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Oklahoma City Thunder: Offseason News And Notes

By Joe Atmonavage

Feb 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza (1) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 96-81. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza (1) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 96-81. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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While craziness has been spreading around the league over the last few weeks with free agency, trade rumors, and everything else that keeps us busy during the offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder have remained relatively quiet, but there still has been things happening. Let’s take a look.

Apr 9, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Anthony Morrow (3) dribbles the ball around Phoenix Suns forward Marcus Morris (15) in the second half at the Smoothie King Center. The Suns won 94-88. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Anthony Morrow (3) dribbles the ball around Phoenix Suns forward Marcus Morris (15) in the second half at the Smoothie King Center. The Suns won 94-88. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports /

Thunder sign Anthony Morrow

The Thunder signed the sharpshooter to a three-year deal worth up to $10 million. I absolutely love the move and see it is as one of the best value signings for any team this offseason.

With Morrow, you are getting one of the best shooters in the entire league. He shot 45.1 percent from deep last season (fourth in the NBA) for the New Orleans Pelicans. He also averaged 8.4 points per game.

Morrow was able to be a deadly outside shooter on a relatively bad Pelicans team where he was not playing with great playmakers. Throw him in on this Thunder team and all he has to do is knock down open 3-pointers.

Teams are forced to load up on MVP Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, so guys are constantly open. Just by Morrow being on the court, defenses have to decide what they are going to do.

If they don’t help off him, Durant or Westbrook is going to beat them and if they help off him, Morrow is going to get open shot after open shot. Morrow is an instant upgrade from Thabo Sefolosha, Caron Butler, and Derek Fisher. Morrow is exactly the kind of guy the Thunder needed to go after.

Love this signing.

D-League Team Moving From Tulsa to Oklahoma City

The Thunder’s D-League affiliate, the 66ers, are moving from Tulsa to Oklahoma City for the upcoming season. This isn’t huge news and the move is nothing dramatic, but it will help build up the 66ers as a D-League affiliate.

Moving the team to Oklahoma City will make it easier for players to bounce back and forth from teams. Guys like Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb have been playing on both teams over the last couple years and this move will just make that adjustment easier.

Teams are beginning to take their D-League teams more seriously and I think this is a move in the right direction for the Thunder.

Mar 27, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Josh Huestis (24) looks to pass against Dayton Flyers forward Dyshawn Pierre (21) during the second half of the semifinals in the south regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Josh Huestis (24) looks to pass against Dayton Flyers forward Dyshawn Pierre (21) during the second half of the semifinals in the south regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports /

Josh Huestis’ Future

Huestis, the Thunder’s 29th pick in this year’s draft is expected to sign with the 66ers, according to the Oklahoman , and would be the first of a trend that may become more popular as teams begin to utilize the D-League more and more. The move saves the Thunder roster space and some cap room.

It is similar to the “draft and stash” strategy may teams utilize when they select a foreign player. The article in the Oklahoman gives a complete breakdown of the decision.

Feb 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza (1) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 96-81. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza (1) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 96-81. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Kevin Durant to D.C. Rumors

As someone who lives in the Washington, D.C., area, all anyone has been talking about these last couple weeks during the LeBron James free agency fiasco is whether or not Durant is going to head home like James and play with the Wizards in 2016.

The Wizards are eyeing him and everything they are doing with their roster and cap suggests they are going to go all-in for the reiging MVP.  They even hired one of Durant’s former high school coaches as a player development coach. This is mostly picking up steam because of James’ return to his hometown of Cleveland, but most people think it could be a real possibility. Only time will tell.

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