Via ClutchPoints
Key Players: Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Steven Adams, Reggie Jackson, Andre Roberson, Dennis Schröder
2,289. That's the number of wasted Paul George in a Lakers uniform edits. No, it's not; the actual number probably has an extra comma in it. 2,289 is the number of days since Oklahoma City last played in a Finals game. In that time period, OKC has lost two MVP's, watched their sure-fire dynasty crumble, and then seamlessly rebuilt around the one remaining piece from said-dynasty.
That seamless transition can be credited to the organization and Russell Westbrook convincing star wing Paul George to return on a four-year, $137 million max contract.
One player that won't be returning to Oklahoma City is the 34-year-old Carmelo Anthony. Following a career-low 16.2 points a night and an explicit unwillingness to come off the bench, both Anthony and the Thunder decided he "wasn't a good fit". OKC ended the OK3 era by trading Carmelo Anthony and a 2022 first-round draft pick in a three-way trade for the Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder and the Sixers guard Timothee Luwanna-Cabarrot.
The other notable offseason addition for the Thunder came with the 45th overall pick of Hamidou Diallo.
OKC's Best Case Scenario
Via ClutchPoints
Russell Westbrook will continue to be a walking triple-double. Paul George will remain one of the best two-way players in the league. Steven Adams will again dominate the paint on both sides of the ball. Aside from avoiding playoff meltdowns(to be continued), there's not much the stars of OKC can do for their team's success. The room for improvement lies on the shoulders of the ones not deemed as stars.
Oklahoma City had arguably the worst bench in the NBA season, ranking second to last in offensive efficiency (29.5), third to last in defensive efficiency (-9.4), and last in bench points scored per game (25.9). In defense of the Thunder's second unit, the Sacremento Kings were at the top of almost every bench category and they finished with a 27-55 record, so large production off the bench doesn't translate to wins; but, it does separate good teams from great teams.
Last season's Western Conference powerhouses, the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, both finished in the middle of the pack in most bench rankings, but they both placed in the top-6 in the categories that their team's systems stressed (Houston finished 6th in threes attempted and made, Golden State finished 4th in defensive efficiency).
Oklahoma City is known for its offensive reliance on its key players' ability to create scoring opportunities for themselves and teammates. Expecting Raymond Felton to produce the same opportunities as Russell Westbrook is like telling Lil Yachty to freestyle over Jay-Z's 'Dead Presidents' instrumental; he's good and all, but it he's destined to embarrass himself. Now if you put Joey Bada$$ on that beat, something magical might happen. Dennis Schröder plays the role of Joey Bada$$ in this situation. His last season averages of 19.4 points and 6.2 assists suggest he'll be a large improvement over Felton's 6.9 points and 2.5 assists.
In the midst of a shaky season, the Thunder managed to string off eight straight wins, only to turn around and lose six out of the next nine. While such discrepensies were constant last season, this OKC meltdown could be traced to the injury of defensive star Andre Roberson. The 6'7 Roberson ranked fourth in defensive plus/minus, a stat known to favor big men. Oklahoma City was 12.5 points worse per 100 possesions with Roberson off the court. Despite contributing minimal on the offensive end statistics wise, Roberson's defense makes him invaluable to the success of the Thunder. Look at the below clip and imagine how much better OKC could have slowed down the Jazz's Donovan Mitchell in last year's playoffs.
Via JANDGIES
The return of one of the NBA's best starting lineups matched with a Dennis Schröder led bench gives OKC the ability to compete with any team in a seven game series.
OKC's Worst Case Scenario
Via Bossip
Things Joe Ingles looks like: a college teacher assistant, Toby Flenderson, a parent from 'Ed, Edd, n Eddy', the 2007 YMCA Intramural District-3 MVP, the last BlockBuster customer, a human Bud Light, etc.
Things Joe Ingles does not look like: the killer of 'Playoff P'.
Losing is one thing, but the way Oklahoma City lost in last year's playoffs is room for concern. After playing at the level expected of a star in the first five games of the series, Paul George scored five points on 2-16 shooting in an elimination game. Russell Westbrook attempted 43 shots for 46 points.
One star shrinking under pressure while the other goes shot crazy should sound some alarm. Instead, OKC treated the situation as if it was normal, extending George and building around the duo.
Signing Dennis Shröder was a great move for Sam Presti and staff, but ignoring the simple solution of filling the team's need for a calming veteran could haunt Oklahoma City when it matters most. For example, a vetaran like Vince Carter could have provided a respected voice from inside the locker without being too close to the action to seem biased or threatning.
While their offseason should be applauded, the ignoring of last year's playoff struggles leaves OKC susceptible to a repeat.
Record prediction: 55-27; Year two of Russ-PG yields better results in the regular and postseason.