Examining which players benefit most following formation of OKC Thunder Big 3

Alex Abrines:

If Alex Abrines isn’t synonymous with Brian Davis‘ “Si Señor” than you don’t know OKC Thunder basketball. Selected 32nd overall in 2013, Abrines finally made the transition to the NBA after Durant’s departure. Yes, the Spaniard was a rookie last season but he was a pro ball player in Spain for 5 years prior to his debut. With the trade of Doug McDermott to New York, it appears OKC are looking to develop him as the primary sniper off the bench.

“Si, Si, Si Senor”

Abrines was OKC’s most consistent outside threat. He went 94-247 for the season, good enough for 38.1 percent. Abrines appeared to be nothing more than a one trick pony. But as the season progressed, he showed flashes of his offensive game. In the game against the Miami Heat, he showed an ability to create space on a step-back jumper, make a 3-pointer after catching the ball above his shoulder with a defender draped all over him and curled around a screen to land a floater down the lane.

Additionally, Abrines also showed some athletic ability, putting Cleveland center Tristan Thompson on a poster.

OKC Thunder to run Kyle Korver-type sets?

Abrines reminds me of a more athletic Kyle Korver from the Cavaliers. He has great shooting mechanics and showed signs of success coming off screens. Donovan needs to run more plays off screen to get Abrines open. The video below shows parts of the Cleveland playbook to get Korver open.

With Russ, PG13 or Melo in the game, he should see plenty of space and open looks. Additionally, these plays can be run for either Melo or PG13 because they are great catch and shoot marksman. It is clear that Abrines can ball. OKC need to make sure they continue to develop him and encourage him to drive. Going into his sophomore season, I expect Abrines to showcase more of this skill set. If he does, the OKC Thunder and Abrines will both be the beneficiaries.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, Jerami Grant, and Alex Abrines all stand to benefit from the formation of the OKC Thunder new Big 3. Unlike last season, that is the beauty of having more than one talented super star on the court. On many nights the super stars will dominate. But, when facing quality upper tier defensive squads these four players could be the difference in the team registering the win.