[B-More410Participant]

Why is it that teams are trying to duplicate something that needed exactly everything to go correct in order to build up a championship contender

For example the Bobcats trying to use the "Thunder Model" it doesn’t make sense to me because Sam Presti had a vision in mind when building up his team. But he also got lucky

If Portland takes Durant, the Knicks jump ahead of the Sonics and get Westbrook, Someone sees the upside in Serge Ibaka or Boston decides to start over instead of go for it all none of this happens.

So in theory what is Rich Cho’s vision how about Rob Hennigan, 2 former Thunder associates vowing to rebuild using the Thunder model.

On top of that OKC’s move to Oklahoma City helped the transition as they had fans who were patient with their development. Will Charlotte take Barnes and use him as the KD and use Kemba as their Westbrook and Biyombo as their Serge. Will Orlando trade Dwight for all of Houston’s picks and build from the ground up ridding themselves of bad contracts in Hedo, Redick and J-Rich.

How about the fans not seeing that teams prior to OKC have used the build through the draft model and haven’t seen the same success, every team cant use the "Thunder Model" because they didn’t have the same luxuries. San Antonio is the only other prime example of this decade but how about Larry Bird drafting experienced college players over potential packed freshmen(Granger, Hansbrough, Hibbert and George) or the Portland Trailblazers(Aldridge, Roy, Batum and Oden) doing the same thing but having major healthy issues

In hindsight the "Thunder Model" should be the way every team is built but the Thunder were in the right place at the right time and had a man with a vision leading the way.

[druneave3Participant]

Good luck finding a Kevin Durant in every draft

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Yeah, easier said than done.

While the Thunder were busy drafting Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka the Bobcats were drafting Augustine, Gerald Henderson, Kemba, and Biyombo.

It’s very difficult to pick the right guys.

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

 what else are they supposed to do right now? not big time player is coming over, and they have no trade assets to get a lot in return  except #2.

[Cavaliers420Participant]

 I understand what you’re saying but I hope you realize the overall "Thunder Model" is basically building a team through the draft and key individual player picks ups in trades. The only reason they’re calling this the "Thunder Model" is because the Heat and Celtics created a good team through free agency/trades/"big threes" and now everyone is expecting the rest of the NBA to do the same or not be competition. People are constasntly making threads about how All-Stars need to "team" up together. In reality this is the average model. This is what every NBA team should strive to do when rebuilding a team.

[220Participant]

I think the big key to The Spurs Model (lets be real the Thunder just copied off the Spurs) is that sustained success. You will certainly have lucky breaks from time to time like the Thunder getting Durant and the Spurs getting Duncan, but the key is taking advantage of every opportunity. It’s having the strong scouting that makes every pick count. Manu Ginobilli was selected in the 50s and didn’t come into the league for a few years. Tony Parker was picked at the end of the first round. The Spurs selected George Hill who no one knew anything about and trading him for Kawhi Leonard a player that fit their system well.

No matter the model some luck will be involved but with strong scouts and a well defined identity, it makes it easier to make every pick count and have sustained success.

[TyroberParticipant]

 Yeah a lot of people don’t really realize that the Thunder had the 2,5,4,3 picks in back to back to back years. If they don’t get Kevin Durant (who will be one of the best of all time) then their model doesn’t really work. Good thing they got lucky

[TurnipParticipant]

In fairness to Charlotte, in the time when the Sonics/Thunder were picking Durant, Harden and Westbrook in the top five, Charlotte’s best pick was 8. Really, they haven’t been bad enough until just now to use the "Thunder Model".

[TyroberParticipant]

 Through 2004-2006 they had picks 2,5,3, but they were not really able to do anything with those drafts.

[TurnipParticipant]

And in those drafts they passed on what star talent? Loul Deng?

[goldie92689Participant]

Couldn’t we call the thunder model the wolves or kings model. Bottom line is kd turned out to be arguably the best player in the game.  

[OldSkoolBasketballParticipant]

I always thought the Thunder model was like the Blazers model without the injuries. 

[B-More410Participant]

Lets say from 07 on they used the "Thunder Model" the same way OKC did, I’m talking strictly drafting guys

2007- Joakim Noah instead of Brandan Wright

2008- Serge Ibaka instead of DJ Augustine

2009- Jrue Holiday instead of Gerald Henderson

2011- Kawhi Leonard and Iman Shumpert instead of Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo

Holiday 6’4

Shumpert 6’5

Leonard 6’8

Ibaka 6’10

Noah 6’11

Thats a prime example of having a plan for the next 5 years of how I envision my team looking drafting top notch defensive players and winning games with good shot selection and defense. Imagine that group growing together with a defensive minded head coach and versatile offensive playbook. The point is you gotta have a plan on what your team is going to look like in 3-5 years, not this year we’re gonna attack free agency hard and then the next year oh we wanna stock up on draft picks in order to build from within.

OKC stuck to their plan and added to key pieces via trade in Sefolosha and Perkins to round out the core of their team. The fact is saying things like we’re gonna use the OKC model strike me as absurd because OKC didn’t use someone else’s model even San Antonio did it differently by finding gems over seas and getting interchangeable players around their Big 3. OKC just picked the best guy to fill their next position of need and the core group took it from there.

In football the best way to win is to build through the draft, Baseball just get the best pitching staff and some legit bats and you’re good

But in basketball there is no real formula we’ve seen Free Agency do it(Miami), the draft do it (San Antonio), big markets(Los Angeles), well balanced teams(Boston, Detroit and Dallas) or just having the Best player in the World(Chicago).

Figure out your 5 biggest holes in the off-season and look to improve at least 3 of them each year and you’ll see success in one way or the other and then when in position to either make a free agency splash or re-build then do it. Its not rocket science its all about understanding where you wanna go with your team and making the moves to get there

[ENOGSIWONdede]

 The ironic thing is the Thunder GM blew therir title by trading Jeff Green for Perkins.  In theory Jeff Green was healthy for the finals for 1, but even without him if Boston still had Perkins they would of beat Miami and then OKC would of beat Boston in the finals.

[Author]

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