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OKC Thunder trade: 5 targets who solve OKC’s shooting woes

By Lawrence George

Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder, (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder, (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Paul George, OKC Thunder /

Four games into the 2018-19 regular season, the OKC Thunder can’t throw a tic tac into the ocean from beyond the arc. While its early in the season, Oklahoma City need to make a trade to address this issue as soon as possible.

This is not the start the OKC Thunder expected to the NBA season. Stumbling out of the gates to an 0-4 record, Oklahoma City have a myriad of problems on both ends of the floor that need to be addressed as soon as possible.

One major area of concern is outside shooting.

Since the club’s transition from Seattle to Oklahoma City, the Thunder have been a top ten 3-point shooting squad twice in its short history – in 2011-12 where they shot 35.7 percent (9th) and in 2012-13 when they converted an impressive 37.3 percent (4th) of their attempts. Since then, OKC have been in the bottom half the league and this is season no exception.

As of this writing Oklahoma City sit dead last in 3-point percentage (24.1) while firing up the seventh most attempts per game (35.3). The Los Angeles Lakers rank 29th in 3-point percentage but sit six points higher (28.7) than OKC. Oklahoma City are in a stratosphere of its own.

To add insult to injury, the Thunder can’t buy a bucket from the field. OKC sit 27th in points per game (104), 29th in free throw percentage (66.7) and 30th in field goal percentage (39). While it is early in the season and these numbers are unlikely to hold as the season progresses, its going to be tough to win games with these numbers.

OKC have three 3-point shooters on its roster – Paul George (career 37.6 percent), Alex Abrines (38 percent) and Patrick Patterson (37 percent). While none of them can throw a tic tac in the ocean right now, the Thunder have no reliable 3-point threats outside of these three. If the Thunder are intent on playing this style of 3-point heavy offense, Sam Presti needs to get shooters to surround superstar Russell Westbrook.

As a Thunder fan, I can’t stand to watch another season of 3-point brick laying. Here are five players Oklahoma City can get now.

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