20-21 OKC Thunder Regular Season News

[Dadouv47]

Doesn't make any sense to rest Shai against the Rockets and play him against a ''better'' team that is at least trying to win.

[Old Man Game]

FML we can't do **** right. Sit half the "good" players on the team every game with fake injuries. Still win games. Freaking Svi looks way too good. Should've just kept Hami.

[Dadouv47]

It's just crazy that Presti made 10+ trades to extract the more value in picks for the future and have a roster that should be able to get a high first round pick and somehow we are close of being an average team...

I can complain that they should have rested Shai or Horford in 2-3 key games but overall Presti did all the right moves and somehow this roster is just massively overperforming

[ThunderBolt]

Yep, Shai is too good to trade and too good to tank. Ultimately the plan for rebuilding doesn't change but it gets more complicated. We still have to hope to get lucky with picks or hope a good young player becomes available. However the probability of becoming a treadmill team has increased substantially.

[Old Man Game]

Yep, Shai is too good to trade and too good to tank. Ultimately the plan for rebuilding doesn't change but it gets more complicated. We still have to hope to get lucky with picks or hope a good young player becomes available. However the probability of becoming a treadmill team has increased substantially.

Totally.

And then you look at at team like Minnesota that picked first last year, will probably pick in the top 3 again this year, hasn't made the playoffs in over 15 years and you think, well, you can't torpedo your culture and your front office professionalism in search of a high draft pick at any cost, otherwise maybe you end up like them. So like it or not I guess we may just have to be happy with being a treadmill type team. Feels like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of figuring out how to ever get back to elite level.

[thedoppelganger]

It's just crazy that Presti made 10+ trades to extract the more value in picks for the future and have a roster that should be able to get a high first round pick and somehow we are close of being an average team...

I can complain that they should have rested Shai or Horford in 2-3 key games but overall Presti did all the right moves and somehow this roster is just massively overperforming

Biggest over/underperformers in actual W/L compared to their expected W/L:
Thunder + 5.3
Cavs + 4.8
Blazers +4.7
Detroit -3.2
Toronto -3.2

Just incredibly bad luck to have it happen in a year like this, we've done about all we can without risking guys like SGA pushing back on being rested too often. If we do end up with just one mid-late lottery pick this year, it does seem likely that we'll be aiming for a bottom 5 record again next year unless ownership says otherwise.

[Dadouv47]

Yep, Shai is too good to trade and too good to tank. Ultimately the plan for rebuilding doesn't change but it gets more complicated. We still have to hope to get lucky with picks or hope a good young player becomes available. However the probability of becoming a treadmill team has increased substantially.

Totally.

And then you look at at team like Minnesota that picked first last year, will probably pick in the top 3 again this year, hasn't made the playoffs in over 15 years and you think, well, you can't torpedo your culture and your front office professionalism in search of a high draft pick at any cost, otherwise maybe you end up like them. So like it or not I guess we may just have to be happy with being a treadmill type team. Feels like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of figuring out how to ever get back to elite level.

Parft of me wants to trade picks for Collins & other prospects but I think the safest bet is to wait another year. We are clearly overperforming and it's pretty unclear how our young guys will play next season. I also think some other teams are underperforming and should be better next season so I kind of like our odds to get a high lottery pick next season.
If SGA is still playing at a very high level in the end of next season, I would try to make some significant moves (combining some ''ok'' prospects and picks) to accelerate the rebuild.

[slick_watts]

kenrich williams is having a bizarre season. all of a sudden shooting 40% from three and lighting it up from mid-range also. he's shooting .571 eFG on jump shots overall, higher than his free throw percentage! my cursory search only found one other season matching this accomplishment-- bruce bowen in 2002-03. williams is a player i hope we keep around but i can see why sam presti may want to trade him while he's performing this well. the jump shooting stands a good chance of being illusory.

[ThunderBolt]

Yep, Shai is too good to trade and too good to tank. Ultimately the plan for rebuilding doesn't change but it gets more complicated. We still have to hope to get lucky with picks or hope a good young player becomes available. However the probability of becoming a treadmill team has increased substantially.

Totally.

And then you look at at team like Minnesota that picked first last year, will probably pick in the top 3 again this year, hasn't made the playoffs in over 15 years and you think, well, you can't torpedo your culture and your front office professionalism in search of a high draft pick at any cost, otherwise maybe you end up like them. So like it or not I guess we may just have to be happy with being a treadmill type team. Feels like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of figuring out how to ever get back to elite level.

It's one of the reasons this year has been so frustrating. Getting a top five pick in a year with no fans in the stands could have been so ideal from a rebuilding perspective. I keep reminding myself that there are many ways this rebuild can work out in our favor. Perhaps we make something out of nothing and get a player like Jokic in the second round. I just can't help thinking we will look back on this year as a big missed opportunity.

[Old Man Game]

Yep, Shai is too good to trade and too good to tank. Ultimately the plan for rebuilding doesn't change but it gets more complicated. We still have to hope to get lucky with picks or hope a good young player becomes available. However the probability of becoming a treadmill team has increased substantially.

Totally.

And then you look at at team like Minnesota that picked first last year, will probably pick in the top 3 again this year, hasn't made the playoffs in over 15 years and you think, well, you can't torpedo your culture and your front office professionalism in search of a high draft pick at any cost, otherwise maybe you end up like them. So like it or not I guess we may just have to be happy with being a treadmill type team. Feels like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of figuring out how to ever get back to elite level.

It's one of the reasons this year has been so frustrating. Getting a top five pick in a year with no fans in the stands could have been so ideal from a rebuilding perspective. I keep reminding myself that there are many ways this rebuild can work out in our favor. Perhaps we make something out of nothing and get a player like Jokic in the second round. I just can't help thinking we will look back on this year as a big missed opportunity.

I wonder how Presti feels about it. Start of the season it looked like we had an amazing opportunity to get 2 top ten picks, most likely one in the top 5. Then Houston falls off a cliff, probably is going to keep their pick, and we overperform our margin. Seems like a big unload the war chest trade might be a lot more plausible now.

[thedoppelganger]

Read on Twitter

"One below-the-radar name I’ve been told to watch at the deadline: Oklahoma City forward Kenrich Williams. A sign-and-trade throw-in to make the cap math work on the Pelicans’ trade for Steven Adams, “Kenny Hustle” has had a breakout year with the Thunder. No, he isn’t an elite athlete, and his shooting has always been a question mark. Nonetheless, he has established himself as a rotation-caliber player at both forward spots for the rebuilding Thunder with his ballhandling, plus rebounding, tough D and generally high basketball IQ.

Additionally, Williams has one of the best contracts in the league: It’s just $2 million a year, and he’s signed for two more years after this one. It’s not even guaranteed money, so an acquiring team could get off it due to injury or ineffectiveness. Acquiring a rotation player that cheaply should be very attractive for the league’s contenders, most of whom are bound by luxury tax or hard-cap issues.

The 26-year-old Williams would likely command at least a second-round pick, allowing the Thunder to add to their draft hoard. Subtracting Williams would also help the Thunder in another sense, as the team keeps inadvertently winning games and harming its own lottery odds."

I'd be very surprised if we let him go for just one second rounder, but makes sense that his name is starting to pop up more in rumors.

[Dadouv47]

Read on Twitter

"One below-the-radar name I’ve been told to watch at the deadline: Oklahoma City forward Kenrich Williams. A sign-and-trade throw-in to make the cap math work on the Pelicans’ trade for Steven Adams, “Kenny Hustle” has had a breakout year with the Thunder. No, he isn’t an elite athlete, and his shooting has always been a question mark. Nonetheless, he has established himself as a rotation-caliber player at both forward spots for the rebuilding Thunder with his ballhandling, plus rebounding, tough D and generally high basketball IQ.

Additionally, Williams has one of the best contracts in the league: It’s just $2 million a year, and he’s signed for two more years after this one. It’s not even guaranteed money, so an acquiring team could get off it due to injury or ineffectiveness. Acquiring a rotation player that cheaply should be very attractive for the league’s contenders, most of whom are bound by luxury tax or hard-cap issues.

The 26-year-old Williams would likely command at least a second-round pick, allowing the Thunder to add to their draft hoard. Subtracting Williams would also help the Thunder in another sense, as the team keeps inadvertently winning games and harming its own lottery odds."

I'd be very surprised if we let him go for just one second rounder, but makes sense that his name is starting to pop up more in rumors.

I'm fine to trade him for a 2nd. More would be a bonus

[ThunderBolt]

Read on Twitter

"One below-the-radar name I’ve been told to watch at the deadline: Oklahoma City forward Kenrich Williams. A sign-and-trade throw-in to make the cap math work on the Pelicans’ trade for Steven Adams, “Kenny Hustle” has had a breakout year with the Thunder. No, he isn’t an elite athlete, and his shooting has always been a question mark. Nonetheless, he has established himself as a rotation-caliber player at both forward spots for the rebuilding Thunder with his ballhandling, plus rebounding, tough D and generally high basketball IQ.

Additionally, Williams has one of the best contracts in the league: It’s just $2 million a year, and he’s signed for two more years after this one. It’s not even guaranteed money, so an acquiring team could get off it due to injury or ineffectiveness. Acquiring a rotation player that cheaply should be very attractive for the league’s contenders, most of whom are bound by luxury tax or hard-cap issues.

The 26-year-old Williams would likely command at least a second-round pick, allowing the Thunder to add to their draft hoard. Subtracting Williams would also help the Thunder in another sense, as the team keeps inadvertently winning games and harming its own lottery odds."

I'd be very surprised if we let him go for just one second rounder, but makes sense that his name is starting to pop up more in rumors.

I agree. Due to the contract Williams value is more similar to Dort's value. I have that being greater than Hill or Muscala.

[jake_swivel]

I wonder if Kenrich could be part of a package to get out from under Horford. That’s actually a pretty under the radar good package for a team wanting a vet big and depth. Could add some seconds and try to get a protected first, maybe?

[Dadouv47]

I wonder if Kenrich could be part of a package to get out from under Horford. That’s actually a pretty under the radar good package for a team wanting a vet big and depth. Could add some seconds and try to get a protected first, maybe?

I don't think that a team is willing to trade for Horford right now but adding Williams in a future Horford trade (if both stay) would me smart and I think the value is quite fair.

[jake_swivel]

I wonder if Kenrich could be part of a package to get out from under Horford. That’s actually a pretty under the radar good package for a team wanting a vet big and depth. Could add some seconds and try to get a protected first, maybe?

I don't think that a team is willing to trade for Horford right now but adding Williams in a future Horford trade (if both stay) would me smart and I think the value is quite fair.

Still think Boston is a decent fit. Aaron Gordon at that salary or kenrich and big al? I think they get more value, and they seem to actually contribute to winning. Aaron Gordon is empty stats.

[Dadouv47]

I wonder if Kenrich could be part of a package to get out from under Horford. That’s actually a pretty under the radar good package for a team wanting a vet big and depth. Could add some seconds and try to get a protected first, maybe?

I don't think that a team is willing to trade for Horford right now but adding Williams in a future Horford trade (if both stay) would me smart and I think the value is quite fair.

Still think Boston is a decent fit. Aaron Gordon at that salary or kenrich and big al? I think they get more value, and they seem to actually contribute to winning. Aaron Gordon is empty stats.

I totally agree with you. I think Al is underrated right now and Gordon is really overrated (maybe I'm wrong about Gordon, gonna be interesting to see his impact on a good team).

That being said, feel like teams are looking to give up value for Gordon and don't want to touch Horford's contract

[Old Man Game]

LOL at the 'get rid of Williams he's making the team win too often' line from professional writers. Do they read our stuff on here?

[Dadouv47]

Read on Twitter

Guess that's enough for us to stop dreaming about a Horford trade.

[ThunderBolt]

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