NBA Rumors: Oklahoma City Thunder To Acquire New Point Guard
By Marcus Bass
The Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to be granted a team roster exception that will help compensate for the recent loss of point guard Russell Westbrook.
After failing to receive the exception in a previous contest against the Denver Nuggets due to guard Anthony Morrow‘s health status, the exception is expected to arrive Wednesday. Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman reports:
"But because league rules mandate that an independent physician must determine whether the injuries will keep each player out for two consecutive weeks, and the outside doctor didn’t see it that way, the Thunder did not qualify for the exception. The player in question is Anthony Morrow, who is nursing a sprained MCL."
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Requirements for acquiring the roster exception have been met and exceeded by the injury-plagued Thunder. The Thunder currently have four players that will be out at least two consecutive weeks with injuries. All of which will miss three straight games within two weeks.
Russell Westbrook will sit out for at least four weeks after undergoing successful surgery on his broken right hand, Kevin Durant and rookie Mitch McGary are both nursing broken feet, while Grant Jerrett has missed the Thunder’s last four games after offseason ankle surgery.
With guard Reggie Jackson in-and-out of the lineup due to a bevy of injuries and his latest disinterest in being the Thunder’s long-term backup option, the Thunder may be looking for a point guard to eat up a few of the minutes that Jackson’s already receiving. Jackson told reporters at NewsOk.com:
"“When I said command a team, I didn’t mean be a temporary starter or anything like that,” Jackson said. Just trying to play my role while I’m here."
NBC Sports reports that the Thunder are looking at Ish Smith, John Lucas III, Diante Garrett and Michael Jenkins as potential additions at the 1 spot. It’s likely Westbrook will miss up to two months and while the Thunder currently have 10-year veteran guard Sebastian Telfair backing up Jackson.
Telfair is averaging 9.2 points and 5.4 assists on the young season, compared to Jackson, who’s appeared in two contests this season and is currently averaging 18 points and 9.5 assists–stats not indicative of a backup.
Whomever the Thunder bring in to sit in the third position behind Telfair on the depth chart could walk into a pretty sweet situation.
With Jackson suiting up in an OKC uniform every night with one foot in and the other out of the door, and league journeyman Telfair who’s unlikely to remain with the team after his veteran’s minimum deal expires at the end of the year; there’s room for a third pg to soak up considerable minutes should he make an impression on general manager Sam Presti and head coach Scott Brooks.
The Thunder currently have only nine healthy bodies. Certainly they’ll want to bring in the best fit for the club, but at this point it’s likely they’d rather just get active players on the bench.