With the Summer League officially over for the Thunder, and with only 47 days until the Thunder’s first preseason game it’s time to take a step back and evaluate what exactly the Thunder will look like come October 4th. We’re going to talk about potential roster shake ups.
WHO IMPRESSED AT THE SL? –
The Summer League wasn’t too kind to the Thunder, but they did get to see some potential roster additions and some guys who may have been overlooked in the draft process, so we’re going to take a look at the guys who the Thunder did not draft that I believe should be given a roster spot.
Rob Edwards definitely earned himself a roster spot somewhere, I’m just not so sure the Thunder is where that spot will be. The Thunder are currently very guard heavy, and trying to push in another into the rotation is just too much. Again, not to take away from Edwards, he absolutely balled out, but I just don’t think the Thunder have a spot.
Oscar Da Silva had his moments where you definitely saw NBA potential. He has the ability to step out and shoot the deep ball off the spot up or playing the pick and pop game. He showed off some nice footwork and patience in the post as well. With the Thunder desperately needing post depth, Da Silva should be offered a roster spot in my opinion.
Emmitt Williams showed that he too can hit from deep, and has the toughness to score around the basket. He is really persistent in the PNR game, and can dive to the rim in a hurry. Williams should also be offered a contract I believe.
WHAT ABOUT THE ROOKIES?-
The rookies really impressed me.
It’s a bummer that Josh Giddey got injured and couldn’t finish the League. He looked the part in what limited time we saw.
Tre Mann looked solid before he had to leave the team unfortunately, he showed a nice handle and the ability to get open, he just had trouble making shots and finishing over length at times. Hopefully after some more off season work and once he gets his feet wet in the NBA those finishes and shots will become more consistent. I believe they will.
Jeremiah Robinson Earl is already a fan favorite. It seems as though he is always in the right place at the right time on both sides of the court. He is a tad more athletic than I thought, so that was a pleasant surprise. He’s very physical and I can see him being the best defensive player on the team at his ceiling. He’s a very solid shooter. I really look forward to see what he can do in the regular season.
Aaron Wiggins was another guy that you can call a nice surprise. He showed off his own athleticism and the ability to knock down the three. His defense is also very solid and is something that may have been underrated in the draft process.
I would say if there was any doubt that Sam Presti and the Thunder have a knack at finding talent that should be put to rest.
Keep a lookout for some predictions like starting lineups, season record, etc. Thunder Up!