The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder have turn into the Western Convention betting favoriteshowever their NBA Cup loss to the Milwaukee Bucks uncovered essential flaws.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has firmly established himself as an MVP candidate, nevertheless it’s not but clear if he has an precise co-star. Jalen Williams confirmed flashes of brilliance however fell quick in essential moments final season, averaging 17 factors on simply 50.8 p.c true taking pictures in Oklahoma Metropolis’s second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Williams returned this season with a stronger 3-point shot, however struggled within the NBA Cup playoffs:
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18 factors on 21 photographs towards Dallas
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20 factors on 20 photographs towards Houston
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18 factors on 20 photographs towards Milwaukee
In whole, that’s 18.7 factors per recreation on 44% true taking pictures. Williams struggled to get to the basket towards gamers like AJ Inexperienced and Gary Trent within the championship recreation and was largely ineffective when an help handed. It is just one recreation, nevertheless it was a repeat of his points towards the Mavericks with the lack to persistently create area for high quality seems to be.
Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t at his finest both, scoring 21 factors on 24 photographs. Andre Jackson stopped him a number of instances. However we have seen SGA dominate on the largest stage, one thing Williams has but to do. And that is completely truthful: SGA is already 26 years previous, whereas Williams is simply 23 in solely his third season. The truth that Williams is already this good – 21/6/5 with versatile protection – offers him clear All-Star potential.
However can Williams turn into a extra constant star expertise by this spring? Perhaps. Chet Holmgren ought to be again sooner or later and would additionally present extra perimeter creation, so maybe the Thunder could have sufficient by committee to take the warmer hand. However when defenses tighten up, the dearth of consistency on this group’s secondary shot creation turns into evident. This raises the query:
Is that this Thunder group constructed to win a title or is it nonetheless only a work in progress?
Some Thunder followers will say the group is coming off a horrible taking pictures night time towards the Bucks. Truthful. The Thunder shot 15.6% from 3 (5 for 32), their worst variety of the season. However they rank nineteenth in 3-point proportion on the season, which is not stunning as a result of the roster is filled with good shooters however few really nice ones. And the Bucks entered the competition with a recreation plan permitting these gamers to shoot, reasonably than letting SGA or Williams enter the paint at will.
Milwaukee had Giannis Antetokounmpo transfer away from Lu Dort to assist in the paint, and he would blatantly ignore Alex Caruso when defending him. Dort has turn into a standstill shooter, however Caruso is extraordinarily streaky on low quantity in his profession. This season he is solely made 25.9% of his 3s. As nice as he’s defensively, it seems to be like he’ll be the participant to get the Josh Giddey therapy within the playoffs. Ought to the Thunder contemplate making a commerce?
Sam Presti has an unprecedented stockpile of draft picks, giving him the pliability to commerce for nearly any participant within the league outdoors of the untouchables. However will he act? Final season, Presti opted for endurance, concentrating on a low-cost veteran in Gordon Hayward, who was so washed up that he ended up retiring after the season. However this was OKC’s first actual try at making the playoffs, so it made sense to get on the market and discover out what the group actually wanted.
The Thunder found they wanted dimension. In order that they went and bought Isaiah Hartenstein. They usually wanted somebody higher than Giddey, in order that they changed him with Caruso. This season, it appears clear that the Thunder want extra taking pictures. A bigger dimension could be good too. And maybe a backup spark plug guard might assist present the assist SGA wants.
I do not assume there’s any doubt that Presti wants to maneuver a few of his picks round and consolidate current gamers on the roster.
Seven gamers I’d attempt to goal:
• Herb Jones, Pelicans: Experiences point out that New Orleans will not be keen to commerce Herb. However untouchable? I doubt it. The Thunder have sufficient picks to alter anybody’s thoughts, and Herb is the kind of all-around defender who would give them dimension to enhance their extra perimeter-oriented stoppers.
• Pascal Siakam, Pacers: Siakam would offer championship pedigree, shot creation and dimension on protection. The Pacers simply traded for him lower than a yr in the past, however given how the franchise has taken a step again, they could be extra keen to just accept a number of function gamers and a stack of draft picks .
• John Collins, Jazz: Collins is averaging 18 factors and practically having a 50-40-90 season whereas taking pictures 53.4% from the sector, 43.6% from 3 and 88.8% from the road. Collins could be insurance coverage if Holmgren could not return wholesome, they usually might play collectively even when he got here again higher than ever.
• Collin Sexton, Jazz: Sexton is not the largest identify by any means, however he gives a spark each time the ball is in his palms and he is an excellent shooter proper out of the catch. At 25, he would additionally match OKC’s timeline.
• Larry Nance, Falcons: Nance is a do-it-all ahead/massive man who can defend on the perimeter, present some rim safety, shoot, facilitate and end lobs. He isn’t nice in any class, which is why he is a profession rotation participant. However OKC might use him in a ton of various roles relying on the collection.
• Cam Johnson, Nets: At 6-foot-8, Johnson is a knockdown shooter who’s making 43.3 p.c of his 3s this season. He isn’t an advocate of containment, however he would at the very least present the mandatory dimension.
• Cam Thomas, Nets: Some assist behind SGA could be a pleasant addition, simply in case Williams does not turn into the person by the playoffs. Thomas hasn’t completed something within the playoffs, however he is a real bucket chaser who shines when given the chance.
The Thunder’s future is undeniably vibrant, however the championship home windows are fragile. A single harm, surprising chemistry points or roster-building missteps can shut it out faster than anticipated. Look no additional than the Thunder group of the 2010s that includes Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. The trio reached a remaining and the basketball world thought it was only the start of their reign. However the Thunder by no means got here again. They usually ultimately disbanded.
Now, this iteration of the Thunder faces a well-recognized dilemma: gamble on endurance or urgency. Presti’s subsequent transfer might outline a era. Play properly and there might be a golden age in Oklahoma Metropolis. However wait too lengthy, and this group dangers turning into one other “what if” within the annals of NBA historical past.
