OKC Thunder: Playoff spot possible with Chris Paul still on team

The OKC Thunder look like they will be keeping Chris Paul. If that is the case a playoff spot is likely.

The OKC Thunder were supposed to be scrapping everything and going into a rebuild but it looks like they will be keeping Chris Paul.

The OKC Thunder were looking to get rid of Paul and get ready to build the team back up but they haven’t been able to find a suitor after this summer’s free-agent frenzy chewed up most of the available cap space around the league and nearly half the teams in the NBA hard-capped.

After the Thunder got rid of their MVP point guard in Russell Westbrook and their MVP caliber wing in Paul George they were left with a roster that had some potential but wouldn’t make much noise.

They have young players in Terrance Ferguson, Hamidou Diallo and Darius Bazley they can build on in the future. Ferguson is coming along after having a season that would be considered a step up from last year.

He made a career-high 106 3s and was looked upon to make catch-and-shoot 3s. He will have to step his game up even more next season because of the departures of Westbrook and George. He will have to show that he can do something with the ball in his hands.

Diallo was the best player that the Thunder had in the Summer League. He averaged 14.8 points per game. He should be a starter this season at 2-guard if they get rid of Andre Roberson and they decide to go with Diallo over Ferguson.

He is a player that should able to display how much better that he has gotten during the offseason.

He didn’t get much playing time last season in his rookie year, but he has been able to prove in the G League and Summer League that he has talent. He should have a bigger impact on the team this season after a year of learning the ropes.

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Darius Bazley is the player that will have to be developed this season. He may have to go into the G League to get better but he has shown flashes of potential.

With Steven Adams, Danilo Gallinari and Paul the Thunder still have an opportunity to win games in the playoffs. They also have Roberson, Dennis Schroder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Roberson is a defensive ace. He will help them against the main wing scorer on the other team. Schroder had some games that he won for the Thunder, notably the 32-point game on Nov. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

Gilgeous-Alexander is a young guard with an abundance of potential. He averaged 10.8 points per game and shot 47.6 percent from the field last year.

Gallinari has 3-point shooting ability and he will be an effective player for them during the season. He averaged 19.8 points per game last season while shooting 43.3 percent from 3. He also shot 46.3 percent from the field and 90.4 percent from the free-throw line.

He was almost a 50-40-90 player last season.

Down low is Adams, who has gotten better every year he has been in the league. He averaged 13.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Another year under his belt will more than likely show an even more improved Adams.

Paul is a nine-time All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA player. He will be able to lead the Thunder into the playoffs because he is the primary ball-handler that can score that they need.

OKC doesn’t have a wing that can score off the dribble and that is what will prevent them from going far in the playoffs but this team still has some players that can win games for them. This team is most likely a seventh or eighth seed in the West.