OKC Thunder: 3 most underappreciated players heading into 2020-21

Underapreciated member of the OKC Thunder No. 2) Al Horford

Next on the docket, we continue with the trend of discussing newly acquired players as being undervalued in 34-year-old big man, Al Horford.

Unlike Hill, Horford comes to the OKC Thunder with perhaps his lowest perceived value of his entire 14-year NBA career.

Frankly, with the campaign he just had (11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds on 45 percent shooting) coupled with the big-time contract he signed last offseason (4-years, $109 million), it’s hard to argue why this is the case.

However, we here at TI see things a little differently now that the big man is in tow.

Despite his tremendously underwhelming season last year, Horford has proven time and time again to be, not just a solid player in this league but, rather, one of the best. 

Being selected to five All-Star games, an All-NBA team, and having served as the starting big on numerous deep-run playoff teams throughout his career, the veteran has been around the block a few times, and knows what it takes to be a great contributor.

With this, similar to Hill, Al Horford could easily be seen as both a tremendous trade chip at some point down the road — especially if they throw him ample minutes during the regular season to try and re-build his stats — as well as a savvy vet that can bestow wisdom and leadership to this locker room that’s heading towards a tough time as they as begin their tankathon.

Teaching the younglings how to be all-around professionals and how to approach different scenarios early on in their careers could prove to be invaluable as time goes by and, with this, one could certainly say that a veteran like Horford could be constituted as underappreciated.