Last season was a struggle for Kyle Singler in OKC. He was putting in around 14 minutes a game and only averaging 3.4 points on about 39% shooting.
Singler had many Thunder fans questioning why he was even on the court. A couple aspects that certainly did not help Singler were that he had signed a five-year contract with OKC last offseason and that he was backing up one of the best small forwards in the game.
Now, the man who Singler was backing up is long gone, and it appears that GM Sam Presti was planning on Singler being the replacement for Kevin Durant in case he left.
Singler's detractors will remain, but the fact of the matter is that he will be competing for the starting small forward position. Singler might be the most well-rounded player of the ones competing against him for that position.
Andre Roberson has almost no shot at all, and Anthony Morrow has no defense. If Singler can become the 3-and-D guy that he showed signs of in Detroit, then he will be perfect for OKC.
Yes, believe it or not, Singler has potential. During his third season in the league Singler was shooting 40% from downtown. He has the ability to cover multiple positions; it is time for him to get back to that.
According to Erik Horne of NewsOK, Singler is trying to get back to that level:
“When I was trying to think about how I want to maximize my summer, my first thing I wanted to do was play as much basketball as possible,” Singler said. “I knew that summer league was coming around and guys were gonna be here working out, playing. I thought that was a great opportunity to come in for sure.”
It is good to see that Singler is out there putting in the work. He might not have the most talent but a work ethic like that is one that can win you a starting gig. If he does not find a way to improve and be a decent contributor for OKC, then his time there will come to an end.
It is time for him to prove himself to his teammates and the fanbase. Singler has potential, he just has to get back to his highest level of play.
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