me that the overall quality of our roster and therefore our output as a team is irrelevant to the decision George has to make come July?

No. I am saying nobody attainable at the deadline was having that effect. Especially given that the nest trade assets were a bad rookie and Abrines dead money

We haven't had a backup Center all season long, not just for a couple of days in February. I was talking about this with spearsy all the way back in October saying that we should not wait too long and get a backup for Adams as soon as possible. Yet here we are, 22 games away from the postseason and we still have nothing.

Like I said earlier: Especially with regards to a backup Center, we don't need anything flashy or fancy. Just somebody to grab some boards, set some picks and play solid defense for a couple of minutes when Adams rests. Hell, even Dakari Johnson could probably do that for 8-12 minutes a night. Yet a guy like that was not attainable.

Stuff like this came back to bite us in the ass in 2016 and the same thing could happen this year.

And unless I am forgetting none were traded. The Knicks still seem to want to try to win for some reason. Atlanta over values all their players. I don't know who else is even out there and I don't think Abrines is a good contract so you need to find a team who wants to take bad money for a useful player. I think you're either overrating assets or just not seeing the market.

Also of PG leaves because they don't have Dedmon or KOQ that's just weird to me.

[slick_watts]

Ok, so you just hate the current incarnation of the team and its star player? Again, that’s fine, I get it.

bruh. why are you even in this convo? i don't like the direction of the team and haven't for awhile. is that a problem?

my original comment was just poking at bondom for chastising germany for being a sad child angry at his mother when he's openly told us repeatedly he hates the team.

why can't we just keep it to basketball?

[bondom34]

And Atomic Punk just nailed it 100 percent. That's what PG had in front of him. Philly I get. LA means he just wants to go home.

Now I'm getting to Penn State for a hockey game so probably won't be around much for the day but that's my 2 cents as well.

[Atomic Punk]

Ok, so you just hate the current incarnation of the team and its star player? Again, that’s fine, I get it.

bruh. why are you even in this convo? i don't like the direction of the team and haven't for awhile. is that a problem?

my original comment was just poking at bondom for chastising germany for being a sad child angry at his mother when he's openly told us repeatedly he hates the team.

why can't we just keep it to basketball?

The names not bruh, its buddy. And I am keeping it about basketball, but in the future, please PM me and let me know which convo’s I am allowed to be in.

[slick_watts]

I said it before, the only reason OKC made no moves are that they know beyond a resonable doubt what PG’s offseason intentions truly are.

do you think it's possible sam presti has this information and russell westbrook does not?

[Atomic Punk]

I said it before, the only reason OKC made no moves are that they know beyond a resonable doubt what PG’s offseason intentions truly are.

do you think it's possible sam presti has this information and russell westbrook does not?

Honestly, I think it’s possible that PG has already told them both. They just haven’t told us.

Remember what Russ was saying at the ASG?

[Atomic Punk]

Ok, so you just hate the current incarnation of the team and its star player? Again, that’s fine, I get it.

bruh. why are you even in this convo? i don't like the direction of the team and haven't for awhile. is that a problem?

my original comment was just poking at bondom for chastising germany for being a sad child angry at his mother when he's openly told us repeatedly he hates the team.

why can't we just keep it to basketball?

The names not bruh, its buddy. And I am keeping it about basketball, but in the future, please PM me and let me know which convo’s I am allowed to be in.

And I dont have a problem with any of this. I already said that I get where you are coming from and that I am cool with it.

[Pillendreher]

Also of PG leaves because they don't have Dedmon or KOQ that's just weird to me.

PG might leave because the team does not perform in the postseason or does not even make the Playoffs. Adding something the roster has been missing all season long might help with that.

It's not about an individual player. It's about what that player could do for the team as a whole.

[bondom34]

Also of PG leaves because they don't have Dedmon or KOQ that's just weird to me.

PG might leave because the team does not perform in the postseason or does not even make the Playoffs. Adding something the roster has been missing all season long might help with that.

It's not about an individual player. It's about what that player could do for the team as a whole.

If its basketball its okc or Philly. If not its la. That's about it.

[Atomic Punk]

Also of PG leaves because they don't have Dedmon or KOQ that's just weird to me.

PG might leave because the team does not perform in the postseason or does not even make the Playoffs. Adding something the roster has been missing all season long might help with that.

It's not about an individual player. It's about what that player could do for the team as a whole.

If its basketball its okc or Philly. If not its la. That's about it.

Yep. This team already demonstrated this past offseason what it is willing to do to keep and acquire difference makers. None were available at the deadline with the assists the team had to offer. The end.

[slick_watts]

I said it before, the only reason OKC made no moves are that they know beyond a resonable doubt what PG’s offseason intentions truly are.

do you think it's possible sam presti has this information and russell westbrook does not?

Honestly, I think it’s possible that PG has already told them both. They just haven’t told us.

Remember what Russ was saying at the ASG?

i don't pay attention to what anyone says about these things. i think actions are more meaningful.

to be clear, i'm not one to lament the team being unable to acquire anyone. i'm lamenting the sad sack thunder blogosphere / media / whatever propaganda machine for rationalizing failure. sour grapes. that sort of thing.

[Pillendreher]

Also of PG leaves because they don't have Dedmon or KOQ that's just weird to me.

PG might leave because the team does not perform in the postseason or does not even make the Playoffs. Adding something the roster has been missing all season long might help with that.

It's not about an individual player. It's about what that player could do for the team as a whole.

If its basketball its okc or Philly. If not its la. That's about it.

You cite 'basketball', yet you conveniently ignore that how we perform this season is part of 'basketball'.

[Atomic Punk]

do you think it's possible sam presti has this information and russell westbrook does not?

Honestly, I think it’s possible that PG has already told them both. They just haven’t told us.

Remember what Russ was saying at the ASG?

i don't pay attention to what anyone says about these things. i think actions are more meaningful.

to be clear, i'm not one to lament the team being unable to acquire anyone. i'm lamenting the sad sack thunder blogosphere / media / whatever propaganda machine for rationalizing failure. sour grapes. that sort of thing.

Again, I get it slick. We will know for sure in about 5 months.

[Atomic Punk]

PG might leave because the team does not perform in the postseason or does not even make the Playoffs. Adding something the roster has been missing all season long might help with that.

It's not about an individual player. It's about what that player could do for the team as a whole.

If its basketball its okc or Philly. If not its la. That's about it.

You cite 'basketball', yet you conveniently ignore that how we perform this season is part of 'basketball'.

He is not ignoring that at all. It has more to do with just this season. And that is the whole point.