2019–2020 NBA Season Previews: Oklahoma City Thunder
Head Coach: Billy Donovan
Last Season: 49–33, 6th in Western Conference
Projected Starters:
- PG: Chris Paul
- SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SF: Andre Roberson
- PF: Danilo Gallinari
- C: Steven Adams
Additions: Darius Bazley (R), Luguentz Dort (R), Danilo Gallinari, Devon Hall, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mike Muscala, Justin Patton, Chris Paul.
Losses: Jawun Evans, Raymond Felton, Paul George, Jerami Grant, Donte Grantham, Markieff Morris, Patrick Patterson, Russell Westbrook.
It was yet another underwhelming season for the Oklahoma City Thunder as they were once again bounced out of the first round of the playoffs last year. The off-season didn’t help heal the pain either, as their two stars from last season, Russell Westbrook and Paul George, were dealt away.
These deals mark the end of the Thunder contending for the foreseeable future. A team that once drafted three consecutive MVP’s in Kevin Durant, James Harden and Westbrook now stares a rebuild right in the eyes.
Speaking of making trades, I would not be the least bit surprised if Chris Paul does not suit up in a Thunder uniform. As mentioned, the Thunder are about to enter a rebuild tour and Paul at this point in his career is looking to win a championship. Trading Paul may be easier said than done given the point guard’s monstrous contract, but the Thunder should at least entertain offers for the sake of themselves and Paul. While he is not the player he used to be, Paul could still bring back a lot of young assets for a rebuilding team like the Thunder.
The only reason I have the Thunder in the 11th to 12th spot in the West is that I am rating teams based off the rosters they have right now. If Paul is dealt, the Thunder could easily slide down to the cellar of the Western Conference. If one thing is clear, it’s that this team will look a lot different this seasonthan last. Heck, even last year’s starting power forward Jerami Grant was dealt to the Nuggets.
One player that has managed to stick around through the chaos is Steven Adams. You have to feel for Adams a bit as he’s watched superstar after superstar leave the organization and now finds himself on a roster that won’t have nearly as much talent as years past. The true-center should continue to showcase his defense and physicality moving forward and provide the Thunder quality rim protection.
Looking at some of the additions, Danilo Gallinari was the most proven player added this past summer from the Paul George trade. Gallinari is still one of the more gifted scorers in the association and reminds me of a shooting guard with a power forward’s height and wingspan. At 30 years old, Gallinari probably won’t be around long enough to see the Thunder win games, but for the time being the Italian combo forward should provide Oklahoma City with a nice scoring punch.
Outside of Adams and Gallinari, this roster is a mess of role players.
Dennis Schroder will once again fill the backup point guard for the Thunder. Schroder is a decent, score-first backup point guard, but is susceptible to mistakes, sub-par on the defensive end, and inefficient as a shooter with a career slashline of 43–32–85. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Thunder entertained moving Schroder, as several contenders could be vying for more depth at point guard later in the season.
Andre Roberson returns to the rotation this season after missing all of last year due to injury. Contrary to Schroder, Roberson is an excellent defender who struggles on the offensive end due to a lack of a jumpshot. Roberson brings an impact on the defensive end that few players can provide as he uses his superb leaping ability to block and disrupt shots. The 6-foot-7 wing is limited to put backs and dunks offensively, but is very versatile on the defensive end and will once again help the Thunder immensely on D.
Speaking of defensive-minded players, Nerlens Noel returns to OKC this season as he will once again serve as the backup to Steven Adams at center. While inconsistent, Noel is one of the more capable post defenders in the NBA and has a natural instinct for blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. Like Roberson, he is raw on the offensive end and limited to putbacks and dunks. At just 25 years old, look for Noel to continue to progress after bouncing back from a disappointing 2017–18 campaign last season.
The rest of this team’s bench is littered with developing players. Terrance Ferguson has yet to find a niche in the NBA. He’s showcased 3-and-D potential in flashes, but has been relatively ineffective in his first two seasons. Other young guys like Darius Bazley and Hamidou Diallo are still raw and rely on heavily on athleticism. Look for both of those players to receive more minutes as the season progresses as the Thunder try to evaluate all their young talent.
X-Factor: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander is without question the best young prospect on the Thunder’s roster. The combo guard has a well-rounded game as he has the passing ability to play the point and the scoring ability to play at the shooting guard position. He’s no slouch on the defensive end either, as he has an uncanny ability to come up with steals that lead to easy transition buckets.
While he may never blossom into a superstar, Gilgeous-Alexander is a terrific building block for the Thunder to have. If Chris Paul is dealt, which I believe he will be, Gilgeous-Alexander should get more reps at the point guard spot, which is his best position.
Questions:
What do the Thunder do with Chris Paul?
I’ve addressed it numerous times throughout the article, but the consensus is that Chris Paul will not be a member of the Thunder for very long. This raises several questions: Where will he be moved to? And when will the trade happen?
I’ve already talked about the Thunder potentially trading Paul before the start of the season, but the Thunder could choose to go a different route. One possibility is that the Thunder wait until the trade deadline and use the first half of the season to showcase Paul’s value to teams across the league. If Paul is even slightly able to return to his prime level of play, a contender will take a chance on him and the Thunder should receive plenty of assets in return.
Who starts at the forward spots?
Danilo Gallinari will definitely be a starter at either the small forward or power forward position at the start of the season. Who will be paired next to him on the wing however is up for debate.
I currently have Gallinari at the four spot and Andre Roberson at the three, but you can just as easily insert Muscala or Ferguson into the lineup. Given Gallinari’s lack of foot speed, height, and ability to space the floor, the Thunder could opt to move him up to the four and plug Ferguson or Roberson in at the three. What Billy Donovan will decide remains to be seen.
Verdict:
The Thunder are in great danger of missing the playoffs for just the second time since the 2009–10 season, and I believe that happens this year. If there is one thing that is certain, it’s that this team is going to be far different than Thunder teams of the past.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this team falls to the bottom of the conference by season’s end, but that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. The focus this year for this team should be to simply acquire draft picks and young players to prep for the future. Right now, the Thunder’s final result this season is one of the more difficult ones to predict.
