The offseason for the Oklahoma City Thunder was almost guaranteed to be uneventful according to almost every media member and NBA expert.
Salary cap problems and a few expensive contracts would make it nearly impossible to bring in a substantial talent to play alongside OKC’s star, Russell Westbrook.
It wasn’t until June 29 that Sam Presti bit the bullet, pulled some strings, and orchestrated the biggest blockbuster trade in Thunder history. The acquisition of Paul George was also the biggest headline of the entire NBA offseason and it’s all because of Sam Presti.
After drafting Terrance Ferguson, the Thunder faithful were unsatisfied and skeptical about the team’s success moving forward. More importantly, if Westbrook would stay or not.
Although Ferguson is a talented young player, many fans wanted the big name, so this draft pick was a bit underwhelming to most.
Paul George was the player everyone wanted. It was a far-fetched topic all season long that no one really believed could happen.
The addition of Patrick Patterson was as close to perfect as Presti could get. He’s an elite defender, just like George and Andre Roberson, and shoots the 3-point ball at a higher clip than any of the other starters.
The backup point guard role has been a long-lasting topic among the Thunder faithful for too long now. Raymond Felton will finally fill that void for the Thunder. Although he’s beyond his prime, the 33-year-old 6-foot-1 vintage point guard is a solid teammate and a solid backup for Westbrook.
Last but not least, re-signing Andre Roberson was essential for the Thunder, especially after signing George. Roberson will be the defensive captain of this team and won’t have to worry too much about the offensive side of the ball.
Thunder Offseason Grade: A-.
This grade can easily improve to an A+, but Russell Westbrook will have to sign his five-year super-max deal first.