OKC Thunder player review: Abdel Nader – the untapped in house talent

Following his first season on the OKC Thunder, Abdel Nader showcased capability beyond initial expectations. With a concerted offseason effort of growth, Nader could take on a larger role next season.

An offseason move to acquire former Boston Celtics wingman Abdel Nader was initially thought as a move to add an economical wing with future potential. The Egyptian arrived with little NBA varsity experience but boasted the 2016-17 NBA G-League Rookie of the Year title.

His start with the team was bumpy due to a slew of injuries. Nader underwent wrist surgery in the offseason to address a longstanding problem dating back to his high school days. Just as he returned from that situation he suffered an issue with his left knee. The specifics were never fully explained, rather the team who is typically mum on injuries cited “knee soreness”. This kept Nader inactive throughout the preseason.

Thunder fans grew anxious to see Nader in action, particularly when Paul George cited Nader as the purist 3-point shooter on the team. For a team struggling to find scoring and having issues with efficiency understandably the hope was PG13’s comments would translate on the hardwood. Unfortunately, Nader’s appearances were sporadic as he appeared on 14 occasions in the initial 32 games with a cumulative on court time of under 50 minutes.

Then out of the blue, Nader played on Christmas Day and suddenly his on court time dramatically increased. Through the final 50 games of the season, Nader appeared in 47 games averaging 13.8 minutes per game.

Considering the salary cap situation, the fact Nader has this potential upside and is signed through the next two season for $1,618,520 in 2019-20 and $1,752,950 (with a team option) in 2020-2021 Nader offers an inexpensive asset with upside and room for immediate growth.