Thunderous Intentions
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How OKC Thunder should tweak their identity to better fit modern NBA era

By Tamberlyn Richardson

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 17: Kevin Durant #35, James Harden #13, and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Western Conference All-Stars take a photo before the 2013 NBA All-Star Game on February 17, 2013 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 17: Kevin Durant #35, James Harden #13, and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Western Conference All-Stars take a photo before the 2013 NBA All-Star Game on February 17, 2013 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder
OKC Thunder General Manager Sam Presti (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

After 11 seasons and on the cusp of a new OKC Thunder era, given the changes of the last decade in the NBA should the team tweak their identity?

As the OKC Thunder near the start of the next decade and their first true rebuilding phase, General Manager Sam Presti needs to determine if the franchise 11-year identity should be tweaked.

No matter how you slice it this past NBA decade will be remembered for three things. The increased reliance on the perimeter shot, positionless basketball, and an ever-increasing pace. For the OKC Thunder they’ve checked off two of those three boxes most seasons ranking in the upper tier of teams but perimeter shooting has always been a struggle.

A decade of poor OKC Thunder 3-point shooting:

  • 2009-10 – 34.0 percent, 25th
  • 2010-11 –  34.7 percent, 19th
  • 2011-12 –  35.8 percent, 11th
  • 2012-13 – 37.7 percent, 3rd
  • 2013-14 – 36.1 percent, 14th
  • 2014-15 – 33.9 percent, 23rd
  • 2015-16 – 34.9 percent, 17th
  • 2016-17 – 32.7 percent, 30th
  • 2017-18 – 35.4 percent, 24th
  • 2018-19 – 34.8 percent,  22nd

Average league rank: 18.8 

Over the decade the Thunder ranked in the top five on a single occasion. Not surprisingly, that season featured two players in the top ten (Kevin Martin and Kevin Durant) who shot over 40 percent on more than 4.0 attempts per game. Their decade average found them ranking 18.8 overall. Moreover, in the post Durant years, the Thunder ranked 25.3 in the Association. That last stat may surprise some given two of those years featured Paul George on the roster.

A decade of defensive excellence:

It’s not necessarily surprising the OKC Thunder weren’t consistently ranked in the top tier, especially because the identity of the squad was defense first. In that regard, the Thunder excelled.

  • 2009-10 – 7th
  • 2010-11 – 15th
  • 2011-12 – 9th
  • 2012-13 –  4th
  • 2013-14 – 5th
  • 2014-15 –  15th
  • 2015-16 – 11th
  • 2016-17 – 10th
  • 2017-18 – 9th
  • 2018-19 – 4th

In seven seasons in the decade, the OKC Thunder ranked in the top 10 defensively. Of the three seasons they weren’t ranked in the top 10 they were never worse than 15th. One of those seasons (2014-15) was the year the Big three of Kevin Durant (27), Russell Westbrook (67) and Serge Ibaka (64) all missed time due to injury.

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