OKC Thunder: The 5 early signs the team’s goal of tanking is working

Goal No. 5:  Ensure the ‘core’ is complementary

Hey – the team could tank every season for the next decade but if the Thunder aren’t simultaneously helping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander develop it won’t matter. Case in point, look at the Suns, Wolves, and 76ers as examples of teams who didn’t get it right, at least initially.

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Devon Booker hasn’t been to the postseason in his career and the Suns have missed the last decade of playoffs. Not long ago, Karl-Anthony Towns was cited as the one player GMs would pick to build a team around but the Wolves have struggled to find a support staff to compliment his superstar talents. Subsequently, KAT has made one single playoff appearance (in 2018).

The 76ers might be the best example given they have two players considered to be top 15 talents with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The problem is they either aren’t the right fit for each other or the franchise hasn’t figured out a system or supplementary assets to unleash their potential.

That’s where Sam Presti is already ahead of the game having discovered last season how Luguentz Dort and Darius Bazley could align with cornerstone Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The selection of Pokusevski and Maledon in this draft also fit the long view and complement the existing trio.  And, if all goes well the losses will amass at previously unrecognized levels this season in order to net that top pick this coming summer so Presti can nab the likes of Cade Cunningham who yet again would complement the existing core talents.

Ultimately, Sam Presti may not have had experience in tanking but like much of what the front-office executive has accomplished throughout his tenure in OKC – the bespeckled magician is proving yet again he’s up to the task at hand.