That title can mean many things, from my break away from writing here to Oklahoma City playing the waiting game. The Thunder front has been all quiet since the Draft, but that changed earlier today.
In a no-brainer trade, OKC swapped 2-for-1 with a pair of veteran guards getting a new home. This is actually the second key move since free agency started, but the Thunder added only one body to the mix. Etan Thomas returns to Oklahoma, where he starred in high school and will be a personal favorite of mine. Thomas has the distinction of sharing the world's worst birthday with myself, so I will be rooting hard for him to make the rotation.
GM Sam Presti now has the option of sending two players to Tulsa and not rushing either Byron Mullens or Serge Ibaka. He also cleared up some playing time issues in the back court by sending Damien Wilkins and Chucky Atkins to Minnesota. Earl Watson, who started last season at point guard, was released earlier this month after no trade partners became available.
These two moves signal a definite youth movement for OKC but were necessary to improve the culture of the squad. The Thunder played addition by subtraction perfectly so far and by not jumping into free agency, the options are unlimited during the 09-10 campaign. A veteran contract can now be part of the equation without issue, or the team can just throw a ton of money at Chris Bosh in the off-season.
My money is on a sign-and-trade or how bout this potential blockbuster...D-Wade gets tired of not having help in Miami and joins KD to form the most potent 1-2 punch in the NBA! That is purely fiction, but dreaming in Oklahoma City may soon be a reality.
Leave a comment