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Five biggest needs for the Thunder this offseason

By Casimir Cuffy

Apr 25, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan talks in a pregame press conference before the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Houston Rockets in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan talks in a pregame press conference before the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Houston Rockets in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 16, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; OKC Thunder guard Victor Oladipo (5) dribbles the ball during the second quarter as Houston Rockets guard Lou Williams (12) defends in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; OKC Thunder guard Victor Oladipo (5) dribbles the ball during the second quarter as Houston Rockets guard Lou Williams (12) defends in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Reliable second scorer

Russell Westbrook led the league in points scored per game. Congratulations to him. However, it clearly isn’t a winning formula for this team, or any team lately. Most of the teams remaining in the playoffs have two (or three) players that averaged 20+ points per game throughout the season.

Related Story: The pros and cons of trading for Carmelo Anthony

OKC’s second leading scorer was Victor Oladipo, which is who it was supposed to be going into the season. The problem is that he only scored 15.9 points per game, and many of those outings had games where he would only score 10-12 points.

Will someone step up?

This team was constructed around two of the best scorers on the planet. But when one left it created a tremendous hole on that has yet to be filled. For years Oklahoma City has had two players that averaged 23+ points a night. That formula took the team far – maybe not far enough for a championship – but I digress.

Finding a second scoring option is going to be tough with the way this team is currently constructed. The Thunder have no cap space and nowhere near the space it would take to add a player capable of scoring 20 points a night. Presti would have to get creative to make this a possibility through trades. If Victor Oladipo isn’t ready to take that next step and be a reliable scorer, Presti may have to make this move a necessity.

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