Would the Thunder take Rubio if he's available
They are ok at point. They need a center, and Thabeet is the best available. I dont like Thabeet for them and with their luck at drafting centers they probably dont either, so I could see them drafting Harden or Thabeet and trading whoever for a center who can score and defend ( ie. Chris Kaman)
To me it makes more sense to take Harden and maybe get a center in the off-season like okur or Rasheed Wallace.
their starting line-up would look like this
PG: Westbrook
SG: Harden
SF: Durant
PF: Green
C: Okur or Wallace
pretty good and it doesn`t make westbrook mad about playing back-up or shooting guard
Westbrook did a terrific job at PG last season. I think rubio will eventually be a great PG in the NBA but OKC already has westbrook. Thabeet is going to be a decent center in the NBA but not good or great. Thabeet has been pegged the entire year as a top 3 or 5 pick and i just dont see it. You dont draft a guy with a high pick to be a decent player. You draft great players at the high picks. Harden will be a fantastic shooting guard in the NBA. He will end up being a Dampier at BEST so i have no idea why anyone would want to take him with a top 5 pick.
Unless you can trade him for more pick like to minnesota hahah but rubio wouldn't want to play there. Would the Knicks trade next years pick for Rubio? That would be great cause the Knicks are going to be in the lottery next year so Okc could pick a great player. I doubt Knicks would do that
OCK needs a veteran big man to lead that young team...I don't see how they improve with putting all that responsibility on a center who needs to be babied and his hand held throughout the league.
Best case for the Thunder is to use the MLE to sign a veteran big man.
They have an excellent trio in Westbrook, Durant and Green...Sefalosha and Krstc are very good role players for them...Collinson is ight, and they have a reliable back up in Watson.
They just need a solid veteran big man who can bang and grab some boards.
They should draft HARDEN...he would spread out the floor and take off the ball handling responsibilities that may be too much for an average ball handler like Westbrook.
PG - Westbrook
SG - Harden
SF - Durant
PF - Green
C - Krstic
Bench
Sefa
Watson
Collison
#25 pick
MLE free agent.
NOT BAD at all for a young developing franchise.
+ OCK needs a shooter BADLY, that can't be denied, right guys? OCK needs to take the best scorer/shooter available at a position that isn't PG. That man is Harden.
I think it's becoming obvious that unless a trade is in the works involving Memphis, Rubio will at least fall to #3. So my question is, do you think the Thunder would take Rubio. They're certainly not in a win-now mode and more of a developmental mode. This team is at least 2 years away from contending and in 2 years Rubio could be a really good PG in the NBA. I know they already have Westbrook, but couldn't they do something where Rubio plays around 28 MPG at PG and Westbrook could then play the other 20 at PG, while also getting 15 or so at SG? Then they could address the SG position with pick #25, going after someone like Ellington, Budinger, or TWILL (I think 1 of them will fall). Then they'd have a lineup of
Rubio/Westbrook
Sefolosha/Budinger/Weaver
Durant/Wilkins
Green/White
Krstic/Collison
Westbrook would easily be the 6th man of the year because he'd get starters minutes. And they could try to buy a 2nd round pick and take a backup SF like Danny Green or Demarre Carroll.
I'm just speculating, but I think this would just make the Thunder even more exciting, and with there being plenty of bigs avilable in next years draft, they could grab their C of the futue next year.