Offseason Overview: Oklahoma City Thunder

June 28, 2009 2:10pm CDT

The Thunder have been one of the most discussed franchises this offseason because of their incredibly attractive core of young talent. Every one of their expected starters from the one to four is a potential All-Star in the future, and it'd be pretty shocking if Kevin Durant didn't make the All-Star game in 2009-10, as he showed light years of improvement over the course of last season. Still, it's no coincidence that they had the No. 3 pick in the draft this summer, as they struggled to win games last year and must continue to grow just to contend for a .500 record next campaign.

Cap Situation: $41.62* million committed to 12 players. League salary cap estimated at $58 million for 2009-2010 season.

* This figure does not account for money owed to Shaun Livingston, who is signed to a multi-year deal of which the specifics of the money amount have not been released.

Returning Players: Earl Watson, Nick Collison, Nenad Krstic, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha, D.J. White, Kyle Weaver, Shaun Livingston, Chucky Atkins (Team Option), Damien Wilkins (Player Option)

Rookies: James Harden, B.J. Mullens, Robert Vaden

Free Agents: Desmond Mason, Robert Swift, Malik Rose

5 Burning Questions

1) Do the Thunder attempt to make a push for the playoffs now or wait until 2010-11?
This is the big question in Oklahoma City that will linger all summer long once the free agent market opens and into the season as long as the team stays at least within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Thunder clearly have plenty of money that they could potentially use and could afford any of the biggest names available. They could certainly use a big man, and talents like Carlos Boozer and David Lee should be on the market. The Thunder are blessed with one of the most attractive looking young rosters in the league and really could be one addition away from playoff contention. Still, even with the signing of a legit big man, it's doubtful that the Thunder could morph into actual title contenders. Heck, they probably wouldn't even be vying for home court advantage in the playoffs, and thus, in the end, they may simply play out another season and let their youngsters to mature, both as individuals and as a team, and look to make a splash in the star-studded 2010 free agent market.


2) Can Durant really get better than he was in 2008-09?
Umm, duh. Alright, the question isn't completely unfair; it's tough to imagine that a guy who averaged 25 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 42.2 percent from three-point range really has anywhere to go but down, but come on people, this is a 20-year-old we're talking about here! We got a glimpse of what Durant is capable of in February when he was showing everyone that he deserved to be in the All-Star game, averaging over 30 points during the month while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and 51.4 percent from behind the arc. Durant still has a lot to learn, and if he can add some muscle to his body, it's not impossible to think the lanky 6-foot-9 kid could develop a potentially lethal post game to his already superior perimeter offensive skill set. This guy is a fantasy owners dream that will almost should win a number of scoring titles throughout his career and could contend for one as early as this upcoming season.

3) How will the Thunder deal with their free agents?
Mason is the most important of the Thunder's three free agents. He's coming off knee surgery that cut his season short and also has a limited offensive game, but he's reportedly fully recovered from the operation and should remain one of the best perimeter defenders in the league with his length and athleticism. He should draw several suitors around the league, but it'd be in the best interest of the Thunder to hold onto him. After Mason, Robert Swift is a big seven-footer that shouldn't cost too much money to retain, and Malik Rose's career could be coming toward an end, as he turns 35 in November, and thus it doesn't seem like they'd bother throwing any money his way.

4) Was James Harden the right pick at No. 3?
Personally, I think Ricky Rubio would have been a much stronger selection. Russell Westbrook is a combo guard that can play either the one or the two, so the fact that Rubio runs the point while Harden will be slotted at shooting guard shouldn't have been a factor. Rubio stated before the draft that he'd love to play in Oklahoma City, so it's unlikely you would have had the same issues proliferate that are currently coming up after his drafting by the Wolves, and I think adding a guy with such unmatched passing skills could have done wonders for a team with such potentially great young scorers in Durant, Westbrook and Jeff Green. Still, Harden was probably the most NBA-ready player in the draft aside from Blake Griffin. He's an incredibly polished talent in the mold of Paul Pierce that should be able to step in right away and make an immediate impact for the Thunder.

5) Assuming they don't add any big free agents, can the Thunder be a contender in the West?
You'd like to think they could contend with a group of youngsters capable of making any NBA fan drool uncontrollably, and while they'll create plenty of Sportscenter highlights and have several men capable of being big-time fantasy contributors, I still think this group is at least one more season away from making noise in the Western Conference standings. Let's not forget, despite all their growth last year, the Thunder still finished last in the Northwest division, behind even the Timberwolves, at 23-59. While they will be able to put points on the scoreboard, they should struggle defensively without any legitimate low post defender to stop any of the back-to-the-basket fours or fives in the league. Thus, the 2009-10 season is likely to be more about improvement, and a quick glance at the record at any point in the season won't be a true indicator of how successful the year is going.

Ideal Situation: The Thunder would love to bring back Mason and Swift, and you also have to hope contract negotiations with their three rookies go well. Given that they wouldn't see much time on the court, you have to think that both B.J. Mullens and Robert Vaden could at least start the year in the D-league, so hopefully they can enhance each of their games there. While a big-name splash is unexpected, it would still help if they added a cheaper veteran to help defend the post and guard opposing teams' centers, something Theo Ratliff, Sean Marks, Chris Wilcox and Jamaal Magloire are all capable of. Besides that, the Thunder will simply be looking for improvement in each and every one of their players, and most importantly Durant, Westbrook, Green and Harden.

Resulting Depth Chart
PG: Russell Westbrook / Chucky Atkins / Earl Watson / Kyle Weaver
SG: James Harden / Thabo Sefolosha / Shaun Livingston / Damien Wilkins

SF: Kevin Durant / Desmond Mason / Robert Vaden
PF: Jeff Green / Nick Collison / D.J. White
C: Nenad Krstic / Theo Ratliff / Robert Swift / B.J. Mullens

Strengths: Young superstars, instant offense, speed, cap space
Weaknesses: Rebounding, size in the frontcourt, defense, lack of maturity