Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder has improved his offensive game each season he’s been in the NBA. (Photo by Keith Allison/Flickr.com)
2012-13 Vitals
60-22, 1st in Northwest Division, 1st in Western Conference
Defeated Houston Rockets 4-2 in First Round
Lost to Memphis Grizzlies 4-1 in Conference Semifinals
105.7 PPG/96.5 OPP PPG
2013-14 Roster
Alejandro Abrines – G/F
Steven Adams – C
Ronnie Brewer – F
Nick Collison – F/C
Kevin Durant – F
Derek Fisher – G
Ryan Gomes – F
Serge Ibaka – F/C
Reggie Jackson – G
Grant Jerrett – F
Perry Jones – F
Jeremy Lamb – G/F
DeAndre Liggins – G
Daniel Orton – C
Kendrick Perkins – C
Andre Roberson – G/F
Thabo Sefolosha – G
Hasheem Thabeet – C
Russell Westbrook – G
Offseason Additions
Steven Adams (1st round, 12th overall), Alex Abrines (2nd round, 32nd overall), Ryan Gomes (FA).
Offseason Subtractions
Kevin Martin (FA-Minnesota).
Projected Starters
PG – Russell Westbrook
SG – Thabo Sefolosha
SF – Kevin Durant
PF – Serge Ibaka
C- Kendrick Perkins
Season Outlook
The Oklahoma City Thunder still have Kevin Durant, so all is not lost. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com
Last season’s 60-win campaign and top seed in the Western Conference came crashing to earth early in the postseason after Russell Westbrook went down with a torn meniscus in the first round against the Houston Rockets.
The Thunder lost four excruciatingly close games to the Memphis Grizzlies in the conference semifinals and the bashing of Sam Presti for trading away James Harden began in earnest. Then Kevin Martin, the key piece that came back to Oklahoma City from the Houston Rockets in the Harden deal, opted to sign as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But what is being forgotten in the translation is this—the Thunder were good, very good, and they should be again. The Thunder’s 9.21 margin of victory in 2012-13 was the 13th highest in NBA history and the second-best in the 21st century, behind only the 10.26 MOV posted by the Boston Celtics in 2007-08.
And the core of the team—Kevin Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka—is young. By the time the season tips off against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Nov. 1, Durant will be 25 years old. Westbrook won’t be 25 until Nov. 12. Ibaka will be 24.
Many point to the need for a low-post scoring presence for Oklahoma City, but Durant is one of the most efficient post scorers in the league and Ibaka has continued to add to his offensive game each season he’s been in the league, averaging in double figures last season (13.2 points per game) for the first time in his career.
Steven Adams, the team’s first-round draft pick, is a project from New Zealand via the University of Pittsburgh who could evolve into that low-post scoring presence in time. Kendrick Perkins will be a free agent in two years and Adams could be ready to step into a more significant role by then. Free agent Ryan Gomes, who spent last season in Germany, is a veteran who could evolve into the leader of the second unit in terms of offensive production—he averaged 10.2 points per game over his seven NBA seasons.
It appears the Thunder did little this offseason while other teams in the West—the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, in particular—made bold moves, giving the Thunder the appearance of moving back toward the pack in a loaded conference.
But the most important offseason moves for Oklahoma City will be the continued maturation of Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka, who have come back improved each season they’ve been in the league. As far as depth, Reggie Jackson showed signs of being a potentially dominant bench scorer while filling in for Westbrook in the playoffs and Jeremy Lamb has a lot of offensive talent and played extremely well in the summer league.
Best-Case Scenario
Westbrook is back healthy, Lamb and Jackson evolve into solid rotational guys and Gomes returns to the NBA showing no ill effects from his year away. Durant puts up MVP-type numbers and the Thunder run away with the top seed in the West and make a deep postseason run.
Worst-Case Scenario
Westbrook struggles to regain his old form, Lamb and Jackson prove to be not up to the task of playing meaningful NBA minutes. Durant is forced to put the team on his back and they struggle to get a top-four seed in the loaded Western Conference.
Predicted Finish
59-23, 1st in Northwest Division, 2nd in Western Conference