OKC Thunder Offseason: Avengers Assemble

[Pillendreher]

Christon is not gonna get a two way contract. Presti can't be that stupid.

[Ontario]

Thought occurred to me RE: Semaj getting a 2 way contract. Shouldn't an organization use those for, you know, development? Semaj is about to turn 25. He's sub-sub-basement level caliber for an NBA PG as is. Likelihood of him improving with more D-League time seems de minimis. We've already got Hamilton on a 2 way who is a PG/swingman anyway. Seems like a waste of resources to give him one.

The real benefit would be to the D-League team itself as Semaj is passable as a competent player down there.

Has the D-League followed the NBA evolution of no D and perimeter oriented everything or is it following its own course in basketball based on the players, coaches and skillsets within the D league? I know some people were saying Darkari wouldn't be useful in the NBA despite his being a standout in the D league, my point being what is the point of that league if it is teaching skills to players that are a decade behind being relevant today?

[Pillendreher]

I don't know what to say.

[jambalaya]

D league has followed 3 pt revolution. 28 3pta per game is avg there, 27 in NBA. Thunder 28 as well, so average, not special. Blue play slower than Thunder and had meh to lame offense, best defense. Great regular season, second round playoff exit. So different than Thunder, though they'd probably claim similar philosophy being applied. A player moving from all Blue to Thunder who wasn't a draft pick... I don't think has happened for meaningful time.

G league could be bigger deal in future but I don't follow much now and think it is probably somewhat overhyped for major "development" but it is better than nothing. It is practice for the not good enough & not ready.

[Old Man Game]

Thought occurred to me RE: Semaj getting a 2 way contract. Shouldn't an organization use those for, you know, development? Semaj is about to turn 25. He's sub-sub-basement level caliber for an NBA PG as is. Likelihood of him improving with more D-League time seems de minimis. We've already got Hamilton on a 2 way who is a PG/swingman anyway. Seems like a waste of resources to give him one.

The real benefit would be to the D-League team itself as Semaj is passable as a competent player down there.

Has the D-League followed the NBA evolution of no D and perimeter oriented everything or is it following its own course in basketball based on the players, coaches and skillsets within the D league? I know some people were saying Darkari wouldn't be useful in the NBA despite his being a standout in the D league, my point being what is the point of that league if it is teaching skills to players that are a decade behind being relevant today?

Great question. I think the larger issue may not so much be the style as it is the personnel. So for instance, Cam Payne goes down on assignment. Gets to be a high usage guy while he's there, dictating the offense. Comes back up, he's a role player. Seems like it'd be hard to get much out of it playing that way. I think Roberson was the one guy who played more or less the same when he was down there and with the Thunder.

[Old Man Game]

I don't know what to say.

So, that's his sister he's grabbing like she's a pirate wench?

[Old Man Game]

Christon is not gonna get a two way contract. Presti can't be that stupid.

You're speaking of the guy who decided to still be paying Ronnie Price so that we could have Semaj in the first place.

[Pillendreher]

I don't know what to say.

So, that's his sister he's grabbing like she's a pirate wench?

Seems like it. I think it's safe to say Sinlger is a complete weirdo.

[Pillendreher]

Christon is not gonna get a two way contract. Presti can't be that stupid.

You're speaking of the guy who decided to still be paying Ronnie Price so that we could have Semaj in the first place.

After Durant burst Presti's bubble, Presti was scrambling. Seems to me he only got himself together half a year later (Gibson tarde).

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

We. Need. A. Backup. Center.

Don't waste another couple of weeks with this 'Oh, now we're cool too - let's go small' bs.

[Atomic Punk]

Read on Twitter

We. Need. A. Backup. Center.

Don't waste another couple of weeks with this 'Oh, now we're cool too - let's go small' bs.

Like I said, go get Perk. If that's not an option, John Henson is available and the Thunder have a couple of trade exceptions. I mean what are we talking about here, 10-15 minutes a game? Barring injury, foul trouble, or certain matchups of course.

[bondom34]

Read on Twitter

We. Need. A. Backup. Center.

Don't waste another couple of weeks with this 'Oh, now we're cool too - let's go small' bs.

Like I said, go get Perk. If that's not an option, John Henson is available and the Thunder have a couple of trade exceptions. I mean what are we talking about here, 10-15 minutes a game? Barring injury, foul trouble, or certain matchups of course.

Henson is too expensive. Not just in general but for the TE.

[Atomic Punk]

Read on Twitter

We. Need. A. Backup. Center.

Don't waste another couple of weeks with this 'Oh, now we're cool too - let's go small' bs.

Like I said, go get Perk. If that's not an option, John Henson is available and the Thunder have a couple of trade exceptions. I mean what are we talking about here, 10-15 minutes a game? Barring injury, foul trouble, or certain matchups of course.

Henson is too expensive. Not just in general but for the TE.

What would you think of bringing Perkins back? Word is he came to camp in shape and still has something left in the tank. He brings toughness and another veteran voice.

[bondom34]

Like I said, go get Perk. If that's not an option, John Henson is available and the Thunder have a couple of trade exceptions. I mean what are we talking about here, 10-15 minutes a game? Barring injury, foul trouble, or certain matchups of course.

Henson is too expensive. Not just in general but for the TE.

What would you think of bringing Perkins back? Word is he came to camp in shape and still has something left in the tank. He brings toughness and another veteran voice.

Not sure if this is popular or not but I'd take him. More as coach than player, but if they absolutely were desperate for 5-10 minutes a night for a week or 2. On court I'd rather someone better but I'd gladly take him as an end of bench vet guy if Donovan wouldn't play him except as a victory cigar.

[Atomic Punk]

Henson is too expensive. Not just in general but for the TE.

What would you think of bringing Perkins back? Word is he came to camp in shape and still has something left in the tank. He brings toughness and another veteran voice.

Not sure if this is popular or not but I'd take him. More as coach than player, but if they absolutely were desperate for 5-10 minutes a night for a week or 2. On court I'd rather someone better but I'd gladly take him as an end of bench vet guy if Donovan wouldn't play him except as a victory cigar.

I don't disagree with any of that. I suppose my question is, what's the downside if you can sign him to a non-guaranteed vet minimum deal? As an end of the bench guy that can play in a pinch and provide veteran leadership, you could do worse.

[slick_watts]

we can do much better than perk for the minimum. dakari is better than perk. we already have a roster sage who won't play (n. collison). don't need another.

[Atomic Punk]

we can do much better than perk for the minimum. dakari is better than perk. we already have a roster sage who won't play (n. collison). don't need another.

Slick, I respect your basketball knowledge, but on no planet, in no alternate reality, is Dakari Johnson better than Kendrick Perkins. And yes, I am looking beyond the numbers and stats here. Intangibles do count in the NBA.

[Atomic Punk]

we can do much better than perk for the minimum. dakari is better than perk. we already have a roster sage who won't play (n. collison). don't need another.

Who do you think is out there that can be had for the minimum to back up the 5 spot? I haven't taken a hard look at it yet.

[Pillendreher]

Re Perk: Yes, if he comes back as part of the coaching staff. He has no business getting minutes. Since getting traded by us 2.5 years ago (!!!), Perkins has played a total of 709 minutes in the NBA. There's a reason for that.
If you think, Dakari Johnson looks slow, you have never seen Perkins play.

Re Henson: There's no way for us to aquire a guy with that kind of a salary because you can't combine TPEs. He's overpaid.

Re backup Center in general: They should give Dakari Johnson a chance till say the end of Novemeber. Let's see if he can get going a little bit. Maybe he just needs to find himself on the NBA floor.
If that does not work, they should make getting a Center that can run the Pick and Roll a priority. Felton can't really shoot, but he is still decent enough at running the PnR. If our Center can't do that, we're negating any positive impact Felton could have had offensively.

I'm liking this Nogueria kid more and more. He seems to be athletic, has very decent defensive impact stats, was very good in the PnR per Synergy. We should try to trade Grant for him.

[bondom34]

Agree with all of that.