Week 16 of the NBA Power Rankings finds teams adjusting post-trade deadline and the OKC Thunder moving forward with their roster intact.
With the trade deadline behind, teams now move forward with defined rosters. Other than the buyout market clubs are basically cemented. For the OKC Thunder, they kept the clutch time crew intact. Seemingly the only potential trade discussed was that of Danilo Gallinari with the Miami Heat who were unwilling to give him the certainty of term and that equated to the Italian remaining in OKC.
Although he’ll be a free agent this summer, his departure isn’t a forgone conclusion. Sam Presti has options and since there aren’t many clubs with cap space a sign and trade is one. Gallinari stated this past summer his priority is title based so joining a young team with cap space wouldn’t meet that objective.
The other option would be to re-sign and retain the forward. That option although less likely isn’t a given either. If the team were to surprise in the playoffs as they have this season by winning a series and then added further depth this offseason there is the potential Gallo might consider staying put.
The OKC Thunder enters week 17 like most teams with two games until the break.
For those who prefer to keep track on a week by week basis each is linked below:
- Week 1: click here
- Week 2: click here
- Week 3: click here
- Week 4: click here
- Week 5: click here
- Week 6: click here
- Week 7: click here
- Week 8: click here
- Week 9: click here
- Week 10: click here
- Week 11: click here
- Week 12: click here
- Week 13: click here
- Week 14: click here
- Week 15: click here
And with that I give you my NBA Power Rankings for week 16 of action: