Thunder’s Bold Moves Could Backfire: Are NBA Risks Turning Into Costly Busts?

Thunder’s Bold Moves Could Backfire: Are NBA Risks Turning Into Costly Busts?

In recent years, the OKC Thunder have earned a reputation as one of the NBA’s best-managed organizations. Under the leadership of Sam Presti, Oklahoma City has transitioned from a consistent playoff contender and championship hopeful, to a rebuilding team, and now back to a legitimate title contender, all within just seven seasons.

Presti and his team have rightly received most of the credit for this impressive turnaround, thanks to their excellent roster-building strategies and a series of highly successful trades.

However, not everything the Thunder does works out as planned, and in the past few days, fans have been reminded of this reality.

Recent NBA moves show Thunder haven’t been perfect over the years

Since the days of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook leading the charge in Loud City, the Thunder have undergone numerous changes, most of which have been highly successful. However, not all the moves during this time have worked out.

OKC’s front office has made some spectacular decisions, such as the Paul George trade that brought in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the haul of draft picks acquired for Russell Westbrook. The list of successful moves is long. Yet, along the way, there have also been some misses, with two recent reminders popping up as former Thunder players Davis Bertans and Darius Bazley have left the NBA for other ventures.

Bertans, acquired in a draft-night trade last offseason, was brought in with the hope of addressing OKC’s size and shooting needs. However, his stint with the team lasted just 15 games before being dealt at the trade deadline as part of a package for Gordon Hayward—a move that ultimately backfired. The Thunder also missed out on promising young big Dereck Lively II in that deal, adding to the disappointment.

Bazley was a more high-profile gamble, selected 23rd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft despite skepticism over his raw skill set. Unfortunately, he never lived up to expectations, and after a lackluster four years, the Thunder traded him to Phoenix. Bazley has since bounced between teams and is now reportedly heading to China to play for the Guangdong Hongyuan Southern Tigers.

While the Thunder have had great success over the years, and currently sit atop the Western Conference with strong title hopes, the recent news of Bertans and Bazley serves as a reminder that even the best-run teams can make mistakes.