ESPN ranks OKC Thunder offseason 4th in West via 3-way tie

While the NBA offseason is still in motion training camps are set for month-end and the season-opener is on October 19th with the OKC Thunder set to tip-off the night after.

The majority of the Thunder offseason moves were completed during the draft.  Executive vice president and general manager, Sam Presti did make some minor tweaks in free agency as well.

With the association gearing up toward the launch of the 2021-22 season ESPN writer Kevin Pelton dove into where each team stands at this point. Pelton provided grades for each of the teams separating them by East and West.

ESPN offers B grade to OKC Thunder for offseason moves

Of the 15 teams in the Western Conference Pelton felt only three teams had better offseasons. Specifically, he ranked Clippers A-minus, Rockets got a B plus

The OKC Thunder received a B grade in what was a three-way tie for fourth as the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns also garnered a B grade.

Here’s how Pelton placed the teams:

• Golden State Warriors | LA Clippers: A-
•  Houston Rockets: B+
• OKC Thunder |  Phoenix Suns | Utah Jazz: B
• Denver Nuggets |  Portland Trail Blazers: B-
• Memphis Grizzlies | Minnesota Timberwolves | San Antonio Spurs: C+
• Dallas Mavericks | Los Angeles Lakers | Sacramento Kings: C
• New Orleans Pelicans: D

Specifically, Pelton offered the following input on the OKC Thunder offseason moves:

"After suffering bad luck in the lottery, when their own pick came in sixth and the Rockets’ pick failed to convey from the Chris Paul-Russell Westbrook trade, the Thunder decided to slowly stay the course on their rebuilding project. Oklahoma City added three more future first-round picks through trades, taking back veterans Derrick Favors and Kemba Walker (the latter quickly waived with a buyout) and sending the pick that came with Walker to Houston for two future ones.At some point, the Thunder will have to consolidate picks, and the value they got in sending out both No. 36 and No. 34 to move up just two spots to draft Jeremiah Robinson-Earl 32nd was a bad sign. I also wonder whether Oklahoma City might have been better off just keeping the 16th pick and drafting the promising Alperen Sengun."

Pelton also offered grades for the East with the placement as follows:

• Atlanta Hawks | Washington Wizards: A
• Brooklyn Nets: A-
• Boston Celtics | Miami Heat | New York Knicks | Orlando Magic | Philadelphia 76ers: B+
• Milwaukee Bucks: B
• Detroit Pistons | Indiana Pacers: B-
• Charlotte Hornets | Chicago Bulls: C+
• Toronto Raptors: D+
• Cleveland Cavaliers: D

While I’m in sync with Pelton’s grades of the Western teams I take umbrage with many of his Eastern Conference grades. I’m not sure how you give the 76ers a B plus when you consider the dilemma of Ben Simmons. Nor do I think the Knicks B plus is deserved given the numerous contracts they gave to middling players.

Likewise, the D+ handed out to the Raptors has more to do with Pelton being enamored with Jalen Suggs over Scottie Barnes.

Returning to the West and Pelton’s take on Sam Presti’s moves it was slightly surprising the ESPN scribe didn’t punish OKC more for giving up Alperen Sengun. Sure they got two additional picks from the Rockets but they are both heavily protected and in my view, that was the biggest gaffe of the Thunder’s offseason.

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That the OKC Thunder obtained that 16th pick as part of the Al Horford trade and then may have punted on a player who was among the very best in Vegas only added to the head-scratching. I’m not as shook over Presti packaging the 34th and 36th picks to move up for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl with the 32nd pick particularly because the Thunder didn’t need to add six rookies to the roster and Presti is high on JRE.

Where the Thunder gain points from the narrator is their choice to move on quickly from Walker and not absorb him into their typical resurrection plan to gain draft picks later. Sometimes a GM needs to recognize a pattern won’t always work. Adding Favors and re-signing Mike Muscala were also smart decisions at economical prices for a rebuilding team that needs savvy vets that can help nurture and grow the young roster.

Something Pelton doesn’t touch on was the selection of Josh Giddey with the sixth pick. While some analysts weren’t jumping for joy over this pick Intentions is high on the youngster and if Presti couldn’t trade up he was a prospect that makes great sense given his upside.

Combining the two conferences and their grades finds 10 teams graded ahead of OKC and that’s fair although we might quibble with the specific teams (more on that later). But overall placing in the middle tier of the association is a positive.