The premise of this topic probably sounds absurd to the majority of readers. What could the 21-45, -9.9 net rating Oklahoma City Thunder possibly be revolutionizing? The immediate thought is probably the work of Sam Presti and the front office. They acquired absurd numbers of picks and became famous for their ability to flip assets for more assets, but there is actually something on the court they are doing that could change basketball forever.
The thing the Thunder have done that will change basketball is all about their frontcourt, but to truly examine why this could be so revolutionary is all about, we will have to delve into how this team have built their roster, the trends of the NBA at large, and what is so special about the Thunder group as a whole.
Meet the Cast
The players that are going to revolutionize the sport are sort of an odd bunch, but they are a fascinating combination. The players are Aleksej Pokusevski, Darius Bazley, and Isaiah Roby. There are other interesting members of the Thunder frontcourt who deserve some mention, specifically Moses Brown, Kenrich Williams, and potentially Josh Hall, but the first three mentioned are the most important.
Those three players are an interesting fit together, but they have traits that make them revolutionary. For one, they are all 6'9 and taller. The three of them are fluid within the frontcourt, playing either forward spot and the five fluidly on both ends. The tallest of the three, Pokusevski, is the one who ends up playing the majority of the minutes at the small forward spot. They all have some ball skills, some defensive ability, and some shooting, making them all versatile.
The Thunder of Year's Past
The Thunder, and more specifically former assistant GM Troy Weaver, had a very particular type of player they targeted in the draft. Outside of their historic run where they drafted three straight MVPs, they liked to draft athletic and defense first forwards and wings who they believed they could develop as shooters. This goes back to players like Terrance Ferguson, Josh Huestis, and Darius Bazley. They even tended to target these guys in free agency or through trade. Guys like Jerami Grant and Isaiah Roby were not drafted by the Thunder, but they were acquired with the same philosophy.
This philosophy was how they built rosters around their stars for the past decade. The trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook were flanked by athletic defenders. Even after KD left the Thunder and they acquired Paul George, the general philosophy remained the same. These players never had to be the stars of the show though. Now that they are granted a bigger role, the game can truly change.
Many thought they bucked this trend after the departure of Troy Weaver and the pick of the highly skilled Aleksej Pokusevski, but he actually plays into this stereotype for the Thunder. While not the traditional mold of an athlete, Pokusevski is one of the first in a new breed of athlete that is slowly but surely going to change the NBA. He is incredibly fluid in space and can run like a gazelle despite being seven feet tall. This philosophy is alive and well and it has a chance to change the NBA as we know it.
The Direction of the NBA
Basketball is a very unique sport because it is relatively young compared to the majority of sports and thus the way the game is played is ever-evolving. In recent memory, this has been the proliferation of the three-point shot and the continued understanding of gravity and court geography. The next step is very hard to predict, but there are some indicators that can be looked at.
One indicator is the constantly increasing pace of the NBA. This truly began with the seven seconds or less Phoenix Suns but has continued through to the modern NBA. The pace of play has increased at a steady rate throughout the past ten seasons and only looks to continue increasing. This places a lot of value on playing in transition, versatile shooting ability, and size. The increased pace has made offenses better year after year, which makes the 2021 season the greatest offensive season in NBA history. When offense is efficient, teams are happy, so expect these trends to continue and evolve, like it is with the Thunder.
Another thing to point to is the importance of wings, forwards, and versatile bigs in the modern NBA. Players who fit these molds are defined by their height, athleticism, and feel for the game. If you were to look at the best players on recent finals teams, you would find LeBron James (6'8), Anthony Davis (6'10), Jimmy Butler (6'6). Bam Adebayo (6'10), Kawhi Leonard (6'8), and Kevin Durant (6'11). There are exceptions to this rule, namely Steph Curry, but generally, the best players on the best teams are wings and forwards.
Viva la Revolucion
The Thunder are bad right now, really bad, but they have a chance to change the game forever in a few years. They are all developing, but they are the type of frontcourt that has never been seen before in the NBA. They are all versatile on both ends. The three of them could potentially be the most versatile frontcourt in the NBA, and that is without even considering the talent they could add.
The Thunder have an unbelievable amount of future draft picks, and the next few drafts are full of potentially versatile frontcourt players. Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga, and Kai Jones could all fill the same niche as one of the three Thunder players with potentially more talent.
So what does this revolution truly look like? Well, it would be teams that play fast, shoot, and are all tall and versatile. Someone who has gone unmentioned in this piece thus far, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is a 6'5 point guard who could also contribute to this. On defense, this would be a versatile defense with a lot of switching, havoc creation, and backside rim protection. On offense, it will be all pace and space, with smooth, tall athletes who constantly change the geography of the floor.
The Thunder may or may not be doing this on purpose, but the intent matters very little. In effect, they are playing an incredibly interesting brand of basketball with a lot of room for the players to grow. As the team grows together, NBA fans and analysts will be privy to see the league change. It is an unlikely source of revolution, but the revolution lives regardless.
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