OKC Thunder: What is next for OKC Blue standout Abdul Gaddy?
The G-League shutdown has impacted man players including those of the OKC Thunder and OKC Blue. Today we look at the impact on Abdul Gaddy.
The OKC Thunder and OKC Blue have been socially isolating for a week now. The impact on both teams, like the rest of the NBA is large. Today we take a look at the impact of the lack of team play on Abdul Gaddy and what it all means going forward.
Gaddy has been the backbone of the OKC Blue squad all season. His 8.8 assists per game lead the team and this number is second behind Josh Magette ( 10.6) in the entire G-League. Gaddy is the main reason the Blue stayed in contention for the playoffs despite the injury issues.
Just prior to the hiatus the OKC Blue added depth to the shooting guard position with the signing of Scotty Hopson. Unfortunately, Gaddy suffered a lower leg injury just after the Hopson acquisition and just before the hiatus.
https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1225518039195627527?s=20
It will be interesting to see when the team is fully healthy if Hopson or Devon Hall‘s partner Gaddy starts in the backcourt. Whoever does not start will have to work with the bench which also includes Tyler Cook and LiAngelo Ball.
The biggest question is whether the G-League even returns this year. The league has tiptoed around saying it will likely be canceled but hasn’t come right out and said it definitively.
Reporting with @malika_andrews: NBA teams operating G League franchises expect rest of the minor-league season will soon be cancelled, sources tell ESPN. Regular season runs thru end of March, playoffs into April. Players have been informed they'll be paid thru end of schedule.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 15, 2020
Gaddy was still recovering from a lower leg injury when the last game of the G-League season prior to the season suspension. If the season returns and Gaddy has fully recovered, the OKC Blue will be hard to beat.
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Should the NBA forego cancellation of the G-League a healthy Gaddy back would allow the Blue to push for home-court seeding and then, a potentially deep playoff run.
However, it is deeper than that. Gaddy, once healthy will have to incorporate three new players into the OKC Blue system. The other thing he will be doing is putting LiAngelo Ball through his paces to see if the OKC Thunder will want him in uniform.
Once the hiatus is over, Gaddy will return stronger than ever. It is going to be a great time to follow the OKC Blue.
Clearly, if the NBA cancels the season it leaves a lot of questions on the table to be answered. Gaddy has proven himself the entire season and will no doubt be someone the varsity looks at. Again, without knowing if there will be a Summer League many of the options become clouded.
In a normal circumstance, Gaddy leads the OKC Blue on a deep G-League playoff run, earns a look this summer for varsity.
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Then leads the Summer League team to help them decipher who of the other guards or prospects (LiAngelo Ball) the team should retain. But these are anything but normal circumstances which leave most everything up in the air.