The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder are having fun with years of success after current strikes.
The NBA would not do any favors to small market groups. When the championship window closes, they should be brutally trustworthy with themselves and start a rebuild. In lots of instances, this implies they underperform for years whereas amassing good draft picks in hopes that they may emerge as superstars main the crew’s subsequent period.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder accomplished the cycle by buying and selling away star gamers in 2019 and formally embarking on a rebuild in 2020. They have been the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention a season in the past, shedding at dwelling, and maintain the identical feat. There are 26 video games this season.
Not solely do the Thunder have a younger core in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, however they’re additionally beginning to construct an elite core of gamers round them to assist them. On December twenty third, they determined to double down on their current commerce win.
The Thunder lately signed Alex Caruso to a long-term contract. The 2 sides agreed to a four-year, $81 million deal that retains the defensive-minded, floor-spacing guard in Oklahoma Metropolis for years to return.
The position participant earned simply over $20 million yearly and supplied nice power for the Thunder each off the bench and in spot begins. The deal comes because the wage cap is predicted to proceed rising over the following few years.
For Oklahoma Metropolis to supply Caruso a contract of this caliber proves they acquired a stud this offseason. The most effective half? They acquired Caruso with out buying and selling draft capital and solely included Josh Guidi within the deal. This win is an apparent commerce for the Thunder, who’ve improved considerably and bought an $81 million stallion, however they needed to come again from having no actual property to take action.
There’s nonetheless lots for Caruso to perform in Oklahoma Metropolis, however the membership clearly understands that Caruso’s brief tenure in Oklahoma Metropolis is sufficient and goals to turn into a perennial candidate together with his present mainstay. Due to this, we have been capable of prolong him long-term. That would not have occurred with Guidi, so the Thunder gained the commerce.
For a participant like Caruso, who has a number of NBA expertise as a veteran, enjoying in a system just like the Thunder’s requires a studying curve. Caruso went from being a spot-up shooter and key defender to changing into extra concerned within the playmaking facet of the offense.
Nonetheless, Caruso is adjusting and his potential for the season is unimaginable, because the Thunder have but to play a single absolutely wholesome recreation this season. They’ve a 21-5 report and have battled some important accidents alongside the way in which.
The Thunder have the potential to enhance considerably, however after clinching No. 1 seed standing, which is fairly scary, they’re additionally snug as properly and much from their potential. Many want to see Oklahoma Metropolis make one other transfer to strengthen its contending place, however because it stands, the sky appears to be the restrict.
Look out for a completely wholesome future Thunder crew. It is even more healthy with Caruso extra comfortably enjoying a key position within the lineup. It’s best to have the ability to use it for a few years to return.
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