Grading OKC Thunder’s ‘Bust Revival’ Project

Dion Waiters

Draft details: 4th pick in 2012 draft

How he was acquired: Lance Thomas and protected first round pick for Waiters

Squad status: left in RFA after the Thunder pulled their contract offer

Trade History

I know Dion Waiters has already left the team. But I still think he should be included in this discussion. In fact, precisely because he left, I think he must be included in this narrative.

Waiters cost the OKC Thunder next to nothing to acquire. Presti seized onto Lance Thomas’ rising stock and Cleveland’s locker room issues to make a play for a former top-five pick.

In return, the Thunder got a potential replacement for Jackson as Reggie inched closer to the door. In his time with the OKC Thunder, Waiters had his own hits and misses. For every infographic churned out on Twitter highlighting  his shooting inefficiencies, he had moments. A perfect example is during last year’s playoffs, where he emerged as a surprisingly reliable post defender against the Warriors.

Amongst the candidates mentioned so far, Waiters is probably the least impressive rescue project Presti has taken on.

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Waiters In The Bigger Scheme

But, Waiters represented the biggest catch in the Presti project. It is not that these players may not break out of the “bust” legacy that awaits them. Even if that happens, it is arguably forgivable. The trade often comes at a time when the player’s stock is at an all-time low, so Presti is not forking out much. In light of the Thunder’s de facto asset situation, an unimpressive Waiters is still better than Lance Thomas.

The real catch to Presti’s “bust revival” project is the restricted free agency that comes after the trade. Most teams deal low because they envision the price of their player being driven up beyond what they see as reasonable, based on their development in the league thus far.

For Kanter, the OKC Thunder was forced to match his contract, and only the cap boom has made it acceptable. In Waiters’ case, because of other squad factors (Oladipo being the best bounty for Serge Ibaka), he ended up being the odd man out. The Ibaka trade may look impressive, but throwing in Waiters’ departure paints a different story. In one offseason, the Thunder lost their sixth man and starting big for Oladipo. At least in terms of squad needs, this is a net loss.

Much like Kanter, Waiters’ should serve as a reminder of what it means to take on such a rescue project. It is not just about skill development. The front office is also under pressure, because even if they do not cost much in the first place, losing these former lottery picks is a loss.

Verdict: warning against the cost of not retaining such players