Wing options aplenty for the Thunder, if they want one
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Prior to the draft, it was pretty much agreed upon that if the Thunder needed anything, it would probably be a capable wing to spell Kevin Durant when needed. Preferably a player with some defensive chops and the ability to drill an open shot.
Why? Mainly because with the high probability of James Harden moving into the starting five, the bench loses a little bit of firepower. Reggie Jackson certainly might alleviate some of that as a combo scoring guard, and Thabo can slide over to a natural backup of Durant, which might be better suited for him (10-15 minutes a game for Thabo makes a lot more sense than 25-30).
That’s the probable scenario and truly, the Thunder standard operating procedure. Don’t overextend on a veteran that may or may not help. Instead, bring in a talented but raw player, put him in the program and watch him grow into the piece you need. That’s the idea with Jackson and with his ability, I’m confident he could become a bit of a Russell Lite off the bench and help replace Harden’s scoring punch.
Still, it’s likely there will be a roster spot available (Oklahoma City’s full at 15 right now, but Royal Ivey isn’t guaranteed and there hasn’t been a resolution on Daequan Cook yet) and the Thunder will have some cap space — I think. (You know, that whole CBA thing could affect that.) If Cook stays with the team there might not be a lot of cash to spend, but there will be some at least, if Presti is willing.
I really don’t think the Thunder are all that interested in adding a wing, especially since they passed over Jordan Hamilton in the draft, who seemed like a fit there. Really, Sam Presti is probably fine with kind using Thabo and Cook — again, assuming he’s back — as Durant’s makeshift backup.
But, if Presti were interested in adding a little wing help that could score and shoot in stretches, there are options. Zach Lowe of SI.com put together his top 20 free agent wings yesterday and picking through his list, I found five guys kind of interesting. (By no means is this an endorsement of these guys, just something to talk/think about.)
Shane Battier
Well, I guess I’ve already sort of covered this, but to summarize once again: Battier is a terrific teammate, a quality defender, an OK shooter and by having him on the team, he can’t defend Kevin Durant anywhere except for practice, which is probably a good thing in the long run.
Mike Dunleavy
Never really thought of him as a fit, but really, it’s not a horrible thought. His last contract had him making $10.5 million in his last season (can you see why owners were losing money now?), but there’s no way he’s going to make near that much this time around. He’s a really good shooter, moves well off the ball, scores all over the floor and while not a great defender, he certainly tries.
I think he’s going to be hunting for more than the Thunder want to pay, but he’s going to take a paycut and to play on a contender like OKC, he might be willing. His issue could be minutes, but he’s versatile and can play both the 2 and the 3. I see him as a potential fit, honestly.
DeShawn Stevenson
In terms of the so-called Thunder “culture” he couldn’t be more of a non-fit. But he plays defense and shoots the 3. He’s basically just a little more qualified Thabo in some ways. Not really a great fit, but he could be really affordable.
Anthony Parker
He’s sort of the token veteran wing player. He’s always decent, never bad and handles his job well. He’s old at 36, but still performed relatively well in Cleveland last year. He can hit an open 3 and while his defense isn’t as good as it used to be, he’s still a hard worker. I don’t think he provides anything all that different or better than Thabo though.
Tracy McGrady
Yep, seriously. In all reality, McGrady could be a really interesting fit behind KD. He showed in Detroit that not only was he willing to accept a bench role, but he also showcased the ability to run point, play off the ball and even defend (according to Synergy, his one-on-one defensive numbers were surprisingly good).
He’s never been out of the first round of the playoffs and at 32, his window of opportunity is closing. A young team like the Thunder could energize him and give him a decent shot at a little glory. Plus, he’d be cheap. He made just $1.3 million last season in Detroit and would only require a similar number again.
The more I think about it, McGrady seems like a really interesting idea. You run a slight risk of him remember how good he used to be and trying to overstep his role, because he’d be playing an extremely minor one with the Thunder, but in having a versatile wing player that can score and shoot, McGrady works well. And the price will certainly be right.
J-Rich: “I’ve been blessed by God to play in the NBA for a lot of money. I’d like to go someplace that has a chance to win a championship.”
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