Should the OKC Thunder pick up Abdel Nader’s team option?
With the OKC Thunder potentially going into rebuild mode, should they pick up Abdel Nader’s team option?
The OKC Thunder had a season that no one saw coming. It took a full team effort with almost every player on the roster starting due to injuries throughout the year. Abdel Nader had a roller coaster year but no one can question how hard he works.
At the start of the season, Nader was in and out of the rotation. He looked to be struggling so badly that he could have benefitted from a stint in the G-League. However, he then had two impressive games at the end of November. After that, he was a fixture in the rotation, apart from when injured.
Later in the season, the OKC Thunder lost the services of Terrance Ferguson through personal reasons and Hamidou Diallo through his elbow injury. Nader was then called up into the starting line up for five games and helped the short-handed Thunder go 3-2 in that time.
The pro’s of the OKC Thunder taking up the team option
As mentioned earlier, Nader is most probably the hardest worker on the OKC Thunder roster. For a team that is potentially about to go through a rebuild, this is a quality that the incoming coach will love. He can use it as an example for younger players.
A second pro for keeping Nader on the roster is the size of his option. He will only cost the OKC Thunder $1.7 million for the season. With $107 million already on the books for 2020-21, the Thunder will be looking to save money where they can.
A third pro reason is that Nader has a good transition game where he can attack the basket or pull up to take the 3-point shot. He is also a tremendous floor spacer in the half-court setting. Last season, Nader shot the long ball at 37.5 percent
The cons of the OKC Thunder taking up the team option.
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The question must be asked, how much more can Nader develop his game. He has increased his scoring average every season but that is not saying huge amounts. He averaged 3.0 points in his rookie year with the Boston Celtics.
Last season with the Thunder he averaged 4.0 points and then this season he has averaged 6.3 points. All of his other metrics have remained reasonably constant. In this current NBA, you need to have a second skill which allows you to stand out in the crowd.
The second con is that Nader still has a level of inconsistency within his game. He had 46 games where he scored 0-9 points, eight games where he scored 10-19 points, and one game of over 20 points.
So, do the OKC Thunder pick up the player option?
The answer to this question should be yes. Nader is a cheap bench option who can score in bunches. He can create his own shot and can also spot up anywhere on the 3-point line and be dangerous.
If he does not fit the coach’s new system then he is not costing the Thunder much for the season. They can then let him walk next season without costing them during the potential rebuild. He could also be a nice piece in a trade, should the Thunder go that way.