The numbers don't lie|With 33 draft picks in hand in the next 7 years, who should the Thunder replace to help Alexander?

Rowe said the NBA

2024-05-19 13:25Posted in Fujian Sports Creators

On May 19, Beijing time, the Thunder defeated the Mavericks 116-117 and were eliminated with a total score of 2-4. The trip to the playoffs for No. 1 in the West came to an abrupt end. With 33 draft picks in hand over the next seven years, how should the Thunder work this summer's offseason? Who can they replace to help Alexander?

The Thunder's draft pick and salary space

Since rebuilding their roster in the 2019 offseason, the Thunder have pursued a team building policy of not skipping steps. President Presti patiently cultivated this youth team, and finally ushered in a noticeable improvement this season. With 57 wins and 25 losses, this team has 11 players under the age of 26 and ranks third in the number of wins in the Russian City era.

Heading into the offseason, the Thunder have 12 players under contract, including all five starters. The Thunder are the only playoff team with a lottery pick, and they have the No. 12 pick from the Rockets in this year's draft. Over the next seven years, the Thunder have 13 first-round picks and 20 second-round picks, as well as four first-round swap options.

Including the No. 12 pick salary from the Rockets, the Thunder currently have a salary of $107.8 million for the new season, with an estimated $33 million in salary space. The minimum pay rule requires the Thunder to raise their total salary to at least $126.9 million by the first day of the regular season. The Thunder also have until June 30 to determine whether to exercise the team options of Isaiah Joe ($2.2 million), Aaron Wiggins ($2 million) and Waters III ($2 million).

The Thunder prioritize contract extensions for existing players

In terms of the use of salary space, Thunder management will definitely prioritize contract renewals. They need to re-sign Jalen Williams, Holmgren and Alexander in the future, and they still have about two years to maximize their financial flexibility. The Thunder could also decline to exercise Wiggins and Joe's team option and sign them to new contracts to reward them for their performance. During the playoffs, when Wiggins was on the floor, the Thunder outscored opponents by 10.4 points per 100 possessions, and Joe shot 41.6 percent from three-point range in the regular season and 41 percent in the playoffs.

Under the current collective bargaining agreement, teams and players can begin negotiations on new contracts on the first day after the finals. Also an existing candidate for a contract extension is Giddey. Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in the regular season and 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in the playoffs, and lost his starting spot in the final two games. In addition to Giddey, Jaylin Williams and Hayward are also eligible for contract extensions.

Considering Giddey's shooting shortcomings in the playoffs have been magnified, the Thunder may also consider trading him in the offseason.

Who should the Thunder replace to help Alexander

ESPN salary expert Bobby Marks said the Thunder are in desperate need of a rim protector who can play alongside Holmgren. The Thunder conceded the third-most points on their second offense in the regular season and the fourth-most in the playoffs. The Thunder averaged 42 rebounds per game in the regular season, ranking 27th in the league, and only 8.8 frontcourt rebounds per game, ranking 29th in the league. Combined with the needs of the Thunder, the American media Bleacher Report suggested three targets for them.

At the top of the list is Jazz forward Markkanen. It was previously reported that the Jazz's asking price for Markkanen was extremely high, but the Thunder did have enough chips to satisfy the Jazz's appetite. Markkanen's size (213 height, 108 kilograms), scoring (23.2 points per game) and rebounds (8.2) all fit the needs of the Thunder, and he will be a good helper for Alexander.

In second place is Nets forward Bridges. The Nets are also also not willing to trade Bridges, having previously rejected offers from the Rockets, and if Bridges can be traded, he would be a good fit for the Thunder. Although he is not very tall, he has excellent reach, and he does not have to bear the huge offensive pressure of the Nets in the Thunder, and can help the Thunder on both offensive and defensive ends. When he played for the Suns, he could focus better on defense and was named to the All-Defensive Team for a while.

By the time it comes to the Thunder, he can return to the role of the Suns and become an elite-level 3D, which is the best version of Bridges. The Thunder have enough draft chips to impress the Nets.

The third is Wizards forward Avdia, who may lose 67 games, and the Wizards who may not have paid so much attention, but fans who have watched the Wizards games should know that Avdija has improved greatly this year. He is excellent defensively and rebounding, averaging 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game this season and 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game after All-Star weekend. If the Thunder consider parting ways with Giddey, they could consider bringing in Afdia, who can pass the ball, can defend and has a better three-point shooting percentage (Avdija is 37.4 percent versus Giddey 33.7 percent).

How do you think the Thunder should work this summer? Can they go further next season? Feel free to leave a message to express your opinions.

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