Thunder: Examining the frontcourt depth chart in Oklahoma City
By Tony Heim
The Joffrey Lauvergne acquisition muddles up an already deep Thunder frontcourt. Where does Lauvergne fall into the depth chart?
The Thunder frontcourt is one of the deepest and youngest groups in the league, so this list may fluctuate all season. Lauvergne, Steven Adams, Mitch McGary and Domantas Sabonis are all on their rookie deals so inconsistency is a given.
The depth chart before training camp is almost certainly not going to be the depth chart on October 27th, but this list matters. If Lauvergne exceeds expectations he will certainly move past a couple bigs, but who?
The No-Doubters
1. Steven Adams
Of course Steven Adams is the most important and most talented big on the roster. The Thunder are going to ride Adams as the defensive anchor all season. But that’s not the only area where he will chip in.
Adams and Russell Westbrook perfected the pick-and-roll during the postseason so expect that to be a major part of the offense this season. Adams can average a double double this season, but it’s going to take him stepping up into a new leadership role.
2. Enes Kanter
Kanter is also a part of the No-Doubters because he’s the only other Thunder player capable of making the all star team. Kanter can put up HUGE stats and he’s going to have the opportunity this season.
It’s looking more and more likely that the Stache Bros will be starting together, which should make Thunder fans pleased. Did you see how those two dominated San Antonio? The pair is going to be a rebounding nightmare every night, and their offensives games complement each other perfectly.
The Muddled Mess
3. Domantas Sabonis
3-5 is going to change all season. Lauvergne, McGary and Sabonis have four years of NBA experience between them so each game is going to be a new challenge for Billy Donovan.
Sabonis starts the season at this spot only because he is Sam Presti’s hand picked rookie. The Lithuanian showed signs of his talent in Rio, but he still has a long way to go before he is a starting caliber big man in the league.
4. Joffrey Lauvergne
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If Sabonis left Rio with positive reviews, Joffrey was the “winner” of the tournament. Lauvergne was third in scoring on a loaded French team, and he even had a highlight dunk over Kevin Durant.
Lauvergne’s edge over every other Thunder big is his athleticism. Yes, Adams and McGary are athletic for their size; Lauvergne is just a freak. He’s incredibly long yet coordinated. Lauvergne can cause matchup problems if paired with Steven Adams. I’m sure Billy has plans for his new toy.
5. Mitch McGary
I still believe McGary will not be on the roster come November. He has done nothing in his short career to make Presti think otherwise. If Presti can say no to Dion Waiters he certainly can to Mitch McGary.
McGary has talent, and that is the sad part of this scenario. If he just focused on basketball, McGary would flourish in the Thunder’s system. His ability to run the floor would give him at least six points a game with Russ running point. McGary even flashed a jumper at Summer League. Alas, if he gets his mind together Mcgary could find himself at the #3 spot by the end of the year.
The Grizzly Veteran
Next: Nick Collison: The Rock of Oklahoma City
6. Nick Collison knows he is last in the rotation and Nick Collison is fine with that. That’s the beauty about the Rock of Oklahoma City. If you want words about Collison, read Heather Koontz’s feature story on him and his NBA tenure. It’s awesome.