The OKC Thunder are in a prime position to make a serious jump from playoff contenders to legitimate title favorites with how they go about approaching the upcoming offseason.
Despite being crowned the youngest team in league history to clinch the top seed in a conference standings, following their second-round ouster from the 2024 postseason it’s more than evident that the ball club still needs a bit more rotational tweaking to thrust themselves into the same category as the west’s elites like the Denver Nuggets and the NBA Finals representative, Dallas Mavericks.
This summer, there are projected to be a number of quality players made available, and, recently, Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire went as far as to make a list of five individuals who are believed to be ideal targets worthy of OKC’s attention.
Of course, though these players may have name recognition and intrigue attached to them, this is not to say that they should automatically be viewed as realistic options for Sam Presti and co. to covet.
With this in mind, today we take a look at each one of Almanza’s proposed targets and discuss whether they’re worth a pass or pursuit this summer.
Proposed Thunder target No. 1) Dorian Finney-Smith
First up on deck is Brooklyn Nets forward and steardy veteran, Dorian Finney-Smith.
A player who has made a career for himself as a highly physical and rather reliable 3-and-D rotational commodity, to Almanza, the 31-year-old is someone who could provide this Thunder team with vital lineup versatility with his skill-set and 6-foot-7, 220-pound frame and tack on ample playoff experience in the process.
“Finney-Smith is a prototypical wing that can do a little bit of everything. He can defend well, space the floor and is a decent rebounder for his size. The 31-year-old is also rich in postseason experience and has the track record of a playoff riser.”
– Clemente Almanza
This past season, Finney-Smith was a rumored target for the Thunder and went on to produce admirably, as he posted impressive per-game averages of 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting roughly 35 percent from beyond the arc.
Sadly, his efforts were somewhat wasted considering he was playing for the pedestrian Nets (32-50).
Though he may be under contract with the organization at a manageable average price range of $15.1 million per season over the next two years, considering the rough spot the Nets are in (have forfeited their first-round draft rights due to poor trade decisions over the last few seasons), Oklahoma City could consider floating one or two of their lower-end future firsts toward Brooklyn in an effort to acquire him and, in turn, bolster their frontcourt physicality and improve their overall floor spacing in the process.
Verdict: Pursue (at a reasonable cost)
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Thunder rank within top-5 of enviable category ahead of offseason
By Mark Nilon | Jun 2, 2024
Sam Presti speaks to the press in Oklahoma City, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
Sam Presti speaks to the press in Oklahoma City, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY
Recent chatter surrounding the OKC Thunder has been concerning the self-proclaimed miss that President Sam Presti made with the Gordon Hayward acquisition this past campaign, but this summer presents the opportunity for him to hit on some major moves to right this midseason wrong.
According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith’s latest calculations, Oklahoma City is slated to have $35.3 million in cap space this offseason which, compared to the rest of the league, ranks in as the fifth-most in 2024.
OKC Thunder boast fifth-most cap space in 2024 NBA offseason
Despite having just claimed the number one seed in the Western Conference standings in 2023-24 and winning their first playoff series since the Kevin Durant era, it’s more than evident that the Thunder have numerous holes and weaknesses within their rotation that need to be addressed.
This summer, OKC will be looking to bolster their arsenal and strengthen their odds of claiming their first-ever championship, and properly utilizing their extensive amount of salary space is a way to accomplish such goals.
What’s exciting about their current financial situation is the fact that they could opt to splurge on the open market of this year’s free agency class, which is headlined by big-name superstars like LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Paul George and fleshed out by highly intriguing role players like Isaiah Hartenstein and Nicolas Claxton, both of whom have already been tabbed as potential targets for the Thunder.
With the way things played out this season, it’s more than apparent that Oklahoma City is on the verge of accomplishing truly special things, and using their $35.3 million in salary space wisely will only strengthen their claim as a legitimate title favorite next year.
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OKC Thunder urged to pursue 5x All-Star, 4x NBA Champion this summer
By Mark Nilon | May 30, 2024
Oklahoma City Thunder v Phoenix Suns
Oklahoma City Thunder v Phoenix Suns / Chris Coduto/GettyImages
The young and inexperienced OKC Thunder were ultimately eliminated from postseason contention in just round two this year, making it rather evident that they could use more players on the roster who possess a proven track record of succeeding at the highest level and under the league’s brightest lights.
While there are quite a number of different routes Sam Presti and company could look to embark on this coming summer, ESPN’s Chris Herring recently proposed the idea of adding on such attributes in one fell swoop by signing Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson in free agency.
OKC Thunder urged to pursue Klay Thompson in free agency
On top of adding much-needed experience to this title-hungry rotation, Herring believes that bringing Thompson to the Thunder would allow them to avoid the serious issues that presented themselves with Josh Giddey manning the starting two-guard position, particularly when it came to opposing defenses daring him to shoot from beyond the arc — Sadly, this game plan seemed to work far too often.
Adding a sniper like the five-time All-Star, however, would be an easy upgrade in this department.
“Even if he was a hair under 39% from 3 this past season, the 34-year-old still canned 268 triples. (The season before, when he hit 41.2% of his 3s, Thompson drained a league-best 301.) Gilgeous-Alexander was already throwing kickout passes a longer average distance than anyone outside of Luka Doncic, per Second Spectrum, because of how much space he had to work with. (Oklahoma City also uses its guards to screen off the ball in a way that’s similar to what Golden State does.) Thompson would amplify all that.”
– Chris Herring
Throughout his 13-year career, Thompson has proven himself to be a highly efficient two-way wing who can flourish alongside a ball-dominant point guard and aid in a team achieving ultimate successes, as made evident by his four NBA Championships and six NBA Finals appearances with the Dubs.
Despite having a “down” year in 2023-24 compared to his previous campaigns, the veteran still put forth an impressive season from an overall standpoint, as he posted averages of 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 38.7 percent from deep.
While his advanced age may not fit the mold of this historic top-seed’s current makeup, the shooting guard is still a reliable defender who, with his 6-foot-6 frame and 6-foot-9 wingspan, can man any position from the one down to the four, which, along with his superb shooting skills, would bring a major upgrade to the starting lineup compared to Giddey’s contributions.
At the right price, Thompson could do wonders as an addition to this aspiring Thunder team.
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