OKC Thunder: Sellers – (draft picks)
Week 13: 1-2
Offense: (104.9) 29th
Defense: (111.1) 12th
Net: (Minus -6.1) 26th
With the news, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be lost for an extended period of time due to plantar fasciitis a bit of the luster came off this season.
Sure, the OKC Thunder are supposed to be tanking but this young group of upstarts offered entertainment and gave fans a sense of pride for their no quit competitive edge.
That won’t change with SGA out as Luguentz Dort attempts to fill the shoes of his fellow Canadian in the interim. Heck, it might even be for the best as losing your leader and primary scorer can’t help but witness a regression.
As they say, the end result may justify the means, and for the Thunder that would be somehow landing in a position to add the uber-talented Cade Cunningham.
Prior to that (potentially) happening, Sam Presti will seek to bolster the already bulging draft closet.
Getting out to a head start on his peers, Presti already jettisoned Hamidou Diallo to the Pistons and Trevor Ariza to the Heat.
It’s expected George Hill will be highly sought but several others could also be on their way to new arenas.
Of the likely group being shopped and inquired about from other franchises is Al Horford. Mike Muscala, Kenrich Williams, Darius Miller, and Justin Jackson. Peppered throughout these power rankings are articles on potential trades for these players.
it would be great if the Thunder elected to keep Williams because of his character and all-around qualities. But at 26 he’s slightly ahead of the timeline.
He’s been a big part of why the bench in particular has been so successful. As much as it will be hard to part ways with someone of his ilk, it’s also right in lockstep with how the franchise treats its players. Kenny Hustle is the perfect addition for any contender and is the rare exception who would fit in any system and provide a positive effect.