Oklahoma City Thunder: Young Team But Still On The Right Path
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Oklahoma City Thunder are in full rebuild mode but their future still looks bright. Despite missing the playoffs, again, the Thunder are setting the foundation of winning for years to come. If you want further proof, look no further than the Phoneix Suns before Chris Paul arrived.
2019-20 was the first season of the Play-In thanks to the COVID-19 situation. For that Suns team, it was all about stating a case. During their 7-game bubble run, the Suns went undefeated. They would go on to miss the playoffs but an undefeated run garnered them some national attention. While the media was drooling over their possibilities heading into the next season, opposing players were also taking notice. One, in particular, Chris Paul.
With Paul’s name being a hot mention, he decided to take his talents to Phoenix where he teamed up with a young cast of players and led them to the NBA Finals. So, for anyone to think that the Thunder does not have a chance, must not be paying attention to the league lately.
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The Thunder, much like the Suns already have an established superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Much like Devin Booker, SGA is a young player. The Thunder’s roster is constructed much like the Suns. both were led by young players on cheap contracts with nowhere to go but up.
Their backcourt is solid with SGA, Josh Giddey, Aaron Wiggins, and Tre Mann. The frontcourt is spearheaded by the versatile Luguentz Dort, Darius Bazley, Isaiah Roby, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Dort, SGA, and Giddey are the cornerstones. However, moves could be made with Bazley and Robinson-Earl.
This offseason, the Thunder will have important decisions to make. Dort and Roby have club options but even those are under $2M. The importance of those Options is that those specific contracts offer the front office possibilities to go after at least one big veteran name much like the Suns were able to do with Paul. The Thunder may search for help in the paint and go after a big. However, their main issue is scoring. SGA carries the load and the Thunder will need to find help on the wings.
Their turnaround may not be as successful at first as the Suns but it’s a foundation to start with. The Oklahoma City Thunder are not as bad as their record indicates. They’re a young squad that dealt with injuries and inconsistency. The same thing that haunted the Suns until Paul came along. Sometimes, it’s not about rebuilding but adding to.
The addition of Paul gave the Phoenix Suns credibility. But he won’t be there forever. His presence has provided young guys such as Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Payne a veteran to learn from. Whenever he decides to call it a career, the Suns will be in great shape moving forward. This is the blueprint the Thunder must model themselves after.
One player can change the direction of an organization. Paul was that for the Suns. But the pieces were already in place. The Thunder are built the same. Say whatever you want regarding Sam Presti but one thing is for sure, he can find talent. Now, it’s just about fitting the pieces together to make that run.
This offseason is a big one for the Oklahoma City Thunder. If they can find the cap room, they will have options.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
