2014-2015 in Review
An injury-hampered season forced the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. Even without Kevin Durant for the majority of the season, an MVP-type performance from Russell Westbrook led the Thunder to a 45-37 finish, which placed them only behind the Portland Trail Blazers in the Northwest Division.
Westbrook, who missed time due to injury at the beginning of the 2014-2015 season, came back strong and had a killer second half of the season that had all eyes on the Thunder climbing up the standings.
It came down to the final day of the regular season, a day on which the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, but needed the New Orleans Pelicans to lose to the San Antonio Spurs in order to clinch, which didn't happen.
New Additions
Billy Donovan
Even without Durant, the Thunder had a roster capable of making the postseason in 2014-2015. It was a down season and one that ultimately resulted in the firing of head coach, Scott Brooks. Brooks' time in Oklahoma City was clearly nearing the end and the clock ticked past the final hour in 2015. Billy Donovan, the former head coach of the Florida Gators, is his replacement. Donovan won back-to-back NCAA National Championships in his time at Florida and is one of five rookie NBA head coaches in 2015-2016. The success of first-year head coaches was apparent last year, as two newcomers in David Blatt and Steve Kerr faced off in the 2015 NBA Finals. The Thunder hope Donovan is capable of replicating that success.
Key Losses
Jeremy Lamb
A move that was foreseen before the end of the regular season, the Thunder shipped Lamb off for virtually nothing and do not have a piece on their current roster to show for it. They did, however, get a 2016 second round pick from the Charlotte Hornets as part of the deal. Nonetheless, it will be easy to forget Lamb was ever in OKC.
Biggest Strength
A Healthy Kevin Durant
Undoubtedly the biggest reason the Thunder did not make the playoffs in 2014-2015 was the absence of the 2014 NBA MVP. Durant won the scoring title during his last full season and his offense was dearly missed last season. Westbrook ironically won the scoring title in 2014-2015, but Durant is the ultimate X-Factor in 2015-2016. He is a top-two player in the NBA and completes a strong Thunder lineup that appears to be filled out for the first time since their NBA Finals appearance in 2012. Health coupled with the fact that the ninth-year veteran is entering a contract year will make the Thunder dangerous in the Western Conference.
Biggest Weakness
Rookie Head Coach
Not much of a weakness, Billy Donovan is where the most uncertainly around this team resides. Donovan's success at the college level was clear, but how that success transitions to the NBA remains to be seen. The biggest challenge facing the Thunder's first-year head coach is how to balance the offensive powers of Westbrook and Durant. Luckily for Donovan, the NBA is very much a player's league and it will be largely up to Westbrook and Durant to share the rock. The Thunder have great talent carrying over from last season's roster and Donovan will have to adapt quickly for the team to reach the top of the West.
Bottom Line
2015-2016 carries high expectations for the Thunder. They have a roster strong enough to run away with the Northwest Division and anything less than a division title will be a failure. The health of the team will, like last season, be the biggest determinant in their success. If Westbrook can continue his Godly performance in the second half last season and Durant can simultaneously duplicate his 2014 MVP campaign, the Thunder will be a top-three team in the West and, even, the NBA.
Fantasy Slant
Most overrated: Dion Waiters
Waiters' value is not always seen on the stat sheet. He is a great addition to this team, but do not think for a second that he is the next James Harden. A solid two-way shooting guard, Waiters can score an occasional 30, but is more likely to be held to a single-digit scoring night. He is strong on defense and can rack up steals and rebounds, but struggles to dominant in fantasy. If the matchup is not favorable, Waiters is a no-go.
Most underrated: Serge Ibaka
This is nothing new. Ibaka has always lived in the shadows of Durant and Westbrook. Yet, he has been one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA since his rookie season six years ago. Ibaka led the league with 3.65 blocks-per-game in the 2011-2012 season in 66 games with the Thunder. Last season, he averaged 2.4 and had more than six blocks on four different occasions.
The 2014-2015 season was the first in which Ibaka failed to make more than 50 percent of his shots as he battled a knee injury which limited him to 64 games. Yet, he still averaged 14.3 points-per-game and 7.8 rebounds-per-game. He is certainly being overlooked by the return of Durant but, if Ibaka returns to form, he could consistently put up big numbers in fantasy.
Biggest surprise: Enes Kanter
Subtly one of the better centers in the NBA, Kanter was another great mid-season addition to the Thunder. He not only takes pressure off of Serge Ibaka, but is also an incredible rebounder. Kanter has averaged a double-double since coming over from the Utah Jazz and approached the 20-rebound mark frequently. All of which he did without Kevin Durant.
The fifth-year veteran ranked sixth in points among centers in 2014-2015 and tenth in rebounds. One of the biggest offseason moves for the Thunder was re-signing Kanter and the 23 year-old is poised for a great year in his new home.