How good will the OKC Thunder be in a few years?

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Right now, they have the following players under contract in 2010-2011:

Kevin Durant
Jeff Green
Tyson Chandler
Russell Westbrook
Nick Collison
Kyle Weaver

They also have draft rights to what many are calling the best overseas talent right now with a Sean Kemp type skill set(Serge Ibaka), and have 5 first round picks in the next two years, 3 of which could very well be top 10 picks (OKC this year, OKC next year, and Phoenix next year).

Could the 2010-2011 OKC Thunder be legit playoff contenders with a top 4 seed as a possibility?

[Red Hawk #21]

They're gunna kick ass in the future, I love Westbrook man.

[slowchild25]

I think so. Add Blake Griffin to that group and the continued maturation of Kevin Durant and this team is going to be pretty fucking bad ass by 2010-11.

It sucks because I want to pull for Durant and like his game but fuck Bennett for taking what will be an awesome club from Seattle.

[IronMexican]

I am loving what that management. But the problem for them is a log jam at SF with Durant and Green. I would try to deal Green for a PF or PG. I don't think you can get deep into the playoffs with him as your PF.(Which is what they are playing him at for now.)

[IronMexican]

And yeah, I would love this team a lot more if they were in Seattle.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

IronMexican, I couldn't agree more on the Seattle part and Jeff Green part. Durant could play SG but he's so much more effective as a SF. It even further complicates things when Ibaka is thrown in the mix, he's another shooting guard in a power forward's body. I don't see how they have enough bulk and interior defense to go far with Green or Ibaka at PF unless Ibaka added weight.

[bigdog]

I think OKC could very well be a pretty damn good team in the near future. Now they have Chandler and Collison in the frountcourt, along with Green, Durant, and Westbrook. That's pretty good if you ask me.

[JamStone]

Depends on a few things. Depends if Chandler opts out after next season or signs an extension with the team. Also depends on the continued development of Russell Westbrook as a point guard.

I think it would be interesting to see if they had drafted someone different than Jeff Green with that #5 pick, like Al Thornton or Nick Young or Thaddeus Young or Rodney Stuckey. In the long run, Kevin Durant should start playing more small forward when he bulks up a little more. Jeff Green is not big enough to consistently play power forward.

Also, in the past draft, instead of Westbrook, would have been interesting to see if they had selected DJ Augustin or Brook Lopez.

[IronMexican]

Nick Young! Man, that dude is a beast. He would be the perfect SG for this OKC team.

[turiaf for president]

that team along with the blazers (of they stay healthy) are the future of the west. they will take the place of dallas and phx as one of the top tier of teams in the west

[JamStone]

that team along with the blazers (of they stay healthy) are the future of the west. they will take the place of dallas and phx as one of the top tier of teams in the west

Many people felt the same way about the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards over the last few seasons in a weaker conference with not much depth in terms of quality teams. It takes more than raw talent and potential to make a team a legitimate force, and much more to make them a long-lasting "great" team season after season like Phoenix and Dallas have been for the last 5 years.

[Ghazi]

that team along with the blazers (of they stay healthy) are the future of the west. they will take the place of dallas and phx as one of the top tier of teams in the west

Dallas and PHX have already been replaced lol

It's San Antonio that's up next.

[slowchild25]

Many people felt the same way about the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards over the last few seasons in a weaker conference with not much depth in terms of quality teams. It takes more than raw talent and potential to make a team a legitimate force, and much more to make them a long-lasting "great" team season after season like Phoenix and Dallas have been for the last 5 years.

Those teams didn't have Durant and they don't have a disciple from the Spurs front office (one of maybe 3 front offices in the league that actually knows what the fuck they are doing) running their team.




It's San Antonio that's up next.

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

[scanry]

I'm not sold on them yet?

BTW Portland had like a million lottery picks over the past 5 years and yet they are still irrelevant. If they had like a Duncan or a Howard type of a player, they'd be scary.

A team cannot win championships consistently without a dominant big men. The only exception over the past 20-30 championships has been Jordan.

[scanry]

Dallas and PHX have already been replaced lol

It's San Antonio that's up next.

I think we like our chances as long as Duncan plays for the Spurs.

You guys on the other hand have had talent, excessive cap space & yet haven't won squat over the decade.

[Xylus]

Trade Amare to the Thunder for Jeff Green, Collison, and a first-rounder.

I just want to see a Chandler-Amare-Durant-Westbrook foursome.

[Allanon]

Kevin Durant... that guy is unguardable at 6'10 and only 20 years old.

'nuff said.

[scanry]

Kevin Durant... that guy is unguardable at 6'10 and only 20 years old.

'nuff said.

Durant > Lebron. :wow

Durant has a sweet jumpshot and if he works on his D, Stern would have wet dreams about him. He reminds me of a young Michael Jordan (but looks like a young michael finley).

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/writers/grant_wahl/02/17/cbk.bag/t1_0217_durant_wi.jpg http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05K11kd2NU4tY/340x.jpg

[manufor3]

I think so. Add Blake Griffin to that group and the continued maturation of Kevin Durant and this team is going to be pretty fucking bad ass by 2010-11.

It sucks because I want to pull for Durant and like his game but fuck Bennett for taking what will be an awesome club from Seattle.

exactly wat i would have said

[dirk4mvp]

Durant > Lebron. :wow

Durant has a sweet jumpshot and if he works on his D, Stern would have wet dreams about him. He reminds me of a young Michael Jordan (but looks like a young michael finley).

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/writers/grant_wahl/02/17/cbk.bag/t1_0217_durant_wi.jpg http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05K11kd2NU4tY/340x.jpg

That Michael Finley is not young :bking

[tlongII]

I'm not sold on them yet?

BTW Portland had like a million lottery picks over the past 5 years and yet they are still irrelevant. If they had like a Duncan or a Howard type of a player, they'd be scary.

A team cannot win championships consistently without a dominant big men. The only exception over the past 20-30 championships has been Jordan.

4th best record in the West and we're irrelevant??? :wtf

[baseline bum]

It would be sweet to see them get Griffin to play next to Durant. Durant has to be the most exciting player in the league to watch right now (even moreso than Josh Smith).

[Allanon]

Durant > Lebron. :wow

I would have laughed at you last year but man, that may be the future.

You can stop LeBron by giving him Jumpshots and by fouling him.

How the hell do you stop Durant?

KD can shoot the 3, shoot the mid-range, shoot Free Throws, and he can take it to the rim.

And he's only 20 frickin' years old. I can't remember a more complete player at that age. He's probably better at age 20 than MJ, Kobe, LeBron.

The only thing that will separate him from the Greats would be his leadership skills and competitiveness. I have no idea how much of a leader he is or how competitive he is. Does he want to be Great?

[JamStone]

Those teams didn't have Durant and they don't have a disciple from the Spurs front office (one of maybe 3 front offices in the league that actually knows what the fuck they are doing) running their team.


Kevin Durant is great. It's far from a certainty that he can be the type of franchise player that will make his team a 50+ win team season after season.

The Spurs front office factor is way overrated. The Spurs front office themselves would be nowhere near as perceived if they didn't land out of pure luck the #1 pick that got them Tim Duncan. Let's not fool ourselves here. They have made many good personnel moves along the way. None of those moves would have mattered without Tim Duncan on the roster. Same goes for Presti and Pritchard. Pritchard has a better chance because he also landed three great players with high lottery picks in Roy, Aldridge, and Oden. I'm not even close to sold with what Oklahoma City is doing yet. I think they've made quite a few questionable moves already under Presti. They have stockpiled draft picks though. It depends what they will do with it. I don't necessarily think Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook were the right picks. Kevin Durant was a fall-in-their-laps pick. With Oden off the board, that was pick that had to be made. Let's not give them credit for making a pick that 100% of other NBA GMs would have made at #2 after Oden was selected first.

[Jmoney]

I agree that Green is a logjam that needs to be moved. KD needs to bulk up a little to play the sf/sg combo role. With the addition of Chandler the best bet at PF is took for a defensive/rebounder type PF who doesn't have to score to be happy and content. I would not be suprised this off season if OKC approaches New York with intrest in David Lee and see what the Knicks want packaged with Green for Lee. You'd have a solid young lineup to build with.

[mardigan]

I don't know why people are so down on Green, guy is putting up 17 and 7 in his second year, and seems to be a great teamate. Plus, I think the chemistry he Durant and Westbrook have is very noticeable.

[hater]

Kevin Durant!!

[slowchild25]

Kevin Durant is great. It's far from a certainty that he can be the type of franchise player that will make his team a 50+ win team season after season.

The Spurs front office factor is way overrated. The Spurs front office themselves would be nowhere near as perceived if they didn't land out of pure luck the #1 pick that got them Tim Duncan. Let's not fool ourselves here. They have made many good personnel moves along the way. None of those moves would have mattered without Tim Duncan on the roster. Same goes for Presti and Pritchard. Pritchard has a better chance because he also landed three great players with high lottery picks in Roy, Aldridge, and Oden. I'm not even close to sold with what Oklahoma City is doing yet. I think they've made quite a few questionable moves already under Presti. They have stockpiled draft picks though. It depends what they will do with it. I don't necessarily think Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook were the right picks. Kevin Durant was a fall-in-their-laps pick. With Oden off the board, that was pick that had to be made. Let's not give them credit for making a pick that 100% of other NBA GMs would have made at #2 after Oden was selected first.

I agree with a lot of your saying but I don't think your giving Durant and the Spurs front office enough credit. I do think he's their "Duncan" in that every move that they make will look a little better because they have him on their team. And no matter how the Spurs got Duncan the fact is that they did and then they went out and put pieces around him that both made him and the team better and not only have they done that they have done it for a very extended period of time. They just keep plugging new guys in and they just work in their system. Roger Mason anyone? Freakin' Matt Bonner?! Really??!?! Somehow they get it to work though.

[endrity]

I don't know why people are so down on Green, guy is putting up 17 and 7 in his second year, and seems to be a great teamate. Plus, I think the chemistry he Durant and Westbrook have is very noticeable.

I don't think anybody is sellin Green short. I think people realize he is a poor man's Durant, and both of them are perfect for the SF position but neither is really suited to play as a SG or a PF right now. One of them would have to bulk up considerably to do so. And I think durant's game would be greatly affected if he tried to put up 20-30 lbs of muscle very quickly.

So in the future there isn't very much Green can offer this team. Maybe he can be their Posey (08 Celtics)/Odom (09 Lakers) at best.

[tomtom]

As much it sucks that they moved out of Washington, I imagine they will become pretty good in the next couple of years but still far from contenders, though I'm sure Durant will probably one day be a league leader in scoring