New Rotation?

[moeroadkill]

i think its clear that presti wont be looking into any FA, his sticking with his plan to build through the draft. i think most people(epsh thunder fans) wanted to see a guy like bosh or amare come in but in the back of my mind i knew it wasn't gonna happen

 

with the trades and picks thunder have mad we now have 16 guys on the roster. the next question is whos going to be where

 

PG: Russell Westbrook/Eric Maynor

SG: Thabo Sefolosha/James Harden/Daequan Cook/Kyle Weaver

SF: Kevin Durant/Morris Peterson

PF: Jeff Green/Nick Collison/Serge Ibaka/D.J. White

C: Nenad Krstic/Cole Aldrich/Byron Mullens/Tibor Pleiss

 

guys in this will most likely be in the D leauge/inactive although i believe weaver will be brought out

which takes us to Mo pete and Cook one of which will have to be out of Uniform, it can go either way really, does presti and brooks want some vet experience or will he give cook a shot to make the rotation. my guess is cook will get a shot at the start of the year and if things go well he will make the cut if not mo pete wll get the spot. (i think i might of read peterson getting bought out but i couldn't find a source)

 

brooks likes to use a 9 man rotation but we cant afford to cut minutes from ibaka or Collison. Krstic is out of the question because imo because he is in his contract year and he brings some offense to the table so i think brooks will have to come up with a 10 man rotation because with cole in the line up our front court it loaded.

im clueless as to who will start the the C position if Cole beasts in training camp/SL etc i think he could get the cut.

 

as too who will start my predictions by the end of the year

 

PG, Westbrook

SG, Thabo

SF, Durant

PF, Green

C, Aldrich

 

with most bench mins going to harden, ibaka and collison

 

EDIT: assuming the Cole trade goes through.

Edited June 28, 2010 by MoeRoadKill

[Erick Blasco]

Just because Aldrich was a first round pick doesn't mean you should automatically assume he makes the rotation.

 

If the Thunder play four bigs, Green, Collison, Kristic, and Ibaka are going to get major minutes. There won't be room for a 5th big to play more than spot duty or matchup duty.

 

Westbrook and Maynor will probably play the point, leaving Durant, Harden, and one more rotation spot open.

 

Cook is a horrendous defender and only has value when he's making his shots. Mo Pete doesn't have much left himself, but he's almost better than Cook by default.

 

By the end of the season, I bet neither guy will be rotation mainstays and the Thunder will play Maynor, Harden, Ibaka, and Collison off the bench and that will be that.

[Flight]

I think Aldrich makes the rotation along with Collison, Ibaka, and Krstic to go along with Green. Bigs get in foul trouble, and come playoff time, you need your big guys to be rested.

 

I think you have those 5 on the active roster, along wtih Durant, Westbrook, Sefalosha, Harden, Maynor, Peterson, and maybe White, or possibly someone else.

[Sun Tzu]

I say they should go with

 

Westbrook, Sefolosha, Durant, Green and Krstic. Aldrich should pick up more minutes as the season progresses and he develops but I do not think he will be starting straight away. Heck it may even take Aldrich a year to get himself a starting position.

[moeroadkill]

Just because Aldrich was a first round pick doesn't mean you should automatically assume he makes the rotation.

 

If the Thunder play four bigs, Green, Collison, Kristic, and Ibaka are going to get major minutes. There won't be room for a 5th big to play more than spot duty or matchup duty.

 

in most cases i could agree with that but we dont have much size in the paint and presti didnt take on pete and cook contract for no reason. i can see cole starting but with very limited minutes and considering his a rookie whos in their for his defense shot blocking and screens (pretty much another collison) his probably going to be in foul trouble a lot

 

it is tight very up front with

green 37 mpg

krstic 22mpg

Ibaka 18mpg (he probably will get more minutes. i know a lot of thunder fans want to start him over green but i think that would be a huge mistake i dont think his ready for starter minutes he still needs to learn the game)

collison 20mpg

 

its going to be interesting to see what brooks dose

 

EDIT, and cole is a guy who can help the team now his not a project, he has some nice hooks, but his defense will get him playing time im almost sure of that

Edited June 28, 2010 by MoeRoadKill

[Real Deal]

Talk around OKC is that the Thunder traded for Aldrich so they can have a true defensive-minded center starting for them, and that they will try starting him a few times during the season (or do what they can to get to that point).