OKC Thunder: The Best/Worst Case Scenario for the 2016-2017 Season
By Tony Heim
The OKC Thunder have the widest range of possibilities in the NBA this season. But where will they fall?
I’m so scared and so fearful for this season. The OKC Thunder have looked sooooooooooo good and soooooooo bad this preseason it’s almost impossible to predict what the end result will be. Good thing for us, that’s not our motive in this column.
I write the way I live my life. Gimme the worse news first.
OKC Thunder worst case scenario…
There’s an easy way to answer this. Russell Westbrook gets hurt and the team goes up in flames. Well I don’t like easy nor do I think Russ’ body is capable of being seriously injured more than twice in his career.
So let’s look at the more difficult answer. Surprisingly it starts with Victor Oladipo. If the Oladipo-Westbrook combination doesn’t work out the Thunder are in for trouble this season.
Sam Presti took a gamble trading away a franchise cornerstone in Serge Ibaka for a one-year trial with the Westbrook-Oladipo combination. That meant pushing Andre Roberson out of his natural position and giving Cameron Payne even more competition at the backup point guard position.
Next: Are We Sold on Victor Oladipo?
With two ball-dominant guards in Oladipo and Westbrook, the Thunder big men start to feel neglected. Steven Adams’ efficiency rating is off the charts, but his usage is down. Since Oladipo and Russ don’t play well together, Billy Donovan begins to play Oladipo with the second-unit more. Now Enes Kanter is upset he’s not getting enough touches.
The organization built on family gets ripped apart by one of the newest additions to the roster. Russ goes to the media and publicly asks for Victor to be traded; Westbrook becomes the villain of the NBA once again.
Oklahoma City just misses the playoffs. Oladipo obviously doesn’t come back and Roberson signs a huge contract elsewhere. Sam Presti has only one year left to convince Russ OKC is the place for him.
(that got way too scary and way too feasible way too quickly)
OKC Thunder best case scenario…
TIME TO GET HAPPY YALL.
The Thunder’s potential this season rests in the 23-year old’s large mittens. After the playoffs we thought Adams had the ability to be a top-three center in the league some day. Well this is the year he stakes his claim as a perennial All-NBA center.
Adams huge leap on defense is helped by the addition of Victor Oladipo who helps the other OKC Thunder guards with their defensive fundamentals.
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Instead of cleaning up his teammates mess (ahem KD) Adams gets to focus on being the rim protector in Oklahoma City.
That deadly defense anchored by NBA Defensive Player of the Year Steven Adams surprises everyone when they rank in the top-three in the league. Meanwhile MVP Russell Westbrook makes sure the offense is doing just enough to push them over 50 wins.
But its the playoffs where OKC shines. While most of the NBA deals with beef between the roster, the Thunder succeed through their tight bond. Everybody buys in to Coach Donovan’s system and they make it to the second round of the playoffs. Who’s waiting for them? The Golden State Warriors.
I’ll let you fill in the rest 🙂