Team By Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Foreword: The Oklahoma City Thunder are yet to find their electricity in the NSL, but continue to build a young and talented roster. Winning clearly hasn�t been the priority, but it doesn�t mean they haven�t been successful; Wizkid builds teams carefully, never diverging from his own personal rhythm and blueprint. 

The Thunder won just 25 games during the 20-21 season, which was good for a ticket to the �Worst Eight Records� club. Minimal trades, minimal vigour and voice from Wiz and plenty of exposure for Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Christian Wood, Kevin Huerter and Daniel Theis (who surprisingly played the most games of any OKC player � which in itself, doesn�t sound like it bodes too well). The team never gained much momentum or held much continuity.

Season Highlight:

Anthony Edwards.

Is there are more exciting young player in the entire league, outside of Luka Doncic? I genuinely think not.

Ant played in 74 games for OKC last season, putting up 14.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists on average/below-average efficiency. He did this as a 20-year-old, on a bad team. Make no mistake, it is impressive.

Sure, the statistics might not mirror those of a player who you would expect to receive such a raucous, revered introduction as featured in the previous sentence, but make no mistake � Anthony Edwards can win an MVP at some point in his career. 

OKC Thunder fans go bonkers for Ant and it is easy to see why. He is rated through the roof with his physical traits and athleticism, his offensive is good already as is his defensive traits. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg; Edwards can be an elite, two-way player. Elite.

Enjoy, Thunder fans!


Season Lowlight:

Failure to realise an identity.

2019-20: 33 wins, 49 losses
2020-21: 34 wins, 48 losses

2021-22: 25 wins, 57 losses

Total: 92 wins, 154 losses

Who are the Oklahoma City Thunder? No one seems to know yet. Three seasons have passed in the storied NSL, and the Thunder have represented the same niche for each of those seasons; they are a team that isn�t the worst, isn�t a playoff team, and doesn�t seem to be getting better (or worse). 

I think they may have misfired on the initial draft (first three picks were Donovan Mitchell, Lauri Markinnen and Khris Middleton), but don�t mistake the following: The Thunder are going to be a great team. Wiz and his Front Office have successfully positioned themselves for, and from, drafts each year and now possess a bevy of young talent and valuable assets. Patience is clearly a strategy for the franchise, so stick the course.

But at some point, Wiz and his Thunder have to make a call and determine who they are as a team, and what aspirations they hold.

Best Trade:

The Dallas Mavericks send Patrick Mills, Kristaps Porzingis and Kevon Looney to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Oklahoma City Thunder send Kemba Walker, Julius Randle and JaMychal Green to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Dallas Mavericks send a 1st-Rounder (Dal) to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Oklahoma City Thunder send a 1st-Rounder (SA) to the Dallas Mavericks

Walker and Green have left in free agency, and it�s close, but Randle�s ability to stay healthy (and Zinger�s inability), and to be a more modern fit in basketball has me leaning to him being the best player in the draft. Also, Mills and Looney will stick around in OKC � bonus! On top of that, they somehow got a first-swap in there, off-loading a late first for what now looks like a future lottery pick.

Worst Trade:

The Indiana Pacers send T.J. Warren to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Oklahoma City Thunder send Isaiah Jackson to the Indiana Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers receive 5 GM points. The Oklahoma City Thunder trade -5 GM points

Warren continues to never play games as he suffers from stress fractures in his legs and feet. Jackson, a late first-round pick, has already shown glimpses of being value, and a player that can play in the pros. Pretty easy to see L for the Thunder, here.


Notable Trades:

The Oklahoma City Thunder send Seth Curry to the San Antonio Spurs. The San Antonio Spurs send JaMychal Green to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The San Antonio Spurs send a 2nd-Rounder (Por) and 1st-Rounder (SA) to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Star Player:

Anthony Edwards. I mean, go back and read my glowing report about Ant at the top of the article. Such an incredibly impactful, exciting and entertaining player. So jelly of/excited for the journey OKC will have with Ant!

Draft Grades (according to resident Draft Guru Nenjabin):

Pick 1 � Chet Holmgren - A

We didn�t have to wait long to see our draft differ from the NBA�if fact, we never got off the mark! Chet went #1 here and while you might not like it, it�s easy to see why when you consider our format. For the record, I believe Paolo is the best player in this draft by a long way, but Chet in 2k is going to be probably right up there, if not better than Paolo, at least to start, simply because size and length and skillset. Think Zinger from 2 years ago before 2k caught up to him. So while I take Paolo #1 if I was here, you can totally see the thinking by Wiz.

Pick 5 � Keegan Murray � A+

The Lakers made this pick, but it wasn�t chosen for them. OKC made a deal sending KP over to LA for Pick 5, with other pieces around. Personally, I think Pick for 5 KP is a steal in itself so that plays into this grade also. Murray has question marks about his athleticism but those have been quashed in Summer League by how good he has looked. He looks like a great wing and OKC might just get a similar production out of Murray that they might have out of KP, at a fraction of the cost and likely a lot healthier too.

Pick 33 � TyTy Washington � B+

The old Wizkid special with the early selection in the 2^nd round, catching a falling 1^st rounder. Not much thought, if any goes into these catches with good reason as Wiz himself says �The NBA should know more than myself��it�s logical. Too logical for my liking. As if the NBA knows more than us�Anyway, TyTy went 29^th in the NBA to the Rockets so it�s not too far of a drop and he�s in a loaded young NBA backcourt. He was projected to go a little earlier in the draft, but his lack of explosiveness and him showing up out of shape and �dinged up� to workouts hurt him, but he�s a smart player and might yet find a niche.

Pick 58 � Ryan Rollins � A

This had to get an A grade simply because Rollins by this time had slid 14 spots from NBA pick 44 and he�s in Golden State where they have a habit of taking guys like this and turning them into something. Despite his slight frame, he�s a solid scoring type and maybe can carve a role like a Jordan Poole now has, if he�s lucky.

Looking Ahead:

The Thunder will be a great team, eventually. They will be exciting before that, and fans of OKC should begin to feel hopeful about a play-in tournament appearance as early as next season, if all goes well. Despite Chet Holmgren, their prized first pick from the rookie draft, likely missing the entire season with injury, it doesn�t necessarily doom the progression of the team. Edwards, Huerter, Okongwu, Okoro, Grimes, Pritchard and rookie Keegan Murray will all get to fast-track their development with roles and consistent minutes in 2022-23. Even if it�s not in the wins column, OKC need to continue, as a franchise and an evolving and growing team, move forward, progress, work hard and don�t waste the minutes and exposure the young players will get.