NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Oklahoma City Thunder still have an outside shot of making the playoffs thanks to the Play-In Tournament. While the trade deadline is approaching, the Thunder should stand pat. Yes, they can still make a run at the 10th seed, but at what cost? Think back to the 2019 season when the Phoenix Suns set the foundation for their future.
2019-20 was the first season of the Play-In thanks to the COVIOD 19 situation. For that Suns’ team, it was all about stating a case. During their 7-game bubble run, the Suns went undefeated. They would go on to miss the playoffs but an undefeated run garnered them some national attention. While the media was drooling over their possibilities heading into the next season, opposing players were also taking notice. One, in particular, Chris Paul.
With Paul’s name being a hot mention, he decided to take his talents to Phoenix where he teamed up with a young cast of players and led them to the NBA Finals. So, for anyone to think that the Thunder does not have a chance, must not be paying attention to the league lately.
The Thunder, much like the Suns already have an established superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Much like Devin booker, SGA is a young player. The Suns’ roster is constructed much like the Thunder’s. Young players on cheap contacts with nowhere to go but up.
Most will say that the smart move will be to add a veteran presence as the Suns did with Paul during the trade deadline, but why?
Their backcourt is solid with SGA and Josh Giddey. The frontcourt is spearheaded by the versatile Luguentz Dort, Darius Bazley, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Dort, SGA, and Giddey are the cornerstones. However, moves could be made with Bazley and Robinson-Earl. But there is still no need to make a trade when the return will cost you young pieces.
The Thunder must hold tight and wait for the offseason where they will have some funds freed up where they can go after a frontcourt player like Andre Drummond, Hassan Whiteside, or Jusuf Nurkic. Either one of these players could help anchor the Thunder’s defense with rebounding and shot-blocking.
Their turnaround may not be as successful at first as the Suns but it’s a foundation to start with. The Oklahoma City Thunder are not as bad as their record indicates. They’re a young squad dealing with injuries and inconsistency. The same thing that was haunting the Suns until Paul came along. Sometimes, it’s not about rebuilding but adding to.
The addition of Paul gave the Phoenix Suns credibility. But he won’t be there forever. His presence has provided young guys such as Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Payne a veteran to learn from. Whenever he decides to call it a career, the Suns will be in great shape moving forward. This is the blueprint the Thunder must model themselves after.
One player can change the direction of an organization. Paul was that for the Suns. But the pieces were already in place. The Thunder are built the same.
