OKC Thunder: 3 season goals for Darius Bazley in 2020-21

Learn what he can from Al Horford.

Like Chris Paul from last season, Al Horford has come to the OKC Thunder via trade for a toxic situation from his former team. Horford has been the consummate professional for the 13 years he has been in the league.

He played nine years with the Atlanta Hawks in what was arguably their most successful period. He was then a key member of the Boston Celtics squad who was knocking on the door of the finals for the time he was there.

Horford now finds himself the leader of the Thunder front-court now that Adams has been traded. This is a position that he is used to, but he probably was not expecting it so soon. Bazley, who in his second season is the frontcourt player with the greatest experience with the Thunder systems needs to learn what he can from the veteran.

Horford’s style of game is a lot closer to Bazley’s than anyone else’s that the second-year player has played with. He is an inside player who has developed an outside game. This is the opposite of the way Danilo Gallinari played and he is who Bazley would have learned most from last year.

It is likely that Bazley is going to start next to Horford this season. This means that Bazley is not only going to have to learn how to play with Horford but also being mentored by him and this going to help his game no end.