The Oklahoma City Thunder have to find out what they have in Aleksej Pokusevski, but they always knew this would take time
Aleksej Pokusevski is a very…interesting topic around the Thunder fanbase. You will find some people who believe he will eventually reach All-Star unicorn status, some who think he is already a bust and some who just love the meme-ability of Poku and are along for the ride.
The 20-year-old seven-footer played in 61 NBA games, starting just 12 games and it again took an NBA G-Leauge stint to jumpstart his season. He averaged four fewer minutes per game, posting seven points, five rebounds, two assists, and shooting 40-percent from the floor (a career-high) and 29-percent from three (up from 28-percent).
Poku improved from 29-percent to 32-percent from the corner, while his mid-range shooting stayed stagnant at 37-percent, and his rim percentage leaped 14-percentage points at the cup to 66-percent. His effective field goal percentage took a five percentage point leap in year two.
Pokusevski is under contract for the 2022-23 season at 3.2-million dollars before being owed five million dollars in 2023-24, and hitting restricted free agency in 2024-25. Is two years enough time to figure out what you have in this raw forward? Who would even pursue Aleksej Pokusevski as an unrestricted free agent?
We have to remember when the Thunder traded up to get their guy in the 2020 NBA Draft, many did not think he would even come to the NBA right away, he was two years away from being two years away as the tagline goes. He did not get to participate in a full offseason heading into his rookie year including the league not holding summer league due to the pandemic. Then, in the 2021 offseason, Sam Presti held Pokusevski out of summer league to continue to work on his frame. This summer will be his first full offseason with all the tools he needs to develop into the player the Oklahoma City Thunder organization hopes he can be.
To put into perspective how much Presti believes in this high upside swing, he not only fell for a smokescreen trap by the Dallas Mavericks and traded up to get Aleksej Pokusevski in the 2020 NBA Draft, but the General Manager who has the strongest reputation for keeping his cards close to his vest could not contain his interest in Pokusevski. Everyone and their mother knew Poku was Presti’s guy in that draft weeks before draft day.
Even for players without the adversity, Aleksej Pokusevski has been dealt in his career, coming over from the second division in Greece, entering year three, and not having a full offseason and the resources to grow to this point, their leaps typical come year’s two to three instead of their first to their second year.
For now, you just have to wait and see.
Grade: C