Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Al Horford certainly stands out on his team's roster.

As the Thunder look to get younger and rebuild, the 34-year-old center is the third-oldest player on the team behind Trevor Ariza and George Hill. The former Florida Gators star may not fit into OKC's long-term plans, but he remains a valuable asset at the moment. 

Horford is averaging 14.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 22 games this season while shooting 45 percent from the field and 37.9 percent behind the arc—a significant upgrade from last year when Horford averaged 45 percent from the field while attempting three fewer shots per game. 

That could make him a strong trade candidate as the March 25 deadline approaches—a notion Horford told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix that Thunder general manager Sam Presti has been up-front about.

"I think anything is possible," Horford said. "But I'm not going to dwell on [any trade talk] too much."

As Mannix noted, Presti may not be in a huge rush to deal Horford yet. The Thunder are operating with the third-lowest payroll in the NBA behind the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets ($106.5 million) and have Horford under contract until 2023. 

Oklahoma City is not in a position where it has to move Horford quite yet, but it could turn out to be worth it if a contender feels he's the missing piece. With the Thunder continuing to stockpile future draft picks for the next few years, even the slightest bidding war for Horford at the deadline may prove too much to walk away from. 

After a failed stint with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019-20—during which Horford averaged 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds—the center was traded to OKC for a package that sent Terrance Ferguson, Danny Green and Vincent Poirier back to Philadelphia.

If the Thunder can flip Horford into more long-term assets, it's hard to imagine Presti won't pursue those options. 

it just remains to be seen what type of market is out there for Horford's services and how best the Thunder can take advantage of it. 

It's no secret the one-year relationship between Al Horford and the Philadelphia 76ers didn't work, though the five-time All-Star doesn't have an exact reason why it failed. 

Speaking to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, Horford could only say "it just wasn't a good fit" with the Sixers. 

“We just weren't jelling," he added. "We weren't meshing. And obviously, we had a lot of big guys out there in particular out playing and it just wasn't fitting."

Philadelphia signed Horford to a four-year, $109 million contract in July 2019. The team put an emphasis on building a big lineup last season that also included Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson. 

Horford's raw stat line was decent, as he averaged 11.9 points on 35 percent shooting from three-point range and 6.8 rebounds per game. But his game never coalesced well with the rest of Philadelphia's roster, particularly the strengths of Embiid and Simmons. 

As ESPN's Tim Bontemps noted last February, then-76ers head coach Brett Brown had Horford playing defense mostly on the perimeter when he and Embiid were on the floor at the same time.

"While he still plays the pivot when Embiid is on the bench or out with an injury, Horford has played 32 percent of his minutes this season at power forward, after playing just 9 percent at that spot a season ago, according to Cleaning the Glass," Bontemps wrote.

Philadelphia tried experimenting with Horford coming off the bench for a few games last season to stagger minutes with Embiid, but nothing made the fit between the two sides any better. The Sixers were swept out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. 

Horford was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in December. The 34-year-old has been one of their best players this season, averaging 14.6 points per game with a 37.9 three-point percentage in 22 games. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have struggled to keep pace in the highly competitive Western Conference during the first half of the 2020-21 NBA season, posting a 12-19 record.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has continued his ascent toward establishing himself as a legitimate franchise cornerstone, OKC has lacked the necessary scoring punch behind the third-year guard, ranking second-to-last in offensive efficiency, per ESPN.

The Thunder will look to make a second-half surge toward a playoff berth. Let's check out all the key details following the NBA's release of the remaining schedule Wednesday.

               

2020-21 Thunder Schedule Details

Second-Half Opener: March 11 vs. Dallas Mavericks at 9 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +25000; 250-1 (via FanDuel Sportsbook)

Complete Schedule: NBA.com

        

Top Matchups

Memphis Grizzlies (March 14)

If the Thunder are going to work their way back into a playoff spot, or at least a berth in the play-in tournament, they're going to need a strong record in their remaining games with teams ranked seventh or lower in the Western Conference.

Going up against Memphis also creates the added allure of the backcourt clash between Gilgeous-Alexander and the Grizzlies' Ja Morant.

That head-to-head matchup is worth watching, even if neither of the teams end up earning a postseason berth because of the lack of depth behind them on their respective rosters.

             

Sacramento Kings (May 4)

The Kings have exceeded most expectations in the season's first half, hovering below .500 to emerge as a fringe playoff contender in a conference already overflowing with them.

While they can't match the depth of most teams in the West, including the Thunder, their starting five is rock-solid, led by De'Aaron Fox and Richaun Holmes, and rookie Tyrese Haliburton has provided the boost off the bench as their sixth man.

It will create an interesting contrast with Oklahoma City leaning on its reserves and Sacramento trying to ride on the shoulders of its top six players.

             

Season Forecast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aCAPvMmxWk

The Thunder are a long shot to make the playoffs this season, but there's enough talent on the roster to make it impossible to discount a second-half surge.

Between Gilgeous-Alexander, battle-tested veterans like Al Horford and George Hill, and a group of young players OKC is hoping will blossom—led by Hamidou Diallo, Darius Bazley and Luguentz Dort—it's a squad that can seriously compete when firing on all cylinders.

That youth also figures to benefit the Thunder down the stretch as the condensed schedule with fewer number of multiday breaks starts to take a toll during the latter stages.

Oklahoma City doesn't have much margin for error given the strength of the West, however, so it's likely going to take an extended winning streak or a stretch when it wins nine out of 10 games to climb the standings.

Even if they do sneak into the postseason, it's hard to view the team as a legitimate title contender, but it would be a terrific sign of progress for the organization.

The Thunder have a lot of promising players on their roster, and they have plenty of first-round picks on the horizon to keep building on the current foundation.

Record Prediction: 28-44

            

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The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without their leading scorer for Wednesday's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet, point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not play because of a left knee injury. Kenrich Williams is expected to start in his place.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 22.6 points, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game for the 10-13 Thunder.

The Kentucky product is coming off one of the best performances of his season in Monday's overtime loss to the Lakers. He finished with 29 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds while connecting on four of his eight attempts from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander also went toe-to-toe with LeBron James in crunch time of regulation and forced overtime with three free throws in the final seconds.

His confidence appeared to grow with every play, and Wednesday figured to be an opportunity to build on his showing against the same high-profile opponent. Alas, OKC will need to figure out a way to generate offense without its All-Star candidate against the defending champions.

That will be a daunting challenge considering nobody else on the team is averaging more than 13.7 points per game. Much of the supporting cast's production comes from Gilgeous-Alexander's ability to facilitate when he draws additional defenders in, which leads to open looks on the perimeter for the surrounding shooters.

The Thunder are also without Theo Maledon and George Hill and will be limited when it comes to ball-handling.

Since the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the early stages of rebuilding, veteran point guard George Hill could soon be on the move.

Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, who spoke to various executives around the NBA, "no one thinks" Hill will remain with the Thunder past the March 25 trade deadline. 

The Thunder announced Tuesday that Hill underwent a minor procedure to address an injury to his right thumb. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks. 

If Hill is able to return within the four-week timeline, he could be back on the court by March 2. That would give interested teams at least a few games to evaluate how sharp he looks as they decide if they want to get involved in the bidding. 

There's no reason for the Thunder to retain Hill. General manager Sam Presti has gone all-in on rebuilding and has been stockpiling draft picks over the past two years. 

Hill, 34, won't be in Oklahoma City by the time the franchise is a legitimate playoff contender again. He is under contract through next season, but his deal is only partially guaranteed for $1.275 million in 2021-22. 

In 14 games this season, Hill is averaging 11.8 points and shooting 50.8 percent from the field. He's also making 38.6 percent of his three-point attempts after leading the NBA with a 46 percent clip last season. 

Oklahoma City Thunder guard George Hill questioned of the recent changes to the NBA's COVID-19 protocols.

"We wanna play the game...but I don't understand some of the rules," Hill said Tuesday, per Royce Young of ESPN. "We can sweat 48 minutes with a guy next to us for 48 minutes, but we can't talk to them afterwards. It makes no sense."

Players are told to "avoid extended socializing" in pre- and postgame interactions, limiting them to elbow or fist bumps.

There are also restrictions about how much time players spend with their own teammates, including no more than 10 minutes for pregame meetings in locker rooms.

The biggest changes to the protocols include what players can do outside of games.

Players have been told to remain at their residence when home or hotels on the road except for essential activities. They also aren't allowed to have guests in hotel rooms who aren't part of the team.

"I'm a grown man. I'm gonna do what I want to do. If I want to go see my family, I'm going to go see my family," Hill, 34, said Tuesday. "They can't tell me I have to stay in a room 24/7. If it's that serious, then maybe we shouldn't be playing. But it's life; no one's going to be able to just cancel their whole life for this game."

Hill is in his first season with the Thunder after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks in November. The team is ninth in the Western Conference with a 5-5 record and faces the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Wednesday.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard George Hill opened up about a number of topics during a discussion with Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated, including a pro-Donald Trump mob storming the U.S. Capitol and the reality that the police officer who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times will not face charges.

"It ain't crazy," he said. "It's the norm. What did you expect? Did you expect anything different? I'm not at all surprised about all of this. I knew this was going to happen."

Hill was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks last season when police officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake in the back. Blake is paralyzed from the waist down as a result.

Hill took a leadership role in the Walt Disney World Resort bubble when Milwaukee's players refused to play in a playoff game against the Orlando Magic in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. He and teammate Sterling Brown read a statement explaining their decision:

Full statement from the Milwaukee Bucks: pic.twitter.com/jjGEyVcCmB

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 26, 2020

The Bucks' actions sparked a domino effect, as players on other teams refused to play and the league postponed a number of games. Play only continued after the league agreed to a number of measures, including a social justice coalition and the use of arenas as voting locations for the 2020 election.

"I'm definitely proud of what I did," Hill said. "I really wasn't trying to spark anything. I was just doing what I thought was genuinely right. I didn't know what others may do or what others may think or the consequences that may come from it or the positives that may come from it. I didn't think about that. I only thought about what I thought was right. What I believe in was what humanity should be and I went for it."

The Bucks released a statement Tuesday in response to the decision from Kenosha (Wisconsin) County District Attorney Michael Graveley not to charge Sheskey or officers Vincent Arenas and Brittany Meronek, who were also involved in the shooting:

pic.twitter.com/8qLfGFyLfh

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 6, 2021

Hill discussed his reaction to the decision:

"I took it hard at first. But I already prepared for this. I prayed about it and prepared [mentally] for it because I knew it was going to happen where none of those cops would be held accountable for anything. We've seen it too many times. It's like that old record player that is continuous that plays the same song over and over.

"I knew. I felt bad for Mr. and Mrs. Blake. I felt bad for Jacob himself. I felt bad that his kids had to see that. You got to continue to live. When things happen, you continue to figure other things out. I will continue to pray for the family, his kids and himself. But I knew justice wouldn't be served."

As for Wednesday's news, Ted Barrett, Manu Raju and Peter Nickeas of CNN reported "Trump urged his supporters to fight against the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes that will confirm President-elect Joe Biden's win."

Hundreds of rioters stormed the Capitol, clashed with police and eventually broke through barriers to enter the building and Senate chamber.

Hill mentioned the scene and how differently many in the mob were treated than those who marched in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and against police violence this past summer when asked if there is still the same level of enthusiasm among NBA players when it comes to social justice:

"From the players' standpoint, it's just quiet. Guys are really starting to see that no matter what you do, what you say, at the end of the day it doesn't matter. America is going to live the way that America felt like it should be lived. As we see what is going on today, if the tables were turned and 100 Black men were stealing s--t out of the Capitol building, vandalizing stuff, would blood be shed? Would faces be beaten? I would think so.

"Blood was shed and people were beat for just protesting and people looting different businesses. We're talking about the state capitol here. We're not talking about Target or Walmart. We're talking about the state capitol. If America is allowing this but we're not allowing people to be upset about a guy [white cop] kneeling on someone's neck [George Floyd], it just shows what America really is."

Hill's former team, the Bucks, took a knee alongside the Detroit Pistons following the opening tip of Wednesday's game.

After safeguarding their long-term future in the summer of 2019 by acquiring a slew of draft picks in trades for Russell Westbrook and Paul George, the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping the 2020-21 season brings the same kind of success as last year. 

The Thunder made the playoffs last season with a 44-28 record but lost in the first round in seven games to the Houston Rockets. Head coach Billy Donovan, who was with the organization for five years, wasn't brought back when his contract expired at the end of the season. 

Chris Paul, who was frequently the subject of trade rumors and speculation at the conclusion of Oklahoma City's season, got traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick.

Oubre has since been traded to the Golden State Warriors. Rubio, as well as the No. 25 and 28 picks in the 2020 NBA draft, were sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 17th overall pick that was used for Aleksej Pokusevski.

The team will move into its rebuilding effort with Mark Daigneault as head coach. The 35-year-old spent last season as an assistant on Donovan's staff. 

Here is the most important information to know about the first half of the Thunder's 2020-21 campaign. 

      

2020-21 Thunder Schedule Details

Season Opener: Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. ET vs. the Houston Rockets (away)

Championship Odds: 130-1 (via FanDuel)

First-Half Schedule: NBA.com

     

Top Matchups

Houston Rockets

The first meeting of the regular season after a tense playoff battle the previous year is an easy pick for a game to watch. 

In the case of the first Thunder-Rockets game, though, things are very different for both teams since they last saw each other on Sept. 2. Both clubs have a new head coach, with Stephen Silas taking over in Houston after Mike D'Antoni decided to move on after four seasons. 

But these are also two teams that appear to be heading in completely opposite directions, even after the Rockets traded Westbrook to the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a conditional 2023 first-round pick. The Rockets are still playoff contenders. The Thunder... are probably not.

On the other side of the equation, the Rockets are seemingly headed for a fall sooner than later because they have gone all-in over the past three years trying to win a title. Wall and James Harden are still great players, but both are on the other side of 30 and signed to lucrative deals. 

The Rockets will still be a playoff team in the Western Conference, but their window is rapidly closing with a long rebuild coming. 

      

New Orleans Pelicans (First Game: Thursday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET)

On paper, the Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans are two model examples of how an NBA team can rebuild in a way that is fun, exciting and doesn't necessarily require a long fallow period. 

We still have yet to see what shape Oklahoma City's rebuild is going to take. We may not even see the full impact of those trades from last year until 2026 if the organization keeps all of its draft picks from the Rockets and Clippers:

Sources: Pick protections in Thunder/Rockets, Russell Westbrook/Chris Paul trade:
2024 first round pick, protected 1-4
2026 first round pick, protected 1-4
2025 swap, 1-20 protected
2021 swap, protected 1-4 -- OKC can swap Clippers pick or Heat pick.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 12, 2019

The Pelicans have a lot of their long-term young talent already in place. Zion Williamson often looked like a superstar when he played as a rookie, but he was limited to 24 games because of injuries. Brandon Ingram made his first All-Star team last year after averaging 23.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. 

In addition to Williamson and Ingram, New Orleans also have Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker as 25-years-old or younger players to build around. 

Even though the best version of that Pelicans roster has yet to make their presence felt, there's no doubt that the talent is there for this franchise to be a major player in the Western Conference. 

The Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort as two potential building blocks, but the fruits of their rebuilding effort will be felt over the next few years. 

Oklahoma City and New Orleans may not be the sexiest matchup this season, but keep an eye on how the young talent for both sides plays because this has the makings of a great rivalry in the future. 

      

Season Forecast

Even though the Thunder have a strong foundation in place, led by Presti in the general manager's chair, they seem likely to take a step back this season. 

So much of their success in 2019-20 was predicated on being a historically great team in clutch and late-game situations. That's hardly a recipe for sustained success. 

It also seems difficult to envision the Thunder repeating what they did last season because Paul and Danilo Gallinari are with new teams. That duo combined to average 36.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and nine assists per game. 

Things will start to get worse for the Thunder, but their future is going to be bright. 

   

Record prediction: 28-44

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired the rights to point guard Vit Krejci on Wednesday after the Washington Wizards selected the Czech Republic product at No. 37 overall in the NBA draft.

With the Thunder entering a transition phase after trading Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns, Krejci may be able to get some valuable minutes as a rookie. Here's what OKC fans can expect from him.

   

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Vit Krejci

Position: PG

Height: 6'8"

Weight: 195

Scouting Report: Coming off a torn ACL, Krejci was a surprise to enter the draft. But it sounded like he had some type of assurance about getting drafted. He's a playmaking wing with unique size and a need to develop his shooting.

Krejchi is on the move to OKC, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/vo6qThmel9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 19, 2020

   

Thunder Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Al Horford, C: $27.3M (2023)

Steven Adams, C: $27.5M (2021)

Kelly Oubre Jr., SF: $14.4M (2021)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG: $4.8M (2022)

Terrance Ferguson, SG: $3.9M (2021)

Darius Bazley, SF: $3.1M (2023)

Ty Jerome, PG: $3.0M (2023)

Luguentz Dort, SG: $1.7M (2023)

Jalen Lecque, PG: $1.7M (2023)

Isaiah Roby, PF: $1.7M (2023)

Hamidou Diallo, SG: $1.7M (2021)

Aleksej Pokusevski, PF/C: Rookie scale contract (2024)

Vit Krejci, PG: Rookie scale contract (2024)

     

Free Agents

Andre Roberson, SG: UFA

Danilo Gallinari, SF: UFA

Deonte Burton, SF: UFA

Hamidou Diallo, SG: Team option ($1.7M)

Kevin Hervey, SF: RFA

Mike Muscala, PF: Player option ($2.3M)

Nerlens Noel, C: UFA

Devon Hall, SG: UFA

   

Oklahoma City is hoping to find success with overseas prospects in Krejci and Aleksej Pokusevski.

The two offer the Thunder plenty of size and playmaking, though it's clear they will need some time to continue developing. OKC has stockpiled draft picks for the next few years, so it has room to pick low-risk, high-reward prospects.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will land Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski with the No. 17 pick of the 2020 NBA draft.

The Minnesota Timberwolves held the No. 17 spot, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that they agreed to send the selection to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for point guard Ricky Rubio and the No. 25 and No. 28 choices in this year's draft.

        

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Aleksej Pokusevski

Position: PF/C

Height: 7'0"

Weight: 201

Pro Comparison: Bol Bol

Scouting Report: Pokusevski could be the wild card who eventually makes the 2020 draft class look stronger than its current perception. He's the youngest prospect in the class with a special skill set for a 7-footer that includes advanced shooting versatility, open-floor handles, flashy passing instincts and an active shot-blocking motor.

Here is a look at the team's updated roster if the latest addition comes over from Europe.

    

Thunder Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Al Horford, C: $27.3M (2023)

Steven Adams, C: $25M (2021)

Kelly Oubre Jr., SF: $15M (2021)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG: $3.8M (2022)

Darius Bazley, SF: $2.3M (2023)

Mike Muscala, PF: $2.2M (2021)

Ty Jerome, PG: $2.2M (2023)

Isaiah Roby, PF: $1.6M (2023)

Jalen Lecque, PG: $1.4M (2023)

Luguentz Dort, SG: $1.3M (2023)

Hamidou Diallo, SG: $1.1M (2021)

Aleksej Pokusevski, PF/C: Rookie scale contract (2024)

        

Free Agents

Abdel Nader, SF: Team option

Andre Roberson, SG: UFA

Danilo Gallinari, SF: UFA

Deonte Burton, SF: UFA

Hamidou Diallo, SG: Team option

Kevin Hervey, SF: RFA

Mike Muscala, PF: Player option

Nerlens Noel, C: UFA

Devon Hall, SG: UFA

      

Pokusevski spent the past few years with Greek club Olympiacos but saw limited action with the senior team. He played 11 games with the developmental team in HEBA A2, Greece's second division, averaging 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

He also showcased his defensive skills with 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.

These numbers prove what he can do with an impressive 7'0" frame with a 7'3" wingspan.

The forward can be a difference-maker defensively as he uses his length to protect the rim and disrupt passing lanes. Offensively, he has shown he can score in a number of ways both inside and out.

"He's a developmental project, sure. But the skill set combined with the frame and fluidity has him breathing rarefied air," Kyle Boone of CBSSports.com wrote.

Mike Schmitz of ESPN provided a full look at the player's skill set:

New breakdown on the youngest player in the draft, Aleksej Pokusevski. The 7-footer is a unique talent given his size, handle, passing feel, shooting touch + shot blocking instincts. Pokusevski, however, still has questions to answer about his toughness, physicality & durability. pic.twitter.com/euWiR1MY7k

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) September 24, 2020

Drafting Pokusevski is a significant risk considering his limited experience against top competition. He played well at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship, but he still has a lot to prove on the court.

This could force the Thunder to bring him along slowly, although they clearly see a lot of upside in the 18-year-old prospect.