Top 5 areas of focus for Sam Presti to consider during Summer League

Darius Bazley – how closer or distant is he to joining the varsity club?

This final key isn’t exactly in the same vein as the four prior points. Curiosity would be a better descriptor here. Precisely how raw is Darius Bazley‘s game and how far from contributing at the varsity level for the Thunder is he?

Depending on the direction the OKC Thunder elect to take this latter question may be a moot point since an OKC Thunder squad committed to a rebuild could afford to have him on the court to gain experience if his game has potential.

In his last competitive action, he showcased numerous assets and upside. With that in mind did taking a year off to be a New Balance intern push his peers significantly past him? Similarly, did his self imposed dedication to diet and workouts keep him within range of his peers?

The answers to those questions will determine his role this coming season.

In closing:

Suffice to say, Sam Presti’s focus as the OKC Thunder tip off today at 3:00 p.m ET in Vegas has shifted. His revised list comes with a brand new perspective on how he must assess the Summer League roster.

How these prospects measure up could also influence Sam Presti’s decision on the future of the team. Notably, if the Thunder elect for a complete rebuild the other player who’ll factor in this equation is Luguentz Dort.

In our mock draft, Dort didn’t make the first round seeds but he wasn’t far off the ladder. Many pundits did have him in their top 30 and there was a good reason for this placement.

Keep an eye on him in Vegas as he may end up with a much larger role than initially presumed when the Thunder picked him up on Draft Night.

Moving forward, collecting wins in Vegas is a moot point. Rather how each individual performs and precisely how many boxes Presti can check off from this list is a priority and may well influence decisions which will be made this offseason with a view to the future.