Who Will the Oklahoma City Thunder Sign if Kanter Moves on?
By JM VanSant
Feb 6, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) passes the ball while being guarded by New Orleans Pelicans center
Omer Asik(3) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Omer Asik
Unrestricted / Center / 7-0 / New Team: New Orleans
When starting power forward Serge Ibaka was declared out for the season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, the Thunder’s defensive woes were exposed. Opponents wandered into the paint with ease and killed OKC on the wing when the team collapsed inside to help. Asik is a top-tier rebounder and shot-blocker and would be a serious defensive presence coming off the bench when Ibaka subs out.
However, he’s a liability on the offensive end (although with Westbrook and Durant that’s a not a huge issue) and he’s proven before that he is unhappy coming off the bench (see Rockets, Houston).
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