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NLL Insider - Team by Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

by vt, updated on Sunday, October 10 2010, 06:17 pm EST

Team by Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
2009-2010 Finish: 45-37

What went well

“That’s it. I’m happy with my team. I’m not going to trade anymore.” – GM Magritte.

So, the Thunder made the playoffs, but it took a million trades to get them there. During the preseason, GM Magritte was actually pretty restrained. Star Chris Paul re-upped for a huge deal, Jeff Foster left town and the Thunder signed Allen Iverson for full MLE money. And the trades? Magritte grabbed Rashard Lewis from the Clips for Brad Miller and Chris Duhon and shipped Boris Diaw and Nathan Jawai to the Pistons for Mehmet Okur and Jawad Williams. Game on!

Finally, Magritte dug out of the contract hell left him by Seattle GM James. And the Thunder were winning. There was just one problem, Lewis. For $18 million, he wasn’t fitting into Magritte’s lineup, playing awful ball. So Magritte did what he does best, sent him off to the Spurs with JJ Redick for Samuel Dalembert and Mike Dunleavy. Say what? Didn’t he already have Troy Murphy and Mehmet Okur? Don’t worry, Murphy was then sent to the Lakers with Mario West for John Salmons and Hilton Armstrong.

The lineup tinkering didn’t stop there. The next week, in a three way deal with the Cavs and the Spurs, the Thunder ditched Okur, Patrick O’Bryant and Randy Foye and got Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Haislip. Finally, at the deadline, he flipped Dalembert and rookie James Johnson for Kirk Hinrich and Serge Ibaka.

“That’s it. I’m happy with my team. I’m not going to trade anymore.” – GM Magritte.

What went bad

The injury to Chris Paul really sank this team. Also, giving truth to Proid’s One Trade Too Many©, Magritte traded himself into a corner, relying on big men like Craig Smith and Chris Richard in some weeks to carry the team. Some GMs are only in this league to trade and it’s obvious Magritte still wears the crown for now.

The Thunder rode its great start to the number three seed position. But injuries and the need to use scrubs in key spots sunk them, as the Bosh-less Grizzlies took them out in the first round in an easy four games to one season. Don’t worry, the trade handcuffs would come off soon.

Looking to the future

Since no one stays a Thunder long enough to matter, it is impossible to decide on stars and goats. Once the draft trades cleared (and there were a lot), the Thunder ended up with 2nd rounder Jerome Jordan. The center from Tulsa is a long shot to make the team, but the team does need his size.

The team went through another facelift following the draft. They sent Hinrich to the Blazers for Larry Sanders and Ryan Anderson. Next they scored Antonio McDyess from the Wizards for GM points. Then they bought back Johnson from the Hawks. Then they shipped off Sheed, Dunleavy and Haislip to the Spurs for Rashard Lewis (yes, you read that correctly) and Courtney Lee. Finally, Magritte got Anthony Randolph, Omri Casspi and Jordan from the T’Wolves for up and comer Danilo Galinari and Sanders. WOOF! It’s not really worth speculating what will happen next season the revolving door will continue to revolve. The team is really hurting for some centers though.

“That’s it. I’m happy with my team. I’m not going to trade anymore.” – GM Magritte.

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