On the surface, it’s a wrecking ball, sweeping through the league and demolishing anything that dares to stand in its path.
But it’s the operating system within this machine responsible for a dynamic force with few weaknesses and an arsenal of strengths. It’s a system that transformed the Oklahoma City Thunder from a league doormat to a perennial champion. It’s the OKC Thing that needs an adaptation in Portland.
In The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons simplified the process to become a champion into four steps: (a) Build your franchise around one great player – someone who not only can take over a game but also lead by example; (b) Surround that star with one or two “sidekicks”; (c) Fill the roster with top-notch role players to go along with a coaching staff committed to maintaining a “team-ahead-of-individual” philosphy; (d) Stay healthy and catch a few breaks on the way to the ultimate prize.
Check all the above for the Oklahoma City. When general manager Sam Presti took the reins of the franchise in 2007, he inherited a team that was just two games over .500 in its previous nine seasons. It was revving in neutral, going nowhere. It was time for a change. And Presti delivered.
He stripped the roster and started from scratch, landing Kevin Durant as his centerpiece. From there he added Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. Then James Harden. Then a few role players and a coach that emphasized player development. Presti’s goal wasn’t immediate prosperity but sustained success, targeting young players to mature in the newly installed system.
The result: a 23-win season followed by 50 and 55 victories that led to a pair of playoff appearances and a trip to the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder went from playing for a lottery pick to competing for a championship, which experts pegged at a 22.2 percent chance of happening before the season.
Their ex-I-5 rivals, meanwhile, find themselves in a rut. After bursting out of the gate with a 7-2 record, the Trail Blazers have stalled, now sitting a game under .500 and out of playoff positioning [as of March 11]. Guard play is an enigma. Shooting is unpredictable. The only upside is the rise of both LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, which begs the question: Now what?
Portland’s transactions over the last year haven’t panned out, as shown by the inconsistency of Raymond Felton. The breakout year of Wesley Matthews seems like a distant memory and leads people to believe it as a fluke. Gerald Wallace and Jamal Crawford have their moments, but they disappear when the Trail Blazers need them most.
With the trade deadline looming, the entire roster is seemingly up for grabs, with the exceptions of Aldridge and Batum, but according the The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman, Portland’s front office is “content to let the deadline come and go with no moves.”
In a way, that’s comforting.
When the offseason comes around, only five players are guaranteed spots. The others either have their contracts run up or they have player options or, in Batum’s case, a qualifying offer.
There’s room for young free agents. Room for transactions that net draft picks to follow the footsteps of Presti. It’s time to start from Step Two, finding sidekicks for the cornerstone in Aldridge. The Trail Blazers can find what they need in the draft.
Players coming out of college are more mature these days, more athletic and NBA-ready. Just ask Presit and the Thunder.
Since the 2007 draft, when Durant was selected second overall, Oklahoma City loaded up on fresh talent. The picks still on the roster have compiled the most games played and started among all selections still in the NBA. This season, they’ve accounted for 78 percent of the Thunder’s points – nearly 16 points better than the next best group.
Their contribution has led Oklahoma City to the third-most wins since 2009, a 35-win increase since the 2007 draft and an offensive rating that continues to skyrocket.
It’s a precedent the Trail Blazers need to take into consideration considering other options have fizzled. It’s a process that already has a foundation in Portland after former general manager Rich Cho implemented a player development program, which, according to its overseers, has resulted in continous improvement in Elliot Williams and Nolan Smith.
Open up, Portland. Wins are becoming a rarity. Offensive ratings are plummeting. Start fresh with fresh talent. It may be the OKC Thing, but it can become the Portland Way.
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