Oklahoma City Thunder

Was Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James looking for someone to replace general manager Rob Pelinka? One NBA general manager believes so.

"I heard that he was trying to get Sam Presti in there to replace Rob," an Eastern Conference GM told Ric Bucher of Fox Sports in a report published Friday. "I don't see that happening, but I could see him trying to get Pelinka out of there."

The comments come after James' reported frustration with the fact that Pelinka didn't make any moves at the trade deadline to address some of the team's issues.

James also recently praised Presti during his All-Star Game media availability, calling him "the MVP" for drafting players like Josh Giddey, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, among others. Some interpreted that as the veteran taking a shot at Pelinka.

Lakers’ LeBron James on Thunder GM Sam Presti: “The MVP over there is Sam Presti… I don’t understand this guy’s eye for talent. He drafted KD, Russ, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey. … This guy is pretty damn good.” pic.twitter.com/mNb35Ggi6P

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 19, 2022

However, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents James, has since met with Pelinka and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss to reiterate the superstar's commitment to the team and winning another championship, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski also reported Paul insisted during the meeting "that there's no movement underway to seek management changes." In addition, Pelinka provided his own insight into the meeting with The Athletic's Sam Amick:

I just don't think (communicating indirectly) is the right way of doing business. And I don't think that's who we are, who LeBron is. We have a great partnership with the Lakers. The Klutch Sports Group and the Lakers don't have an issue. Rich Paul and Rob Pelinka don't have an issue. LeBron James and Rob Pelinka don't have an issue. And Jeanie Buss and LeBron and Rich Paul don't have an issue. It's very simple. Very simple. So, you know, whoever put that type of stuff out, and people run with it, I think it's unfair to the Lakers.

There have also been other rumors about James potentially leaving the Lakers following his comments about potentially one day returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also mentioned that his final season in the NBA would be spent playing with his son, whether it be in L.A. or elsewhere.

However, James won't become a free agent until 2023. So, right now, it should come as no surprise that his focus is on helping the Lakers improve to end the season on a high note. 

LeBron James called Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti "the MVP over there" in reference to his "eye for talent" for finding players such as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and more.

LeBron says Sam Presti is the real MVP in OKC. 👀 pic.twitter.com/GRZzLWhdl8

— theScore (@theScore) February 19, 2022

James, who was sitting down for a pre-All-Star Game press conference in Cleveland on Saturday, responded to a question about OKC rookie point guard Josh Giddey. The budding Thunder star has made waves this week after posting triple-doubles in each of his last three games.

James praised Giddey's talent before giving an unprompted take on Presti, who selected the Australian with the No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft.

Presti was hired as the Seattle SuperSonics' general manager in 2007, when he was just 29 years old. He stuck with the team through its move to OKC and has enjoyed much draft success over the years. Thanks in part to his efforts, Oklahoma City made the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons from 2009-10 to 2019-20.

Now the Thunder are in rebuilding mode, and Presti has acquired a treasure trove of picks through the 2020s. More specifically, the team has 19 first-rounders and 19 second-rounders through 2028.

We'll see if Presti can work his magic once again, but for now, he already appears to have some key pieces in place, including Giddey and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti has spent the last couple of years accumulating a jaw-dropping number of future draft picks as the team goes through a rebuilding phase.

Kyle Kuzma thinks he'd sell it all for the Bronny James-LeBron James combo.

Kuzma sent out a tweet joking Presti will "sell the farm" amid a report LeBron wants to play with his son before retiring.

Presti about to sell the farm lol https://t.co/pvZpUw0ogO

— kuz (@kylekuzma) February 4, 2022

OK, jokes aside, this almost certainly will never happen. The idea of LeBron finishing his career in Oklahoma City doesn't feel right regardless of circumstance, nor does the idea of Presti mortgaging a promising future for an aging James. LeBron will be 39 by the time his eldest son would be eligible to play in the NBA.

There's also the matter of Bronny not appearing to be an elite NBA prospect at this time. He's a 4-star recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings, good for 34th nationally but not the type of player who generates one-and-done buzz. Should Bronny James declare after one college season and remain on his current path, odds are LeBron would be able to manufacture a pairing by nudging his team—whoever that may be two years from now—to use a second-round pick on his son. 

Just don't expect the team to be located in Oklahoma City. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that head coach Mark Daigneault entered the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Assistant coach Mike Wilks will be acting head coach in place of Daigneault, starting with Tuesday's road game against the Sacramento Kings.

Oklahoma City sits 13th in the Western Conference at 12-20. The team's fortunes have improved of late, with OKC winning four of its last five games.

Like many others around the NBA, the Thunder are undermanned amid the surge of new COVID-19 cases. They will be without Darius Bazley, Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokusevski, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aaron Wiggins when they take the floor against the Kings because all five are in the health and safety protocols.

Oklahoma City is a five-point underdog at FanDuel.

Daigneault is in his second season as head coach, putting together a 34-70 record so far. While wins have been few and far between, the franchise is showing promising signs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 23.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists over the last two years. Luguentz Dort was a 29.7 percent three-point shooter as a rookie in 2019-20 but has seen his average percentage climb to 33.1 over 2020-21 and 2021-22. First-round draft pick Josh Giddey is putting up 10.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.

---

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado, or Tennessee. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.

The Oklahoma City Thunder etched their name into the record books on Thursday night but not in a good way. 

Mark Daigneault's squad was blown out by the Memphis Grizzlies 152-79, losing by a whopping 73 points. It marks the largest margin of victory in NBA history. 

It's also worth noting the Grizzlies' bench (93 points) scored more than the Thunder as a whole. In addition, they accomplished the feat without star point guard Ja Morant, who is sidelined with a left knee sprain.

The Grizzlies finished with 82 paint points and allowed 79 points. They are the 4th team over the last 25 years to score more paint points in a game than points they allowed. It is the first time this has happened since 2000. @ESPNStatsInfo

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) December 3, 2021

Morant acknowledged his team's well-deserved victory via Twitter, adding that he can't wait to return to the court. 

damn i can't wait to get back out there 😭 .. great team win tho gang 🐻 #GrzNxtGen

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) December 3, 2021

Oklahoma City's best player on Thursday night was Lugentz Dort, who finished with a team-high 15 points, along with one rebound and two assists. Tre Mann, Ty Jerome and Mike Muscala also had 12 points each, while Isaiah Roby finished with 11. 

It was a particularly rough night for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, as Justin Kubatko notes:

https://twitter.com/jkubatko/status/1466607919240261635

Jaren Jackson Jr. shined for the Grizzles, finishing with 27 points, three rebounds and one assist. It was his best game of the 2021-22 campaign thus far and his second consecutive game with at least 25 points. 

De'Anthony Melton, John Konchar and Santi Aldama were also impressive for Memphis, combining for 54 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists. 

Prior to Thursday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers held the NBA record for the largest margin of victory, having beaten the Miami Heat 148-80 nearly three decades ago. 

https://twitter.com/jkubatko/status/1466605483834359809

Several NBA players also weighed in on Oklahoma City's loss, including Trae Young, Draymond Green and Josh Hart.

DAMN. 😳 https://t.co/BOUa2kRPgZ

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) December 3, 2021

73 points?!?! That’s a fine

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) December 3, 2021

73?!

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) December 3, 2021

Granted, the Thunder were without arguably their best player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 23-year-old guard was placed in concussion protocol, and it's unclear when he might return. 

Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder in scoring, averaging 21.2 points per game this season, in addition to 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists. 

Oklahoma City is in a major rebuild, and Thursday's loss dropped the team to 6-16 on the season. With general manager Sam Presti hoarding first-round draft picks, the Thunder could easily turn things around over the next several years. 

For now, though, it seems like fans will certainly be in for another disappointing season after a 22-50 finish last year.   

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was placed in the NBA's concussion protocol after he suffered the injury during Wednesday's loss to the Houston Rockets.

Gilgeous-Alexander, 23, has steadily improved since being selected with the 11th pick in the 2018 draft, and he shone in a more expansive ball-handling role for OKC last season, averaging career highs in points (23.7 per game), assists (5.9), shooting percentage (50.8) and three-point percentage (41.8).

His potential breakout year ended after just 35 games because of a foot injury, though.

He's put up 21.2 points, 5.1 boards and 4.5 dimes per game during the 2021-22 campaign.

The Thunder are likely to use a committee approach to fill the void. Ty Jerome, Tre Mann and Theo Maledon should all see time running the offense.

Oklahoma City is in the midst of a rebuilding phase, so it's likely to play it safe with one of its key building blocks whenever he deals with injuries in the short term. He will slot back into a high-volume role whenever he's back to full strength.

The Oklahoma City Thunder proved last week's comeback victory was no fluke, topping the Los Angeles Lakers once again 107-104 at Staples Center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points as Oklahoma City improved to 2-6.

SHAIVONTE AICIAN GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER pic.twitter.com/TP8XN51fmI

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

The Thunder overcame a 26-point first-half deficit to shock the Lakers on Oct. 28 for their first win of the season.

The Lakers, who fell to 5-4 and had their three-game winning streak snapped, were playing without star forward LeBron James as he is expected to miss at least a week with an abdominal strain. Anthony Davis had 29 points and 18 rebounds in the loss.

---

Notable Player Stats

G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC: 28 points

F Anthony Davis, LAL: 29 points, 18 rebounds

G Russell Westbrook, LAL: 27 points

---

Thunder's Balanced Scoring Wears Down Lakers

The Thunder got contributions from some unexpected places. In all, six players scored in double figures for Oklahoma City to give Gilgeous-Alexander some much-needed help.

Gilgeous-Alexander continued his hot start to the season with another efficient performance both inside and outside.

You Only See What I Want You To See@shaiglalex | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/gXgDwLOgpC

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

style points 🤝 team basketball@tyjerome_ | @shaiglalex pic.twitter.com/oXCVzZkDWL

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

SGA IS THAT GUY@shaiglalex | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/HgveXgjIRl

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

But it was Oklahoma City's supporting cast that made the difference. After being held scoreless in the last game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Ty Jerome and Kenrich Williams came off the bench to score 14 and 13 points, respectively.

☔️ CORNER POCKET ☔️@tyjerome_ caps off a 23-8 run 🚨 pic.twitter.com/bxx4ibePdp

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

Kenny from DTLA 🎯@joshgiddey ➡️ @williamskenrich pic.twitter.com/9kzTELNE2O

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

Lu Dort had 17 points, Darius Bazley added 14 points and Derrick Favors had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Muscala also had two key buckets in the fourth quarter and finished with six points.

WE! LIKE! MIKE!@shaiglalex ➡️ #MikeMuscala pic.twitter.com/Dg9VKVSd35

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) November 5, 2021

The Thunder have struggled against nearly every opponent besides the Lakers. Four of their six losses have come by double figures. But Oklahoma City's performances against Los Angeles prove it can compete against top teams in the West.

While wins will likely remain hard to come by for the Thunder this season, the balanced effort they had on Thursday night will lead to occasional upsets. 

---

Lakers Lack Discipline Without LeBron

The Lakers once again struggled against a young Thunder team. A common thread in both their matchups against Oklahoma City is that LeBron James didn't play.

Without their floor general on the court, the Lakers wasted a big first-half lead once again as the Thunder came back from 19 points down. Los Angeles got away from the things that helped build the lead on both ends of the floor.

Davis was aggressive to start the game, hitting his first seven shots and finishing the first quarter with 14 points.

Anthony Davis is getting back to the All-NBA First Team level he reached in his first year in L.A., after the shortened offseason clearly impacted his 2nd year:

2019-20: 26.1P, 9.3R, 2.3B
2020-21: 21.8P, 7.9R, 1.6B
2021-22: 25.0P, 11.1R, 2.4B

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 5, 2021

But Davis only scored four points on five field-goal attempts in the second quarter. He appeared to hurt his right hand before halftime but returned in the third quarter with a wrap on his thumb.

Russell Westbrook also failed to match his aggression from previous games. He had an inefficient night, shooting 10-of-23 with four turnovers.

Against Houston, it was the opposite, as 9 of Westbrook’s 10 FG’s were in the paint, including 6 buckets at the rim. https://t.co/ZWFBNUnixL

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 5, 2021

Oklahoma City frustrated the Lakers simply by hanging around and making the game more competitive than it should have been. Los Angeles center DeAndre Jordan had a technical in the third quarter.

DJ gets a tech. He's having a rough night: 0 for 2, 3 rebounds, no blocks, getting carved up inside and got called for an offensive foul on Dort that he disagreed with. Threw the ball against the stanchion in frustration for that timeout.

— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) November 5, 2021

The fourth quarter didn't start out any better as Lakers coach Frank Vogel seemed to be experimenting with his rotation at the wrong time.

Lakers are 1 for 10 from the field to start the 4th quarter. No Russ, no AD on the floor right now in a weird lineup

— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) November 5, 2021

Both games against the Thunder have been surprising examples of a lack of discipline and focus from a veteran Lakers team. Los Angeles had the chance to put the game away early in both meetings but couldn't hold off a comeback in either. 

The Lakers will surely miss the presence of James while he's sidelined. But a team as experienced as this should not have struggled twice against a team as youthful as the Thunder. Los Angeles has some things to figure out to sustain its status as a top contender in the Western Conference.

---

What's Next?

The Thunder will enjoy a few days off and look to keep the momentum going on Sunday at home against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers will look to bounce back on Saturday in a road tilt vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.

Russell Westbrook had a frustrating night in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.

Despite recording his first triple-double as a Laker, Westbrook also had 10 turnovers and Los Angeles surrendered a 26-point first-half lead in the loss. Westbrook culminated his night with an ejection after he got into it with Thunder forward Darius Bazley for dunking the ball with the win already in hand.

Russ got ejected after getting into it with Bazley. https://t.co/SLzrisS0Hv

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 28, 2021

Westbrook told reporters after the game that he's "old school" and he wasn't going to let Bazley off the hook for an unsportsmanlike move.

Russell Westbrook calls himself "old school" when it comes to Darius Bazley's steal and dunk. Russ: "When shit like that happens I don't let it slide. ... There's certain things you just don't do in sports. Game already over and I didn't like it. Simple as that."

— Bill Oram (@billoram) October 28, 2021

The Lakers will look to bounce back Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not lacking for confidence in his game.

"I’m the Black Steve Nash," Gilgeous-Alexander said in a conversation with art dealer Eric Allouche, per Tyler R. Tynes of GQ.

The comment was made with a smile on his face—not necessarily to be taken as a one-to-one comparison—but ultimately isn't far off from where Gilgeous-Alexander sees himself.

"I want to be one of the best point guards to ever play,” he told Tynes. “I’m not playing this game just to be a good basketball player. I want to be one of the greatest to ever play.”

Gilgeous-Alexander and Nash don't have many similarities in their games. Whereas Nash is one of the most prolific passers the sport has ever seen, Gilgeous-Alexander is more aggressive with his scoring. SGA already has two seasons that would have represented Nash's career-high in scoring three years into his career; Nash was doubling up Gilgeous-Alexander's assist totals in his prime, though.

That said, Nash is a Canadian basketball icon, one of the few star-caliber players from his country Gilgeous-Alexander had to look up to when he was growing up in Toronto. The Canadian game has seen an explosion of budding young stars in recent years, no doubt thanks in large part to the path Nash carved.

As for Gilgeous-Alexander becoming an all-time great, he's certainly on his way to becoming a great. The Kentucky product performed at an All-Star caliber when he was on the floor last season, averaging 23.7 points, 5.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 41.8 percent from three-point range. He's made significant strides in each NBA season, especially as a long-range shooter.

If his continues his upward trajectory, Gilgeous-Alexander should have no problem living up to the max contract he signed this summer. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of a long-term rebuild, and fans might have to wait some more time before things turn around.

Oklahoma City finished 22-50 last season, winning just two of the final 25 games of the year.

The organization entered last year with five straight playoff appearances, but it now seems the bigger focus is adding young talent and solidifying its spot in the lottery. This was clear when the team traded away Al Horford in a deal that brought back Kemba Walker, only to then agree to a buyout with Walker. 

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has showed he can be a key part of the future, the rest of the players on the roster have a lot to prove over the upcoming 82-game season. Josh Giddey, Aleksej Pokusevski, and Isaiah Roby are among those who will have the chance to shine in 2021-22.

       

2021-22 Thunder Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Utah Jazz, Oct. 20 at 9 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +25000 (FanDuel)

Schedule: NBA.com

     

Top Matchups

Los Angeles Clippers (First Matchup: Nov. 1)

Trading Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers permanently changed the Thunder's trajectory. It split up an exciting tandem between George and Russell Westbrook and turned a potential contender into a squad filled with youngsters.

George teamed up with Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles, although he will have to take on a bigger role next season with Leonard recovering from a torn ACL.

The Clippers would certainly love to have Gilgeous-Alexander on the roster, the key part of the trade package that went back to Oklahoma City.

The point guard showed promise during his rookie season with the Clippers, averaging 10.8 points per game, but he has exploded over the past two years and is now a go-to option who averaged 23.7 points, 5.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. It helped him earn a five-year, $173 million extension this summer.

The Thunder still aren't close to contention, but a win over the Clippers with Gilgeous-Alexander playing well could be a good first step toward feeling they won the trade.

      

Houston Rockets (First Matchup: Oct. 22)

It will be a fight to the bottom for a few teams in the NBA this season, and it seems more likely the Thunder and Houston Rockets will be chasing ping-pong balls in the lottery than fighting for playoff spots.

The Rockets were the worst team in the league last year at 17-55, and they will pin much of their hopes on No. 2 overall draft pick Jalen Green to turn things around.

Oklahoma City selected Giddey with the No. 6 overall pick, a lesser-known prospect who still possesses a lot of upside.

The 6'8" guard filled up the stat sheet in the NBL last year, averaging 10.9 points, 7.5 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game. He will try to make a similar transition from Australia as last year's Rookie of the Year, LaMelo Ball.

This could be the first of many battles between backcourt stars in the same class if Giddey reaches expectations.

The game might not resemble the James Harden-Russell Westbrook battles from past seasons, but it could be worth watching with two evenly matched squads.

      

Season Forecast

There were 151 NBA players worth at least three win shares last season, per Basketball Reference, and the Thunder had just one of them. Gilgeous-Alexander ranked 117th on the list with 3.5 win shares.

Kenrich Williams and Moses Brown each topped two win shares, but the latter was sent to the Boston Celtics.

It means the Thunder had few impact players last season and even less in 2021-22.

A full year of Gilgeous-Alexander will go a long way, while Luguentz Dort can be a difference-maker if he improves his offensive efficiency. Giddey should also have high expectations, especially if he can make outside shots.

It still simply isn't enough to compete in the NBA. This will be a long season, with the Thunder likely sitting near the bottom of the standings.

If a few more players emerge as parts of the core—Darius Bazley, Theo Maledon and Svi Mykhailiuk are among the possibilities—the season would be considered a success.

Record Prediction: 21-61

     

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado, or Tennessee. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.