Will OKC be the next 2012-13 Lakers (oh, no) or the next 2010-11 Mavs (oh, yeah)?
Oh, what could’ve been in Oklahoma City this year! Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, and Steven Adams sound like a dream team that I assembled on NBA 2K.
But the team that started the season with great anticipation lost to the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs–yes, a Utah team that many saw going nowhere after Gordon Hayward’s departure.
USA Today
How did OKC get to this point?
After long-time superstar and OKC fan favorite, Kevin Durant, joined forces with the Steph Curry, et al., the Thunder became Russell Westbrook’s team. And Westbrook certainly didn’t disappoint — not even close. Night after night, Westbrook played out of his mind on both sides of the floor. ue
In fact, he did the unthinkable, becoming only the second player in NBA history (Oscar Robinson, 1961-62 was the other) to average a triple-double. And despite having a mediocre supporting cast–Steven Adams and Enes Kanter were the exceptions–Westbrook lead OKC to the #6 seed in the NBA’s Wild West.
But the big question remained: What might be possible if Russell Westbrook had a legitimate supporting cast around him?
Well, during the last off-season, OKC tried to answer that question. The Thunder acquired Paul George who, in his contract year, was looking to prove his worth with a championship contender. And OKC brought in Carmelo Anthony, a bona fide NBA superstar.
Factor in Steven Adams, Patrick Patterson, and Andre Roberson, and OKC now looked like a super team. Sure, overtaking the Warriors would be no small feat, but at the very least (we thought) this Oklahoma City Thunder team looked poised for a deep postseason run.
OKC’s Paul George (photo, BleacherReport)
But it didn’t happen.
Instead of challenging the Warriors, OKC disappointed. The only title it now shares is with another team with lofty expectations that also got swept in the first round–the 2012-13 Lakers with its stellar lineup of Bryant, Gasol, Howard, and Nash.
So what went wrong for Sam Presti’s squad? How come they only one more game than the year before?
Was it lack of Chemistry? Did OKC have too many isolation scorers? Was it a weak bench? Was it Anthony’s absolutely atrocious season?
It’s likely due to a combination of reasons, But, heck, I’m not ready to stick a fork in Oklahoma City yet. Here’s why.
Consider the case of the 2009-2010 Dallas Mavericks. That team had Dirk Nowitzki (in his prime), Jason Kidd, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, and Jason Terry. That team–also with a great lineup–fell to the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
But the Mavericks decided to keep that talented core of the players. The result? It was a defiant win over the LeBron, Wade, and Bosh-lead Miami Heat.
My point is this: just because an NBA super team disappoints doesn’t mean that a roster blowup is a solution. But, still, what does the Thunder need to do to be resurgent?
FIRST: OKC needs to do everything it can to retain Paul George. George is not only one of the league’s best defenders, he’s the perfect scoring option behind Russell Westbrook. Retaining Paul George is the Thunder’s #1 priority.
Melo didn’t contribute much (photo, CBS Sports)
If Melo chooses to accept his player option for next season, he needs to have his minutes reduced drastically or he should be moved to the bench. Anthony was downright awful defensively last season. Offensively, he’s a pure isolation scorer–a player who takes the ball out of Westbrook’s hands, which is a bad choice. OKC needs to shift minutes from Melo to Alex Abrines and/or Jerami Grant, who are younger and way better defensively.
THIRD: OKC can also address other issues through free agency. If the Thunder can clear enough cap space, Avery Bradley (Clippers) would be worth the take. Bradley has been an exceptional defender his whole career and he’s a reliable scorer, too. Other options include Ian Clark (Pelicans) and Rodney Hood (Cavs). They’re solid guards who are capable of guarding most NBA guards.
My hope is that OKC will act along the lines of what I’ve proposed. If it does, then this team may end up like the 2010-11 Mavericks–a club that kept its core together and found other ways to address issues.
What I’d hate to see happen is for OKC to become the next 2012-13 Lakers. It that happens, then the Thunder may fall into years of NBA/Western Conference irrelevancy.
Which path will OKC travel? Only time will tell.
