20-21 OKC Thunder Regular Season News

[jake_swivel]

Details on the the protection of the 2025 FRP?

Top 6 protected, think it's just for that year as well then turns into 2nds if it doesn't convey

“The 76ers say the 2025 first-round pick is protected for pick Nos. 1-6, and if the pick does not convey in 2025, it will be protected for pick Nos. 1-4 in both 2026 and 2027. If not conveyed in the first round of the 2025, 2026 or 2027 drafts, the pick will be a 2027 second-round selection.”

https://6abc.com/al-horford-danny-green-sixers-trade-76ers-trader/8608825

[getrichordie]

Read on Twitter

"The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired center Al Horford, the draft rights to guard Théo Maledon (selected 34th overall), the draft rights to guard Vasilije Micić (originally selected 52nd overall by Philadelphia in the 2014 NBA Draft) and a 2025 first-round draft pick from Philadelphia in exchange for guards Terrance Ferguson and Danny Green and center Vincent Poirier"

Read on Twitter

Maybe I'm reading into this too much, but does this mean we're bringing him over if we're tweeting something out like this?

I don't think so. Micic was the 52nd pick in the 2014 draft and hasn't come over up until this point. Don't see a reason why he does now. And I don't see why the Thunder would want to bring him over. It is interesting that they asked for his rights to be included in this deal...

[getrichordie]

Micic in an interview 3 weeks ago:

"Q: Last year, during the Acropolis Tournament with Serbia, you told me that you want a guaranteed role on an NBA team.

A: It sounds like I’m a little bit arrogant, but I’m not. I feel really well being a part of a good team and being able to play. At this point, we’re playing really high-level basketball in Europe and I’m not missing anything. It’s not a dream [to go to the NBA] and if I go there, I want to be a part of a team that has a good system. I don’t want to just say: “I’m in the NBA!”.

source: https://www.talkbasket.net/110628-vasilije-micic-its-not-a-dream-to-go-to-the-nba-i-want-to-be-on-a-team-with-a-good-system

[ThunderBolt]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

[jake_swivel]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

I was very underwhelmed with his athleticism. He seems pesky on defense, though.

[ThunderBolt]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

I was very underwhelmed with his athleticism. He seems pesky on defense, though.

Frank Jackson’s bubble highlights were decent. I watched the game he had 30 points against the magic. He was very active off the ball and hit some difficult shots. I am not sure if that means he also misses lots of bad shots too.

[jake_swivel]

Frank Jackson’s bubble highlights were decent. I watched the game he had 30 points against the magic. He was very active off the ball and hit some difficult shots. I am not sure if that means he also misses lots of bad shots too.

Looks really fast.

[bbms]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

His upside is a Mike Muscala type, IMO.

What I mean by that: terrible-looking NBA player that when you look at his advanced +/- he is decent.

[getrichordie]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

His upside is a Mike Muscala type, IMO.

What I mean by that: terrible-looking NBA player that when you look at his advanced +/- he is decent.

I mean, we are willing to gift Maledon a starting role when he has same weaknesses on offense as Jerome. Maledon is a bit bigger but other than that, they are both capable ball-handlers who have good feel on offense and project to shoot well and pass it well. They aren't sexy by any means, but they provide a little bit of everything on offense and I think that's fine next to a budding SGA. The big difference is that Jerome is a better defender now.

[ThunderBolt]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

His upside is a Mike Muscala type, IMO.

What I mean by that: terrible-looking NBA player that when you look at his advanced +/- he is decent.

I mean, we are willing to gift Maledon a starting role...

What are you talking about?

[getrichordie]

His upside is a Mike Muscala type, IMO.

What I mean by that: terrible-looking NBA player that when you look at his advanced +/- he is decent.

I mean, we are willing to gift Maledon a starting role...

What are you talking about?

My bad. Guess I saw that elsewhere. Have heard them talk about this on DTD pod and on twitter. The general feeling that I've been getting is that some fans are throwing Maledon in there as starting next to SGA and Jerome is just never mentioned and in fact, is treated like an afterthought.

[ThunderBolt]

I mean, we are willing to gift Maledon a starting role...

What are you talking about?

My bad. Guess I saw that elsewhere. Have heard them talk about this on DTD pod and on twitter. The general feeling that I've been getting is that some fans are throwing Maledon in there as starting next to SGA and Jerome is just never mentioned and in fact, is treated like an afterthought.

I don't think either of them start. We've seen the thunder slow to replace starters even when there was a better option available when they are committed to a player. I think Dort gets the starting nod unless something changes. Maybe coach D will be different.

[Old Man Game]

Dort better be starting unless Maledon is literally a Tony Parker 2.0. Especially if we're committed to rebuilding there'd be zero incentive not to continue with a second year guy who had shown that much promise in his rookie year.

[bbms]

I watched a Ty Jerome highlight video today. It was the most unimpressive thing I’ve seen since Batman vs Superman. There was literally a highlight of him losing a jump ball to harden. I don’t put much weight in highlight videos. I just found it amusing.

His upside is a Mike Muscala type, IMO.

What I mean by that: terrible-looking NBA player that when you look at his advanced +/- he is decent.

I mean, we are willing to gift Maledon a starting role when he has same weaknesses on offense as Jerome. Maledon is a bit bigger but other than that, they are both capable ball-handlers who have good feel on offense and project to shoot well and pass it well. They aren't sexy by any means, but they provide a little bit of everything on offense and I think that's fine next to a budding SGA. The big difference is that Jerome is a better defender now.

There is a difference between "willing" and "expecting". I am not willing to anything, neither making suggestions to Mike D. I am just discussing expectations and collect new info so I can get a larger picture of where the Thunder is as a franchise right now.

I don't think Maledon should be "gifted" a starting role. Because that is the tanking blueprint: take a promising promising player with no NBA tape, make an acritical assumption on his potential future, "gift" him a role based on his potential and not actual ability, drive him to a likely losing situation, waste potential, suck, suck, and then suck some more.

I don't want this team to tank. I want this team to play in this rebuilding process with the best team possible, and not avoiding wins. I think everyone should be allowed to compete for a starting position. Maledon and Jerome included. What I would be willing to do is to allow an intra-roster bloodbath competition between the 2nd and 3rd string SF for minutes.

Onto the expectations part: Maledon and Jerome have similar levels of experience and similar scouting reports. I believe Jerome has a slight competitive edge over Maledon, because of language, and one season in the NBA environment (even if not a good one). But I don't expect a 23-year-old sophomore to become much better than he currently is. I want Jerome to be the next Steve Nash! But the universe doesn't care about what I want.

[ThunderBolt]

First preseason game is this week. I guess it's time to get this thing rolling. Put all regular season thunder related discussion here.

[bbms]

Dort better be starting unless Maledon is literally a Tony Parker 2.0. Especially if we're committed to rebuilding there'd be zero incentive not to continue with a second year guy who had shown that much promise in his rookie year.

Dort better be starting, period. Underrated guy in terms of upside. Question at this point is if he works better for the Thunder rotation as a 2 or 3 at this point, imo. Rookie reaching top 10 SG in DRPM without even training with the first team full time? With that level of effort and intensity? This guy is the future as much as SGA.

Looks the part of a more explosive/powerful Marcus Smart type of prospect.

[Dadouv47]

Dort better be starting unless Maledon is literally a Tony Parker 2.0. Especially if we're committed to rebuilding there'd be zero incentive not to continue with a second year guy who had shown that much promise in his rookie year.

Dort better be starting, period. Underrated guy in terms of upside. Question at this point is if he works better for the Thunder rotation as a 2 or 3 at this point, imo. Rookie reaching top 10 SG in DRPM without even training with the first team full time? With that level of effort and intensity? This guy is the future as much as SGA.

Looks the part of a more explosive/powerful Marcus Smart type of prospect.

lol no. His ceiling is not really high but he can be a very good role player if he develops a decent shot

[bbms]

Dort better be starting unless Maledon is literally a Tony Parker 2.0. Especially if we're committed to rebuilding there'd be zero incentive not to continue with a second year guy who had shown that much promise in his rookie year.

Dort better be starting, period. Underrated guy in terms of upside. Question at this point is if he works better for the Thunder rotation as a 2 or 3 at this point, imo. Rookie reaching top 10 SG in DRPM without even training with the first team full time? With that level of effort and intensity? This guy is the future as much as SGA.

Looks the part of a more explosive/powerful Marcus Smart type of prospect.

lol no. His ceiling is not really high but he can be a very good role player if he develops a decent shot

In 2013, Oladipo was 21 and went 2nd overall. In 2014 Marcus Smart was 20 and went 6th overall. Dort is 21 with stellar tape vs James Harden. The bottom, of the bottom of his evaluation today would be top 10, in the next NBA Draft, or 2019 Draft do-over. Let's try to be objective here: Dort is a cornerstone of the franchise too.

[ThunderBolt]

Dort had a -6.4 net rating in the playoffs. He shot 29% from the last year in the regular season. Yes he had a great game 7. Andre Roberson had a game in the playoffs where he was 7-10 and 4-6 from three. And no, he wouldn’t go top ten in next years draft.

[Dadouv47]

Andre Roberson was a legit DPOY candidate. Dort is a good defensive player and had a really good series against Houston/Harden but he's far from elite right now. It doesn't look that he can't improve his shot so I'm pretty optimistic about his development but he can't create his own shot so in best scenario he would be a decent role player that has a pretty good impact on defense and that isn't a liability on offense.

And I'm not taking a shot at Dort. I want him to play as much as possible. If he can be a good role player in this league, it's already really awesome.