The possibility did exist to alter the team:
If you’ve caught enough Presto Presti pressers you learn to read between the lines. I’ll never forget the summer exit interviews of 2017 when he alluded to the team being open to making a move for ‘the right type of player IF they became available“.
The way he phrased his response it was clear he meant a two-way player and one who wasn’t necessarily a free agent. At the time Rich Condon and I discussed who he meant and isolated on Jimmy Butler or Paul George. Cue the NBA draft and Presti pulled off the PG trade.
Similarly, in this presser, his comments weren’t obvious, and yet they were transparent when he was asked why he didn’t pivot to make trades as many expected. Initially, Presti reiterates how you have to give a team time to form and opportunity to succeed and concedes that doesn’t mean teams don’t look to improve. He circles back on giving the team a chance to win meaningful games. However, this is where he tells fans everything ever so subtly. Fast forward to 18:44 of the video to see Presti as he offers the following response:
"‘I’ll be totally transparent, obviously, that didn’t mean that like there wasn’t at some point in time something that would’ve made us do that, (pivot) of course. But like I just think our value proposition on trying to see what could take place with this team because you do have Chris Paul, who is you know, one of the premier point guards in history, you know, letting that take its shape. Now like I said before there’s a lot of things that have to go right in order for things to come together– but I think we decided that like this team needed the opportunity to see if that could take place and to their credit, they’ve developed themselves from the start to now into a pretty fully formed team that has to play as a team. But when they do, they’re really difficult to beat. So, you know, but yeah at any point in time every single team in the league is always looking to improve or get better. But, you know I think we just value the opportunity to see if this team could play in meaningful games higher than the things maybe other people were willing to present us during different points and time in the season.’"
Notice how long it takes him to answer and equally how he tells you but doesn’t spell it out clearly. Rather he alludes to the real truth — he did not get the offer he wanted for Chris Paul and others and wasn’t willing to give up assets for a package less appealing.
That’s not to say Presti doesn’t regard CP3 highly or Gallo or others. He simply wasn’t willing to pull the plug without getting what he wanted in return – this is Presto Presti who made three trades last offseason and arguably won them all.
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Factor in the Thunder recorded a 25-9 record between November 29th and the trade deadline. They had entered the top 10 in power rankings, so it wasn’t like Presti was taking a massive risk or was still awaiting signs this team could be competitive.
In fact, this played out precisely as he positioned the team this offseason via a mantra of the reposition and replenish era. Nor is he the type of GM who has ever demonstrated he’ll just blow it up and take a chance mired in a potential decade of ‘the process’.
This is the Thunder GM who has witnessed his teams compete in all but two postseasons over 12 years. Presti is far more likely to take the Celtics approach to remain competitive while simultaneously growing youthful assets and waiting to connect on at least one or more of those copious draft picks.
To wit, the Thunder draft closet is jam-packed, and with a cornerstone talent already in place (SGA) he has a multitude of options. Plus, the fact this iteration of the Thunder is overachieving only drives up the value of the vets on the team.
Presti has shaped this franchise since it’s inception rolling with the punches this past offseason. He conceded the current pandemic has created uncertainty for all sports. But, the man we often refer to as the Thunder Magician has once again positioned the club to excel in the near future.
‘That this season’s roster fell into that rare air of good luck and discovered the intangible of quality chemistry only serves to afford him greater latitude and leverage.
And in the interim, the OKC Thunder might continue to shock everyone — after all, with a bespeckled magician at the helm it certainly fits the Disney theme.