The winds of change have blown through Oklahoma City and have left a foul stench in the air. That horrible smell is the 2019-2020 Oklahoma City Thunder. The Russell Westbrook and Paul George era of the Thunder is gone. This season will not be friendly to OKC fans.
Key Additions: Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Draft Picks
I have Chris Paul here because that’s who OKC received in the Westbrook deal. Paul wanted out of Houston and got his wish. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the draft picks are what OKC fans should be excited about. Yes, it’s hard to see the positives in a rebuild after so many years of making to the playoffs. But Gilgeous-Alexander is young and can ball. The ungodly amount of picks OKC has should bring in more talent in the future.
Key Losses: Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Jerami Grant
Getting rid of George and Westbrook makes OKC a lot worse than last year. I personally am not too big on Westbrook, but his presence kept them in the playoff race. OKC was not winning a title with him, but at least he had all those triple-doubles right? Grant is someone I believe to be underrated to most. He was shipped to the Denver Nuggets earlier this year and provides instant help.
Potential Starting Lineup: Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander, Gallinari, Adams, Noel
To me, this lineup makes sense because it’s about the only good players the Thunder have. Dennis Schroder does better coming off the bench. Other than Schroder, no other names really jump out.
Projected Wins: 28
Some people are high on the Thunder this year. As you can see, I am not one of those people. Maybe they get around the 30 win mark. Regardless, OKC will struggle this year. That being said, the vast amount of picks is promising. If you are an Oklahoma City Thunder fan, buckle up. It’s going to be a rough one moving forward.
