This Draft will go down in history and not just because it was the first. The Thunder did have to trade up for their guy, but B.J. Mullens comes quite a bit cheaper than first thought. As with most things, the hype surrounding the legit 7-foot center nearly made Oklahoma City pay a premium price if you believed the rumors.
Mock drafts everywhere had Mullens, an Ohio State product, going at the end of the lottery or just after. The same 'experts' had Thunder GM Sam Presti looking to trade up in hopes of taking the big man for D-League Tulsa. I do not expect Mullens to play much this season, but he is definitely the type of player that can help in 2-3 years when OKC is battling in the Western Conference playoffs.
Dallas was kind enough with the 24th pick to take the guy Presti wanted, and all it will cost is a future 2nd round pick. That is a far cry from what the Thunder may have given up to grab the potential center of the future. I am looking forward to seeing Mullens during summer league play and will make a number of trips down I-44 to watch him dominate for Tulsa.
My take on the third overall pick, James Harden, can be summed up in one word -- perfect. I was not a Rubio fan and honestly hoped Memphis took Thabeet. The one thing missing from OKC's core was a legit shooter from the outside, and they not only accomplished that but also took a guy familiar with his backcourt mate.
According to the Thunder Official site, Harden and Russell Westbrook have known each other since their early teen years. They played together growing up and now have a chance to form a potent duo to the front court pair of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.
UPDATE: Robert Vaden, another big-time shooter, joins OKC after a trade with Charlotte. He is a great addition to the Thunder and almost certain to start out next to Mullens in Tulsa. More on that pick-up next week as I look at the roster from top to bottom.
Oklahoma City officially made a move in the NBA Draft, and it wasn't a flashy one by any means. The Thunder stayed at No. 3 and picked James Harden, the perfect addition to the already young squad. Ricky Rubio slipped to the fifth spot which means OKC didn't think a trade was going to work in their favor.
While there will be more on this pick later, the big question now is whether or not the Thunder try to trade up to get a big man. Rumors have had a trade in the works for a mid-teens pick, and I expect a deal will be made.
The Draft news keeps coming a mile a minute, but my attention has strayed in the recent days. Oklahoma City continues to keep most information close to the vest, and I really can't determine what counts as a 'rumor' anymore. What I do know, however, is that the Thunder are positioned to make some noise on Thursday AND the beginning of next month.
NBA Draft night is typically full of last-minute deals and 2009 is no different. Honestly I would hate to make a guess of how many before, during, or after trades are going to happen all in the first round. So many teams are struggling with getting under the salary cap that some definite head-scratching moves are bound to happen.
That leaves OKC in prime position to pull off a number of interesting moves. I am starting to get on the Thabeet band-wagon a little more but only because I feel it would allow for another, more expensive foreign player to join the mix. Hedo Turkoglu made himself quite a bit of money during Orlando's run to the Finals, and the basketball world knows it.
Now the Thunder just need to find a way to make an up-and-coming team a contender.
First, they need to stay away from any guard in the first round and focus on the UConn center. That will be the signal that Turkoglu is looking for in my opinion, as he wants to go to the best situation (and make $$$). Right now OKC has plenty of pieces and all that is missing is the 'glu' to keep it together.
How does this look for a line-up on Opening Day?
PG - Westbrook SG - Durant SF - Turkoglu PF - Green C - Krstic
You then have Livingston and Sefolosha as a powerful back court to go with Thabeet, White, Collison, and Weaver as the reserves. With a few improvements here or there, few if any NBA teams could match that kind of depth.
I am not much of a hockey fan anymore, but I could see some situations in Oklahoma City where you have 3-4 different 'lines'. It would all depend on the game situation, but that is a luxury you get with flexible players. Of the starting five listed above, each can play multiple positions and offer match-up problems along the way.
The Thunder hold all the cards with cap room and the willingness to take chances few teams will. GM Sam Presti continues to pull rabbits out of his hat, and I can't wait to see what he does next.
Tony Parker continues to run the show expertly for the Spurs, and now the Thunder have a chance to duplicate it with Ricky Rubio. Oklahoma City has been following the San Antonio model ever since GM Sam Presti took over, but this may be going a little far in my opinion.
Rubio is by far a top-5 pick, but the question still remains if he is better as trade bait or the answer at the third spot. Bringing the issue to a boil, how would last year's number one, Russell Westbrook, feel about adding another point guard to the mix.
My gut tells me that another NBA Draft trade is in the works, and the Thunder are right in the middle of the action. Unfortunately, it will not be a move up to the top spot where Blake Griffin is firmly holding down the fort. I think a team in the 4-7 spot will pony up a player and a pick for the chance to draft their PG of the future.
And that would be the best answer OKC could ask for next to Griffin free-falling in a miracle. Hey commissioner -- you listening out there?
As I watched LeBron make one ridiculous shot after another last night, I realized that he is all but certain to end up in another uniform. No one can predict the future, but the Cavs lack that second star that is needed to win a title. And that may be good for King James, who will have his pick of where to play and with whom to do it.
But it is bad for everyone else who wants to see Cleveland find a way to keep their star. I say this not as a fan, just a casual observer who wants to believe Oklahoma City has what it takes to put to rest any question of where Kevin Durant will be playing for the next decade.
The Thunder are very much like the Cavs, but the big difference is how OKC handles its first official Draft. Carbert and I held an A.T.L. version of a mock draft, and the possibilities greatly outweighed the consensus when the dust settled. The final outcome possibly won't be known even after the third selection is called following Blake Griffin in the top spot and whomever is behind door number two.
I take a different approach than my co-writer, however, as I prefer to think 4-5 years down the road. He initially went with the UConn center who is currently getting press about a date with Memphis. If that is the case, the Thunder are left with three potential options in my opinion.
The trio will be covered in length the rest of June, so I will leave that be for now. My five year OKC plan honestly has nothing to do with the 09 or even 2010 Drafts. GM Sam Presti now has his team positioned to compete as early as next season AND has the funds to go after any number of free agents.
This is where my brain starts working overtime because the options are fantastic and much less of a risk than taking a certain Spanish point guard. D-Wade has to be 1B to LeBron's 1A when the next big FA class hits the open market. Miami should do everything possible to keep their star, but the grass may very well be greener closer to his Chicago-area home.
While the Thunder can try to pair KD with another big-time scorer, my choice from day one has always been an inside threat. Griffin still could land in his home state with some draft-day fireworks, but I prefer to be realistic. If it was my call to make, OKC would be putting all the eggs in the Chris Bosh basket.
Bosh and Durant provide the foundation for a playoff team, while Green and Westbrook do the little things well. Heck, I see a situation where NONE of the possible draft picks this year or next could be starting if Thabo's defense keeps him in the lineup. The future is getting brighter by the day in OKC, and the rest of the NBA needs to be paying attention before it is too late.
After a much-needed hiatus, we are back with plenty to talk about. I have to admit the NBA does have the best playoff system, even if it seems nearly every series is threatening to go seven. That is because the teams involved are not letting anything get in their way, much like what Oklahoma City needs to do next month.
The Thunder nearly won/stole the Griffin Lotto but are positioned nicely at number three. They jumped past Sacramento and Washington, two teams with many more question marks than the league's newest franchise. All of this is setting up for an exciting roller-coaster of events.
Carbert and I will be debating options from now until Draft night, as OKC holds multiple options. My current favorite is the looking backward approach, where the Thunder target a team with a veteran shooting guard. They can then pull off a trade and better the team in the present and the future.
Enjoy the Holiday Weekend everyone and let's get ready for some Summer Basketball!
The NCAA finally got a couple of things right when it comes to basketball. I like the two new decisions made about the draft, as college athletes will now have less time to decide their future. I love this one given that you should really know which way you are leaning before even making the leap.
Now the process will move along quicker and if you are staying in, one of three choices is left on the table. Either you get drafted, you go play overseas, or hello D-League! Taking away the option of returning to school is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I can understand their point. College teams can't afford to sit around and hold a scholarship just in case, and they need closure.
Much like a divorce, these two changes bring answers to the table, and that will help the NBA and teams like Oklahoma City the most. Now the Thunder can use second round picks on projects or foreign players instead of that tweener player that should have gone back to school.
I only wish the other change made would have secured the rights to Blake Griffin staying in his home state, but I will keep my fingers crossed that the lottery hits all OKC numbers!
As disappointing as April was for Oklahoma City, only good news made an appearance on the regular season's final day. The Thunder removed the interim tag from Scott Brooks, and his players treated the promotion with a franchise best.
Los Angeles has owned OKC this year, whether it has been the Clippers or the Lakers. The Thunder took out all the frustration and finally notched a victory to close out year one. The Clippers never knew what hit them, as the Thunder poured in 126 points.
It was only OKC's third win in 12 outings but showed that there is more to winning in the NBA than just the boxscore. Superstar Kevin Durant now knows who his boss will be for at least the next couple of campaigns, and that could be a key around the league.
The Thunder has a strong core of players and will only build upon that in the June Draft. GM Sam Presti should get a raise for looking ahead to an even bigger date given how far under the salary cap OKC sits. Now that Brooks is locked up, the final step to keeping KD currently resides north of the border.
Fast-forward to the summer of 2010, or better known as 'Free-Agent Heaven' , and Chris Bosh will be waving hello. He wants everyone to throw money at LeBron and D-Wade. Heck, I really hope all other teams focus on those two players. Because then the Thunder can make the smart move and pair Bosh and KD together for a very nice Championship run.
Wishful thinking...maybe. But show me one person who thought this team would pass the 20-win mark after the horrendous start. Most were banking on a new record for losing, and Head Coach Scott Brooks proved them all wrong. And that is good enough for me.
After a long and painful journey, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally finish up their inaugural season with an away game in Los Angeles against the Clippers. The Clippers have won all three contests between the two teams this season, so tonight is OKC's final attempt to not get swept. If the Thunder do get swept, wins against OKC will account for 20% of LA's wins. That would be pretty lame for us.
Other than a few minor "moral" victories, neither team is really playing for much tonight. A win by either team hurts their chances in the draft lottery. If OKC wins and Memphis loses, we'll be tied with them. If the Clippers win and Washington loses, the Clippers move ahead of the Wizards.
Casting all that aside, it'd be really nice to end the season with a win, especially with how the past month has gone. This team needs whatever positives it can get if it wants to work it's way to being a playoff team within a couple years.
The Thunder have played 79 regular season NBA games since they last played the Bucks. That game was both the season and home opener for OKC, and a game which I erroneously called a gift from the NBA. The Bucks went on to spank the Thunder 98-87, and Oklahoma City was off to a poor start to the season.
Returning to the present, both teams are out of playoff contention and are playing for little more than pride. The Thunder are coming off of one of their few wins over the past month while Milwaukee has lost four in a row and nine of their last ten. The Bucks seem to have checked out for the season, but with the only remaining games on their schedule against the Pacers and Magic, tonight's match up is their last real hope for a win. Expect them to come out strong looking to avoid a 7 game losing streak to end the season.
OKC still has games against Portland and the Clippers; both games though on the road. The Clippers game ought to be winnable, and with a win tonight, passing the Grizzles for 26th ought to be a definate possiblity.
I don't foresee the Bucks waking up for this game, and with the Thunder riding high after their close victory against the Bobcats, expect to see OKC take this one in a close one: 92-87.
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