After trading away most of their starting lineup, the Oklahoma City Thunder have gone into full rebuilding mode.
It was evident that the Thunder front office would've moved Chris Paul due to his contract but trading away almost all of their starting lineup was something no one saw coming.
Up until a few days ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder's starting lineup was Chris Paul at point, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at shooting guard, Luguentz Dort at small forward, Danilo Gallinari at the power forward position & Steven Adams at center.
Now the Thunder's starting lineup looks like George Hill at point, Luguentz Dort at shooting guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at small forward, Trevor Ariza at the power forward position and Al Horford at center for now.
Let's look at what this lineup offers us.
The Thunder front office was smart enough not to trade away Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he's the only one left from the starting lineup. Gilgeous-Alexander is a young guard who has the potential to be an absolute stat-sheet stuffer. He can put up huge points from the mid-range, 3point arc or inside in the paint. At 6'5, Alexander is quite the prospect the Thunder had acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers & is likely to become a valuable part of the organization in the coming years.
Video: Oklahoma City Thunder Next Generation
Having a look at Thunder's shooting guard, Luguentz Dort. Dort is a defensive minded player who plays the passing lanes looking for deflections. Dort's plus points are his perimeter defense, his athleticism & his inside scoring. Dort's athleticism really lets him get off the floor and finish over other defenders.
Onto the veteran point guard George Hill. Hill is a deep-range shot creator. Hill's 3point shooting is something he does not get enough credit for. If you happen to leave Hill open, he will definitely drop a three on you or just create for his teammates. Hill being a veteran that he is, can run almost any team's offense if given the chance. Hill just gels up so well within the team's playstyle & is a great locker room presence.
Moving onto another veteran that the Oklahoma City Thunder recently acquired is Trevor Ariza. A 3 & D player, Ariza has developed into a 3 point specialist over the years. Listed at 6'8, Ariza is also a lockdown defender and will help the Thunder in stretching the floor with his much needed 3point shooting. Trevor Ariza has been a good addition to the team.
And finally, at center is Al Horford. A bigman who absolutely lights out from the mid-range, Horford can also hit the occasional three. But it's the mid-range & post scoring where he earns his bread. Horford has been doing it for years and is also a solid addition to the team that needs players who can score from multiple places on the floor.
Getting a bunch of draft picks for future drafts, the Thunder seem fully committed to rebuilding the team & adding valuable pieces around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Shai can definitely be a scorer but whether he'll be the team's leader on offense & otherwise is still a little early to speculate. Though the Thunder bagged the 5th spot in the 2020 playoffs, after such drastic changes to the team, I don't expect the Thunder to be making the playoffs anytime soon.
Current Superstar - None.
Past Superstars - Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden.
Past Legends - Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp.
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