Ranking OKC Thunder top 5 young players for rebuild mode
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder have a blue-chip asset on their hands and his name is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The OKC Thunder can attribute their future to SGA. Gaining this rising star in the Paul George trade turn this from a 4-5 year rebuild to a simple retooling with the flexibility to never tank if the team so chooses. However, even if Sam Presti elects to bottom out, he already has one of the two to three stars needed to contend. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a great one to have, considering he can play with anyone.
SGA can play on the ball, or off the ball, and be effective. If the NBA Draft unfolds that the best player available is a lead guard, a combo guard, a big man, or a wing, you are well equipped to handle it with the young Canadian.
If the team elects to trade their draft assets for a seasoned NBA player that can help right now, SGA’s versatility again comes into play. Find me a player that he would not fit next to? Tweet me, comment on this article, email, send a note my pigeon, try your best to pair someone with SGA that wouldn’t fit.
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You can’t do it, huh?
Shai averaged nearly 20 points per game while being paired with Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, Danilo Gallinari, and Steven Adams controlling some scoring at various levels. Playing off-ball a ton Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still was able to compile three assists per contest, while also hauling in six rebounds.
SGA is already the leading scorer on the fifth seed in the Western Conference, a team that was surging before the pandemic and almost overtook home-court advantage from the Utah Jazz before the season was suspended seconds before tipoff.
The bottom line is, no matter what Sam Presti chooses to do in the future, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will ensure it is fun on and off the floor.