Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

There is one word that is used to describe Hasheem Thabeet more than any other word: bust.

It’s a fair description. Up to this point in his career, Thabeet has not lived up to the expectations that go along with being drafted second overall in the NBA Draft. Thabeet has already played on four different teams now in his fourth season in the league and is averaging 2.3 points per game in his career.

Now in Oklahoma City, things seem to be changing for Thabeet. He might actually be turning into a solid NBA player instead of someone who is the bud of a joke.

Thabeet had his first career double-double last night in the Thunder’s 45-point rout of the Charlotte Bobcats. He’s playing 12.8 minutes per game for the Thunder this season and leading the league in field goal percentage at 80 percent (minimum 20 field goal attempts).

Taking just 20 shots on the year so far is a small sample size but nonetheless Thabeet has been far better than expected in OKC. And on top of his high field goal percentage, he is also shooting 82.6 percent from the free throw line and taking almost two per game.

When Thabeet came to OKC this season, he wasn’t even expected to be playing at first. Then the Thunder traded Cole Aldrich to the Houston Rockets and the backup center position suddenly opened up for Thabeet to step in.

Thabeet has been described as a completely different person by his former teammate in Houston, Kevin Martin. Martin says that Thabeet is working much harder than he did when he was with the Rockets and it is showing on the court.

Remember, Thabeet wasn’t picked No. 2 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft for no reason. There was some serious potential that he showed in college. You can’t teach his 7-foot-3 size and he has always been more coordinated than most at the height, blocking shots with relative ease and running the floor.

The game is faster when you get to the NBA from college. It was a big learning curve for Thabeet and for someone who hadn’t even been playing basketball as long as most, it’s taken him awhile to get used to the speed of the game. Combine that with never really getting much of a chance in games in his first three seasons and it’s not surprising at all that he didn’t succeed.

The role in OKC for Thabeet is a simple one and one that is catered to what he can do. He’s not asked to do anything other than come in and play hard. He has six fouls to burn every game and the Thunder would be fine with him using them 82 times this season.

The pressure is off Thabeet. We were already to forget about him then he landed in the perfect place. We’re finally starting to see some of the talent that Thabeet promised back in college.

Thabeet is still a long way away from being a player that will make the Thunder rotation in the playoffs. Last year’s backup center Nazr Mohammed basically stopped playing at all when the playoffs came around and the rotation was shortened by head coach Scott Brooks.

There’s a good chance the same thing will happen to Thabeet but maybe not. He looks to be getting better every game and building confidence night after night. And it’s not as if the second unit for OKC is in perfect shape. It could use someone like Thabeet stepping up and becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Thabeet appears well on his way to finally becoming a good NBA player in OKC. Still a bust, but at least good.

Soobum-Im-US PRESSWIRE

Hasheem Thabeet played 23 minutes for the Oklahoma City Thunder in their last game, a win at home over the Toronto Raptors two nights ago. Thabeet scored 10 points and pulled down five boards while going 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

Thabeet, once the No. 2 overall selection from the 2009 NBA Draft, has been one of the biggest busts in the NBA so far in his career. He was raw coming out of college with not much of an offensive game and his development in the NBA so far has been minimal.

OKC might be the perfect place for him though.

“I was with him in Houston. It’s like night and day when he was in Houston,” Kevin Martin told HOOPSWORLD about Thabeet. “He wants to be in every practice drill now. I can tell he gets to the gym earlier. He’s just excited.

“Whatever they did to him, it definitely worked in his favor,” he said, grinning, referring to the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise.

via HoopsWorld

Thabeet is not a No. 2 overall pick in the eyes of the Thunder organization. He’s just someone that needs to come in and give them 8-12 minutes per night, bang bodies and be a force on defense.

Right now, Thabeet is the Thunder’s only option at the backup center position. OKC did not re-sign Nazr Mohammed who held the role on last year’s team and they just traded Cole Aldrich to Houston in the James Harden trade.

That now leaves Thabeet who hasn’t looked great in every game for the Thunder this season, but has shown signs or potential in each of them.

The NBA was supposed to be shifting to small ball with threes now playing the four and Kevin Durant being one of them. That really may just be the Miami Heat and LeBron James. In the West, it will still count to have size on the floor. Just look at the team that is supposed to be OKC’s biggest obstacle, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dwight Howard is drawing more fouls and shooting more free throws than just about anyone in the league so far this season. That means Kendrick Perkins and his six fouls probably won’t be enough to guard Howard 40 minutes per game in a 7-game series.

So whether Thabeet is ready to become an important part of the Thunder rotation or not, the Thunder are going to use him as one and hope he does.

The main goal for Thabeet is not to get in the way of the offensive flow for the second unit. He’s not going to get the ball in the post, his touches will only come when his man doubles and he gets offensive boards.

Fouling out is not a concern for Thabeet on the defensive end which he has clearly shown so far this season. At 7-foot-3, he will always be a presence out there and he has always had a knack for blocking a few shots per game.

Thabeet was a joke in this league up until this season. The Thunder are giving him a chance to do something real with his career on this team. Thabeet seems up for the challenge.

Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

Hasheem Thabeet has yet to find a good place for himself in the NBA. Thabeet was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and has already played for three different teams in his short NBA career.

Thabeet will now get a chance with his fourth NBA team, the Oklahoma City Thunder who are fresh off an NBA Finals appearance last season and feature the best young core in all of basketball.

“It’s another opportunity for me,” Thabeet told the Connecticut Post. “(I want to) establish my position somewhere. I haven’t been consistent. That’s what I’m working on just to stay consistent and have a spot somewhere.”

Thabeet obviously showed a lot of potential in college playing for Connecticut where he played three seasons and was on a record-pace for blocking shots. The game is different in the NBA and Thabeet was less prepared than most anticipated coming into the league.

Thabeet needs a place where he can develop more and learn where he fits in this league. OKC may be just the place, known for developing young talent and they obviously saw something they liked in signing Thabeet this summer.

“To fit in, it’s really hard,” Thabeet said. “You go to different teams and every team expects something different out of you…It’s not an easy league at all. There are still challenges for me every day. I have a great opportunity. Not many people get the chance to where I am right now, I just have to go and capitalize on it.”

Thabeet won’t be asked to do much for the Thunder, anything he gives them will be gravy and maybe that’s just what Thabeet needs. Expectations follow you everywhere you go when you are drafted as high as Thabeet and now it’s pretty clear he’ll never meet those.

But he can still contribute in this league. There’s definitely time for that. With the Thunder, he will be battling Cole Aldrich for the backup center spot in the rotation. Nazr Mohammed had that role the past year and a half and while Aldrich is next in line, he too hasn’t shown enough development to be considered a lock for the role.

The Thunder are one of the most physically imposing teams in the NBA right now. At every position they can dominate you physically from Russell Westbrook playing the point to Kevin Durant’s 7-foot-6 wing span hoisting 25-footers.

At 7-foot-3, Thabeet can impose himself in a physical manner if nothing else. Maybe that will fit with the Thunder. Maybe not.

Now with the regular schedule of things we should see by the time the season starts a better brand of basketball for everyone.

Preseason will be the next chance we get to look at rookie Perry Jones. Jones played just two games in the Thunder’s summer league games before getting hurt. He was impressive in the little time he played and showed why he was once considered a lottery talent.

Thunder signees Hasheem Thabeet, Hollis Thompson and Daniel Orton will also get their first chance to wear a Thunder jersey in preseason.

It will be interesting to see Thabeet and see if he still looks like he has any kind of the potential that led to him being picked No. 2 overall in the draft a few years ago. Orton is from Oklahoma City and hasn’t done much at all yet in the NBA but also has some potential and could make the 15-man roster if he really performs well.

The best part about preseason will be that the NBA regular season is right around the corner. We have the Olympics to hold us over now but there’s nothing like the real thing and those Thunder home games.

Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Daniel Orton to non-guaranteed training camp contract, according to The Oklahoman.

Orton, who is from Oklahoma City, is not guaranteed a roster spot as the Thunder have already filled their roster with 15 players under contract for next season this summer.

The Thunder lost Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed and Royal Ivey from last year’s roster and replaced them with first round draft pick Perry Jones, former No. 2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet and undrafted rookie Hollis Thompson.

Orton was drafted 29th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He didn’t play in any games that season and played in just 16 games last season for the Magic and actually started two of them when Dwight Howard was injured.

Orton averaged 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game last year in 11.7 minutes per game.

Orton was part of an impressive University of Kentucky draft class back in 2010 that included John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. Orton didn’t even start in college and left Kentucky after just one season and was still drafted in the first round.

It is safe to say he hasn’t progressed too much thus far in his NBA career and is considered somewhat of a knucklehead. He is only 22 years old though and has potential but don’t expect him to necessarily make the Thunder’s roster.

Thompson spent three seasons playing for Georgetown and averaged 12.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season for the Hoyas. He made 58 3-pointers last season and shot .430 percent from beyond the arc.

Thompson will be a small forward in the NBA at 6-foot-8, 212 pounds. He has more size than any of the other backup wings on the Thunder roster although it is not thought he will be getting many minutes next season.

Thompson actually declared for the NBA Draft last season but withdrew from it to come back for his junior season at Georgetown.

The Thunder roster is complete now with 15 players. The Thunder officially signed Hasheem Thabeet today as well to a 2-year deal.

The Thunder roster will featured three new players for next season with Thompson, Thabeet and rookie Perry Jones. The three players from last season that will be gone are Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed and Royal Ivey.

There were rumors earlier today that Grant Hill was interested in potentially signing with the Thunder and that will now obviously not happen.

There are two more days left of the Summer League in Orlando that the Thunder are participating in. Thabeet and Thompson now both can possibly join the team to play in those games.

Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Hasheem Thabeet have agreed to a 2-year deal, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.

The Thunder were reportedly interested in signing Thabeet for the past week now. The former No. 2 overall pick from the 2009 NBA Draft will likely sign for close to the league minimum, around $880,000 for the first year in his contract.

Thabeet has played in 135 games in his career and averaged just 2.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. Thabeet was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies and later traded to the Houston Rockets and most recently the Portland Trailblazers.

Thabeet signing with the Thunder all but guarantees OKC will not re-sign center Nazr Mohammed. Thabeet will come in as the third-string center for Oklahoma City behind Kendrick Perkins and Cole Aldrich.

Thabeet coming on signing for the minimum helps the Thunder save money to get James Harden and Serge Ibaka. Thabeet is also a flyer with some potential upside that could be realized in the right situation.

“Playing in that environment is positive,” Thabeet’s agent, Bill Duffy told The Oklahoman. “Sam Presti has done a great job of not only building a winning organization but a culture that’s conditioned to developing and nurturing. So we think it’s a really good fit. So now the onus is on Hasheem to buy into that and to develop and to reach his potential.”

The Thunder can still sign one more player before next season. With Thabeet and rookie Perry Jones III, OKC will have 14 players on the roster.

Devin Ebanks, Daniel Orton and Roger Mason are three names rumored to be targeted by the Thunder this summer.

The Thunder do have a few roster spots to fill though with Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed and Royal Ivey all possibly coming off the books.

The Thunder aren’t going to outbid anyone for a free agent but here are a few possibilities for the Thunder:

Hasheem Thabeet, C

Thabeet was the first name brought up this offseason with the Thunder. The former No. 2 overall pick in 2009 has pretty much been a bust so far in his NBA career. Thabeet hasn’t gotten a lot of chances yet though anywhere he has played. At 7-foot-3, Thabeet is a physical specimen and was drafted No. 2 for a reason: he has a lot of potential. The Thunder may be a perfect spot for him to shine.

With Mohammed likely on the way out, the Thunder would be in the market for another backup big. Kendrick Perkins will be the starting center with Serge Ibaka starting at power forward. Nick Collison and Cole Aldrich are the immediate backup bigs and then there is rookie Perry Jones III. Signing another backup center if Aldrich doesn’t pan out would be a good idea for OKC.

Devin Ebanks, SF

Ebanks is an athletic wing that has drawn interest from a number of teams, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopWorld. The Lakers have extended a qualifying offer to him so they can match any offer he received from another team if they choose.

A backup small forward for Kevin Durant is a need for the Thunder. Daequan Cook served as Durant’s backup for most of the regular season making the Thunder second unit extra small. Ebanks could be an upgrade in this spot and provide some more versatility to OKC’s lineups.

Roger Mason

ESPN’s Chris Broussard tweeted that the Thunder are among a few teams interested in Mason. Mason is basically a spot-up shooter not much different than Cook. This signing isn’t one the Thunder would prefer over Ebanks but if they can’t get Ebanks, Mason could come into play.

Mason averaged 5.5 points per game in 52 games for Washington last season. He is a career .381 percent 3-point shooter.

Daniel Orton

Orton is from Oklahoma and a potential target for OKC, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Orton was a first round draft pick by Orlando back in 2010. He has only played in 16 games in his short NBA career and never really showed much for the Magic.

With Thabeet expected to sign with the Thunder more than anything else, Orton seems unlikely to land in OKC.

Brooks and the Thunder have been working on a deal since the season ended and it was really just a matter of time before the two sides reached an agreement.

“Continuing with Scott as our head coach is extremely significant for the future of our organization,” Thunder GM Sam Presti said in a press release. “As we have continually communicated, he has been integral to our success and we have a deep appreciation for his tireless dedication to our players’ development. His experiences and core values are invaluable to our players as they continue to grow and improve and we are thrilled to continue our partnership.”

Presti has been adamant all along that Brooks was his guy and would be a part of the Thunder organization moving forward.

“I would like to thank Clay Bennett and Sam Presti for the opportunity to continue with the Thunder,” Brooks said. “Oklahoma City is a special place and I’m eager to build upon the foundation and culture of this franchise for years to come.”

Signing Brooks was the first step this offseason. Next up is dealing with James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor who are all eligible for contract extensions themselves this summer.

All three have talked about sacrifice in regards to their futures with the Thunder and they all will likely have to sacrifice a little cash to remain with the organization.

The Thunder have also met with free agent Hasheem Thabeet and they may take a flyer on the former No. 2 overall draft pick as well to fill out their roster.

The top priority in OKC right now is getting a deal done with Scott Brooks and then extending James Harden and Serge Ibaka.

Former No. 2 overall pick from the 2009 NBA Draft, Hasheem Thabeet, could be a player that the Thunder may go after in free agency.

First the Perry Jones “gamble,” now Hasheem Thabeet? Source says Oklahoma City is the most likely landing spot for the 7-3 center who was taken No. 2 by Memphis in 2009 and will be playing for his fourth team (assuming he doesn’t sign with Portland, Houston or the Griz).

via Sam Amick of SI.com

The Thunder have three players that will be free agents this summer: Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed and Royal Ivey. They drafted Perry Jones III so that leaves two more spots on the roster to fill.

Fisher and Mohammed will likely not be coming back so there could be room for a free agent signing like Thabeet.

Thabeet is an unrestricted free agent and likely wouldn’t command much of a deal. The Thunder have always been interested in taking a flyer on Thabeet, even coming close to working a deal for him a couple years ago while he was still in Memphis. The Thunder feel strongly that put in their program, Thabeet still has the tools to develop into something worthwhile.

via Royce Young of Daily Thunder

Thabeet is considered by most a bust at this point in his NBA career. He has played in 135 games in his career and averaged 2.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

Thabeet is 7-foot-3 though and there is a reason he was drafted No. 2 overall in the draft. He has potential and has some tools to work with and the Thunder may see that in him.

The feeling around a team like OKC is that it would be a great fit for anyone. That was the case when they drafted Jones III. Had Jones III been taken in the top 10 by a team like Toronto, everyone would be calling it a bad pick. In Oklahoma City, it will be a perfect fit for Jones III.

That’s the same way people would feel if the Thunder signed Thabeet. Couldn’t he give the Thunder a solid 10-minute stretch now and then? Imagine Thabeet and Serge Ibaka in a lineup on the floor together. That sounds like it could be a force to be reckoned with on defense.

The Thunder have a luxury that not every NBA team has. They are young and made it to the NBA Finals last season and they now can take flyers on players like Thabeet and Jones III.

It seems like no matter what the Thunder do, it is the right move. Only the Thunder can sign Thabeet and call it “the right move.”

Update: Hasheem Thabeet visited the Thunder on Sunday and could end up signing with Oklahoma City, a source said. The 7-3 center has played for Memphis, Houston and Portland since being drafted No. 2 by the Grizzlies in 2009.

Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

The biggest names this trade deadline stayed put. Dwight Howard will remain with the Orlando Magic through next season. The Lakers did not deal Pau Gasol and the Nets kept Deron Williams.

A few contenders did make some noise and one team let the world know they would begin tanking. Let’s start with the 3-team deal that broke just after 3 p.m.

Nuggets, Clippers, Wizards

Denver received JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf, Washington received Nene, Brian Cook and a pick and Los Angeles received Nick Young. Other players and picks might be included.

The Nuggets get rid of Nene who perennially is at the top of the league in field goal percentage. The Nuggets have had trouble finding a closer in games and Nene was one guy they could go to for offense. Now they have McGee who is basically a head case but with tons of talent. Maybe George Karl can help with that.

Nene to Washington might be a good fit over there to help John Wall out. McGee and Young were the main headcases over there and it’s definitely somewhat of a plus to get rid of them.

The Clippers have needed a shooting guard all season and they get a talented one in Young without giving away much. While he may have attitude problems you have to think Chris Paul could help with that.

Portland Trailblazers

The Blazers made it clear that they have given up on the season. Not too long ago the Blazers were the most feared team by me as a potential playoff matchup with the Thunder. Today they dealt Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace for Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Shawne Williams and Mehmet Okur.

They sent Camby to the Rockets for Thabeet, Flynn and a future second-round pick. They sent Wallace to New Jersey for Williams, Okur and a top-3, protected first-round pick.

The Blazers also fired head coach Nate McMillan.

Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers addressed a few needs today and parted ways with one of the all-time Lakers greats, at least according to their fans. The Lakers sent Derek Fisher and a first-round pick (via Dallas) to Houston for Jordan Hill.

Los Angeles also sent Luke Walton, Jason Kapono and a first-round pick to Cleveland for Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga. The Lakers have upgraded Fisher to Sessions who is one of the more underrated point guards in the NBA. Sessions however is a player that needs the ball in his hands a lot to be productive, but nonetheless is an upgrade from Fisher.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs will reunite with Captain Jack. San Antonio sent Richard Jefferson and a conditional first-round pick to Golden State for Stephen Jackson.

Jackson played for the Spurs from 01-03 and won the NBA title with the team in the 2002-03 season as a starter. Jackson played with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on those teams and was very clutch during their playoff run in 2003.

Jackson was traded from Milwaukee two days ago to Golden State in the Monta Ellis deal.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets have added Camby and Fisher and a first-round pick while giving up no one in their rotation. Houston is fresh off a victory against the Thunder and beat the team with the best-record in the West two out of four times this season.

Camby paired with Samuel Dalembert will be a tough interior presence in blocking shots and rebounding on both ends. Fisher will also bring some experience and leadership. The Rockets will be a scary matchup for anyone once the playoffs role around if they can get healthy.

Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE

New Jersey Nets

The Nets got rid of a few players that rarely play and a first-round pick to get Wallace from Portland. Wallace is a great chemistry guy who can fit in anywhere on a basketball court. Wallace looked like the key ingredient for Portland this year and last as they looked to make a playoff run.

The Nets now have Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez. This could help them land Dwight Howard in a few ways whether it be adding Wallace into a deal to try and get Howard eventually or enticing him more so to come because Williams and Wallace would be nice players around him.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers quietly added Leandro Barbosa from the Toronto Raptors. They sent the Raptors a second-round pick and also received point guard Anthony Carter in the deal.

Indiana has been a pleasant surprise this season and could appear in the second round of the playoffs this year. Barbosa is a nice pickup for them adding depth and scoring to their backcourt. Barbosa also has been in the top 10 in isolation scoring in the NBA the past two seasons.

As expected the Oklahoma City Thunder did not make any moves during the trade deadline. There wasn’t a lot out there for them and they didn’t have much they would be willing to part ways with. San Antonio, Houston, the Clippers and the Lakers all made moves to improve and that could spell some trouble for the Thunder.