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Hasheem Thabeet anategemea kusaini deal na My favourite team NBA OKC.....itakuwa deal ya miaka 2.....
OKC the most likely landing spot for Hasheem Thabeet?
Royce Young July 1st, 2012 Go to comments Leave a comment
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images
According to Sam Amick of SI.com:
Theres something to be said for a 7-3 guy that was taken second overall, especially when youre talking a minimum level kind of contract for him likely to just practice and work. And in the Thunder culture based around development and growth, maybe Thabeet could finally realize a little of that talent he has. People are the league have told me that Thabeet isnt a knucklehead. He just hasnt had the kind of work ethic necessary to make it in the NBA.
Its a very low risk, high reward kind of move. Thabeet wouldnt cost much, and with veteran Nazr Mohammed a free agent, OKC either needs to re-sign him or will be in the market for a new backup, or third string big, assuming Cole Aldrich steps into the rotation.
Consider this too: A veteran minimum salary for Nazr Mohammed would be about $1.4M and he might not even take a minimum. OKC can likely sign Thabeet for less than that. A minimum salary for Thabeet would be about $1 million a year.
Obviously with every penny spent, everyone wonders how this might impact the future of the roster, but you have to fill out a team. You have to make sure you have the right players to put on the floor. And again, the major salary concerns dont necessarily hit until next season.
If Aldrich is truly ready to become OKCs backup center and I think he is then the Thunder need a third big. It could be Mohammed, who likely would be fine remaining in OKC, but Thabeet is opportunity to take a shot at developing something for the future. Plus, probably cheaper.
The addition of Thabeet all but guarantees veteran center Nazr Mohammed will not return to the Thunder. If not, that paves the way for third-year center Cole Aldrich to step into the primary backup role behind starter Kendrick Perkins. Thabeet is expected to be the third-string center.
Adding Thabeet also helps the Thunder preserve precious salary cap space, most of which will go toward paying its young players. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook already are locked into maximum-allowable contracts. Harden, Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor are all now eligible for extensions to their rookie deals.
What the Thunder is doing in bringing in Thabeet, 25, is taking a flyer on a one-time promising prospect without paying him much and hoping he can develop into the player he once was capable of being. If he does, the Thunder gets a steal. If not, the team will not have lost anything.
OKC the most likely landing spot for Hasheem Thabeet?
Royce Young July 1st, 2012 Go to comments Leave a comment
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images
According to Sam Amick of SI.com:
First the Perry Jones gamble, now Hasheem Thabeet? Source says Oklahoma City is the most likely landing spot for the 7-3 center who was taken No. 2 by Memphis in 2009 and will be playing for his fourth team (assuming he doesnt sign with Portland, Houston or the Griz).
Thabeet is an unrestricted free agent and likely wouldnt command much of a deal. The Thunder have always been interested in taking a flyer on Thabeet, even coming close to working a deal for him a couple years ago while he was still in Memphis. The Thunder feel strongly that put in their program, Thabeet still has the tools to develop into something worthwhile.
Theres something to be said for a 7-3 guy that was taken second overall, especially when youre talking a minimum level kind of contract for him likely to just practice and work. And in the Thunder culture based around development and growth, maybe Thabeet could finally realize a little of that talent he has. People are the league have told me that Thabeet isnt a knucklehead. He just hasnt had the kind of work ethic necessary to make it in the NBA.
Its a very low risk, high reward kind of move. Thabeet wouldnt cost much, and with veteran Nazr Mohammed a free agent, OKC either needs to re-sign him or will be in the market for a new backup, or third string big, assuming Cole Aldrich steps into the rotation.
Consider this too: A veteran minimum salary for Nazr Mohammed would be about $1.4M and he might not even take a minimum. OKC can likely sign Thabeet for less than that. A minimum salary for Thabeet would be about $1 million a year.
Obviously with every penny spent, everyone wonders how this might impact the future of the roster, but you have to fill out a team. You have to make sure you have the right players to put on the floor. And again, the major salary concerns dont necessarily hit until next season.
If Aldrich is truly ready to become OKCs backup center and I think he is then the Thunder need a third big. It could be Mohammed, who likely would be fine remaining in OKC, but Thabeet is opportunity to take a shot at developing something for the future. Plus, probably cheaper.