Jeremy Lamb's last three games..

[BlazerRed]

Averaged 15 points on 65% FG, 58% from 3 the last three games. Dude is going to be unreal for OKC.. a perfect spark off the bench. Can't believe what the Thunder have done after losing Harden and then Martin, now they have a more rounded bench with Jackson and Lamb more than making up for those who have departed.

[cos88]

Averaged 15 points on 65% FG, 58% from 3 the last three games. Dude is going to be unreal for OKC.. a perfect spark off the bench. Can't believe what the Thunder have done after losing Harden and then Martin, now they have a more rounded bench with Jackson and Lamb more than making up for those who have departed.

wow that many games? so talent, much unreal, very fantastic :facepalm

[Crafty]

He's finally getting minutes.
6.5 mpg last year.
20 mpg this year.

[ThunderKat]

He's turning into a nice player. I think the more minutes he gets the better he will be.

[GOBB]

Jeremy Lamb = potential to be Allan Houston

[imdaman99]

Jeremy Lamb = potential to be Allan Houston
Not as sweet a J, but better defense. He's too skinny as well. Needs to work on being able to create his own shot too. Unless he will be reliant on the 2 stars in OKC to set him up for shots.

I think Reggie Jackson stepping up is more like Harden replacement. Obviously not as good or as high IQ, but he is a sparkplug off the bench. OKC is so stacked now.

[Marchesk]

Dat efficiency.

[DMAVS41]

More than making up for Harden? Both Jackson and Lamb do not make up Harden combined. Maybe Lamb will be as good as Harden was off the bench soon, but not right now. Harden was able to take over games when he came off the bench, I want to see Lamb prove himself more than just 3 games before he is a equal replacement for Harden.

I disagree. I actually like them more than Harden. I think Lamb fits in better and is exactly the type of player the Thunder need. I'd much rather have Lamb/Adams going forward on this Thunder team than Harden...just basketball wise.

Harden needs the ball and doesn't defend worth shit...notice how the Thunder's defense has skyrocketed since losing Harden. Going from like a 11th to 15th d-rating in 11 and 12 to a top 5 in 13 and 14 so far.

But people just can't admit when they are wrong. The Thunder were just better in 13 than they were in 12...it's pretty much just a fact. Yet everyone keeps going on and on about the Harden trade. Now it's clear that they are deeper and have the kind of role players needed to win the title...and they are even younger...and people still talk about the Harden trade.

It pretty much worked perfectly...gave them a chance to win in 13...while allowing Lamb to get good enough to make an impact in 14. Reggie Jackson developed into a legit starter on probably like half the teams in the NBA...and Presti seems to have nailed the draft pick again with Adams.

And the best part is that Perkins expires after next year...which means they will have a ton of cap space after the 2015 season...or can trade Perkins for something this summer as his contract expires and will be valuable.

Hard to do better than Presti has done...

[pegasus]

I still find their offense one-dimensional, but they certainly have a much better bench this year, and as long as they have Durant and RW who can be the best and second best player on the floor any given night, they are a legit threat. Based on what we've seen thus far, I have them coming out of the West this season without being challenged to a game 7.

[DStebb716]

I think he'll end up being the type of player that can push the Thunder back to the top of the west.

[VIntageNOvel]

I disagree. I actually like them more than Harden. I think Lamb fits in better and is exactly the type of player the Thunder need. I'd much rather have Lamb/Adams going forward on this Thunder team than Harden...just basketball wise.

Harden needs the ball and doesn't defend worth shit...notice how the Thunder's defense has skyrocketed since losing Harden. Going from like a 11th to 15th d-rating in 11 and 12 to a top 5 in 13 and 14 so far.

But people just can't admit when they are wrong. The Thunder were just better in 13 than they were in 12...it's pretty much just a fact. Yet everyone keeps going on and on about the Harden trade. Now it's clear that they are deeper and have the kind of role players needed to win the title...and they are even younger...and people still talk about the Harden trade.

It pretty much worked perfectly...gave them a chance to win in 13...while allowing Lamb to get good enough to make an impact in 14. Reggie Jackson developed into a legit starter on probably like half the teams in the NBA...and Presti seems to have nailed the draft pick again with Adams.

And the best part is that Perkins expires after next year...which means they will have a ton of cap space after the 2015 season...or can trade Perkins for something this summer as his contract expires and will be valuable.

Hard to do better than Presti has done...

nah while i agree current thunder is better than harden thunder,
i still think presti rushed it too much, and he could get a much better deal than several 11ish draft pick,
i.e. he can ask for lamb and asik (if he really love lamb that much), or star big like monroe/horford or etc, harden value was sky high, while sefolosha isn't an offensive juggernaut, SG position has never been the problem, you need to fix the interior scoring, and push harder for the ring, not drafting another inexperience rookie, and hoping he could be at least a solid player (which in this case thunder got lucky laamb and adam turn out to be decent)

[magic chiongson]

wait till he becomes a free agent :/

[Qwyjibo]

I really wish the Raptors took Lamb instead of Ross if they were dead-set on taking a wing player (ugh, Drummond... I know).

[IGOTGAME]

I really wish the Raptors took Lamb instead of Ross if they were dead-set on taking a wing player (ugh, Drummond... I know).

it was one of the worst picks that I have ever seen.

[KG215]

nah while i agree current thunder is better than harden thunder,
i still think presti rushed it too much, and he could get a much better deal than several 11ish draft pick,
i.e. he can ask for lamb and asik (if he really love lamb that much), or star big like monroe/horford or etc, harden value was sky high, while sefolosha isn't an offensive juggernaut, SG position has never been the problem, you need to fix the interior scoring, and push harder for the ring, not drafting another inexperience rookie, and hoping he could be at least a solid player (which in this case thunder got lucky laamb and adam turn out to be decent)
Washington wouldn't trade rookie Beal for Harden, Golden State wouldn't trade Klay Thompson for Harden, and Toronto wouldn't trade Valanciunas for Harden.

And production wise, Jackson himself is almost giving OKC what they got from Harden in 2012; he's the 6th Man of the Year candidate this year. But add in Lamb's production and they're getting better production than they got from Harden. Lamb's jumper is so smooth. He's great as a catch-and-shoot/spot-up 3P shooter, but now he's slowly developing a mid-range jumper that's wet, too. OKC, right now, has a young starting caliber PG and a young starting caliber C to develop off their bench. While Presti will never win the Harden trade, he's come about as close as he possibly could.

[alenleomessi]

harden is getting underrated big time in this thread..

[Thorpesaurous]

The steps forward Durant and Westbrook have made play a factor in this too.

It's possible Presti had the forethought to move Harden just a hair before Durant and Westbrook took this last step to controlling the ball more. And Lamb's more pure spacing is a better fit next to them than Harden demanding possessions to excel in the PnR. Especially at the cost difference, and the additional assets.

Frankly I'm surprised Adams has looked as good as he has.

[DMAVS41]

nah while i agree current thunder is better than harden thunder,
i still think presti rushed it too much, and he could get a much better deal than several 11ish draft pick,
i.e. he can ask for lamb and asik (if he really love lamb that much), or star big like monroe/horford or etc, harden value was sky high, while sefolosha isn't an offensive juggernaut, SG position has never been the problem, you need to fix the interior scoring, and push harder for the ring, not drafting another inexperience rookie, and hoping he could be at least a solid player (which in this case thunder got lucky laamb and adam turn out to be decent)

nah...harden value was not sky high at all.

that is the revisionist history going on here. he just laid an egg in the finals, was poor defensively, and nobody knew he was capable of being the offensive force he showed he could on the Rockets.

Teams turned down a lot of Harden offers actually. So nah...his value was not sky high at all.

And again...the Thunder need role players...not star players.

[Marchesk]

Teams turned down a lot of Harden offers actually. So nah...his value was not sky high at all.

Do you know what some of those offers were? Just curious.



And again...the Thunder need role players...not star players.

I think something a bit more than a role player inside would really help against Miami.

[DMAVS41]

Do you know what some of those offers were? Just curious.




I think something a bit more than a role player inside would really help against Miami.


Yes...the Warriors turned down Thompson for Harden. And the Wizards turned down Beal for Harden.

Of course they need to get better at center. That is why they drafted Adams. If they had kept Harden...how are you getting better at center?

LOL...KG215 above just posted about offers turned down...

[Thorpesaurous]

Do you know what some of those offers were? Just curious.




I think something a bit more than a role player inside would really help against Miami.



Washington wouldn't trade rookie Beal for Harden, Golden State wouldn't trade Klay Thompson for Harden, and Toronto wouldn't trade Valanciunas for Harden.

All of those were definitely being openly discussed. Particularly the Beal one.

[DMAVS41]

Look. The Thunder now have RJ averaging 12/4/4 on 56% TS...and Lamb/Adams directly address the needs of the Thunder.

If you keep Harden. RJ doesn't develop...and you don't get Adams and Lamb.

Seriously...is anyone saying Harden is more valuable on the Thunder than RJ, Lamb, and Adams?

It's not even close.

Again...the Thunder have improved offensively and defensively since Harden left. It's allowed WB and Durant to do what they do best...and allowed the team to play better defense.

[IGOTGAME]

Look. The Thunder now have RJ averaging 12/4/4 on 56% TS...and Lamb/Adams directly address the needs of the Thunder.

If you keep Harden. RJ doesn't develop...and you don't get Adams and Lamb.

Seriously...is anyone saying Harden is more valuable on the Thunder than RJ, Lamb, and Adams?

It's not even close.

Again...the Thunder have improved offensively and defensively since Harden left. It's allowed WB and Durant to do what they do best...and allowed the team to play better defense.


goal should be to maximize the return on your outgoing assets. Thunder could have gotten more for Dwight Howard. They could have gotten an all star big man.

They drafted well and that minimized the effect of the move. Maybe they were just banking on that ability.

[VIntageNOvel]

nah...harden value was not sky high at all.

that is the revisionist history going on here. he just laid an egg in the finals, was poor defensively, and nobody knew he was capable of being the offensive force he showed he could on the Rockets.

Teams turned down a lot of Harden offers actually. So nah...his value was not sky high at all.

And again...the Thunder need role players...not star players.

:biggums:

top 3 SG, young, going ham against spurs in WCF, first final experience,

did lebron james stock going down after his 2011 final? :hammerhead:

beal, thompson, etc was that true or just another rumor ? if its true then its weird move from presti to not even looking for big man

[DMAVS41]

:biggums:

top 3 SG, young, going ham against spurs in WCF, first final experience,

did lebron james stock going down after his 2011 final? :hammerhead:

beal, thompson, etc was that true or just another rumor ? if its true then its weird move from presti to not even looking for big man

his value was not as high as you say. lebron is a terrible example. harden was a 3rd year guy that hadn't proven much and was a 17/4/4 player. To act like you could just trade him easily for all-stars and all nba players is just not true.

I don't know about rumors or truth, but I'd imagine Presti didn't just trade him for far less than he could have gotten. Look...the guy is smart and knows what he's doing.

It was in part to give RJ more time...and to get rid of the potential chemistry issues having 3 ball dominant perimeter players while addressing needs as well. And they plugged in Martin for a year so they could challenge for the title while addressing needs...etc. It worked perfectly...and they got unlucky with a fluke WB injury.

I'll say it again...you don't want another all-star on that team. You want solid role players. Presti knows this. Of course they would have liked to go after a big, but it's not like there are a lot of quality bigs out there to get easily.


The Thunder are 79-26 since Harden left...and they have drastically improved their defense.

[VIntageNOvel]

his value was not as high as you say. lebron is a terrible example. harden was a 3rd year guy that hadn't proven much and was a 17/4/4 player. To act like you could just trade him easily for all-stars and all nba players is just not true.

I don't know about rumors or truth, but I'd imagine Presti didn't just trade him for far less than he could have gotten. Look...the guy is smart and knows what he's doing.

It was in part to give RJ more time...and to get rid of the potential chemistry issues having 3 ball dominant perimeter players while addressing needs as well. And they plugged in Martin for a year so they could challenge for the title while addressing needs...etc. It worked perfectly...and they got unlucky with a fluke WB injury.

I'll say it again...you don't want another all-star on that team. You want solid role players. Presti knows this. Of course they would have liked to go after a big, but it's not like there are a lot of quality bigs out there to get easily.


The Thunder are 79-26 since Harden left...and they have drastically improved their defense.

again, im not/never arguing lamb/adams etc is not better for thunder than harden right now,
but you must admit its a very risky move, what if they turn out to be a bust,
even if they do well in the regular season, there no guarantee that they would show up in the playoff let alone final (see harden), if it happen that they are not ready yet, then what? wait for another 3 years?

OKC just coming from a final, and trading one of your star to another proven/experience player would be a rational move, fixing your weakness on top of that
interior scoring, perkins, heat, didnt it ring a bell? its not a rocket science

do you think harden value couldnt land you al jefferson? chandler? millsap? or even varejao?
what big they could get? we wouldnt know because they rushed it, offered harden an extension, gave him an hour to decide, traded him before the sun even set
okc is win now mode, and should push harder, and while presti has done a great job, i still think the owner was too cheap

and again, its good and lucky that its turn out well (up to this point),
heck they could go 82-0, but whether presti win the trade or not couldnt be decided until thunder win a ring,
harden brought em to the final, you know what they should do to top that (not to mention wb and durant that keep improving, no excuse baring injury), if they failed to even reach final this year, then you know whether its a good trade or not

[DMAVS41]

again, im not/never arguing lamb/adams etc is not better for thunder than harden right now,
but you must admit its a very risky move, what if they turn out to be a bust,
even if they do well in the regular season, there no guarantee that they would show up in the playoff let alone final (see harden), if it happen that they are not ready yet, then what? wait for another 3 years?

OKC just coming from a final, and trading one of your star to another proven/experience player would be a rational move, fixing your weakness on top of that
interior scoring, perkins, heat, didnt it ring a bell? its not a rocket science

do you think harden couldnt land you al jefferson? chandler? millsap? or even varejao? okc is win now mode, and should push harder, and while presti has done a great job, i still think the owner was too cheap

and again, its good and lucky that its turn out well (up to this point),
heck they could go 82-0, but whether presti win the trade or not couldnt be decided until thunder win a ring,
harden brought em to the final, you know what they should do to top that (not to mention wb and durant that keep improving, no excuse baring injury), if they failed to even reach final this year, then you know whether its a good trade or not

I think you ignore the reality of the money situation. Jefferson and Chandler cost too much money. That was part of it as well. You can't ignore that. Also, Millsap doesn't do anything for the the Thunder.

Was it risky? I actually don't think so...Because he replaced Harden with Kevin Martin...who in that role, is about 90% as good as Harden. I think trading Harden was smart simply because he's not the type of player the Thunder needed. They didn''t need a ball dominant perimeter player that plays shit defense (although he used to play better defense on the Thunder)...they needed exactly what they got. And he trusted his instincts on Lamb and ability to draft. And why not? Lamb was a guy that could have gone in the top 3 of the draft. He's super talented and just fits in perfectly on the Thunder.

But you can't sit here and say that they should have traded Harden for a 15 million dollar a year Chandler or a guy like Jefferson (who they don't need by the way as he plays horrible defense)...

[VIntageNOvel]

I think you ignore the reality of the money situation. Jefferson and Chandler cost too much money. That was part of it as well. You can't ignore that. Also, Millsap doesn't do anything for the the Thunder.

Was it risky? I actually don't think so...Because he replaced Harden with Kevin Martin...who in that role, is about 90% as good as Harden. I think trading Harden was smart simply because he's not the type of player the Thunder needed. They didn''t need a ball dominant perimeter player that plays shit defense (although he used to play better defense on the Thunder)...they needed exactly what they got. And he trusted his instincts on Lamb and ability to draft. And why not? Lamb was a guy that could have gone in the top 3 of the draft. He's super talented and just fits in perfectly on the Thunder.

But you can't sit here and say that they should have traded Harden for a 15 million dollar a year Chandler or a guy like Jefferson (who they don't need by the way as he plays horrible defense)...

im too lazy to argue more :lol but you get my point,
i just find it weird that they were looking to trade him for another sg, and didnt even try to fix the center position,

its not like they can forrsee they would pick adam a year after,
did they trust perkins that much :lol

[DMAVS41]

im too lazy to argue more :lol but you get my point,
i just find it weird that they were looking to trade him for another sg, and didnt even try to fix the center position,

its not like they can forrsee they would pick adam a year after,
did they trust perkins that much :lol

I think you could argue that Presti trusted Perk too much, but getting a quality big man is so hard. There just aren't that many good ones...

[CelticBaller]

If lamb can put on some pounds the guy can be an instant scoring threat, he just gets pushed around too much around the basket

[KG215]

To VIntageNOvel:

Presti tried for a big man. I'm about 99% sure he offered Harden for Valanciunas and was turned down. Harden couldn't even fetch an unproven center (granted one with good potential) so what makes you think OKC could've landed a proven All-Star caliber or borderline All-Star caliber big for Harden?

And, like I said, Washington nixed a Harden for Beal trade and the Warriors would only give up Klay Thompson if Presti took on one of Richard Jefferson's or Biedrins' terrible contract.

[DMAVS41]

To VIntageNOvel:

Presti tried for a big man. I'm about 99% sure he offered Harden for Valanciunas and was turned down. Harden couldn't even fetch an unproven center (granted one with good potential) so what makes you think OKC could've landed a proven All-Star caliber or borderline All-Star caliber big for Harden?

And, like I said, Washington nixed a Harden for Beal trade and the Warriors would only give up Klay Thompson if Presti took on one of Richard Jefferson's or Biedrins' terrible contract.

And guys like Chandler and Jefferson were making like 13 and 15 million a year respectively. So those guys aren't even possible based on the money.

They could have maybe done something for a guy like Gortat I guess...but not sure how they would have worked. Gortat, Dudley, and a pick for Harden? They'd probably be better right now I guess, but the future would not be nearly as promising...and I'm not even sure you get a pick in that deal actually. Gortat was coming off a 15/10 season. So his value was pretty high...especially at only like 7 million a year.

[KG215]

And guys like Chandler and Jefferson were making like 13 and 15 million a year respectively. So those guys aren't even possible based on the money.

They could have maybe done something for a guy like Gortat I guess...but not sure how they would have worked. Gortat, Dudley, and a pick for Harden? They'd probably be better right now I guess, but the future would not be nearly as promising...and I'm not even sure you get a pick in that deal actually. Gortat was coming off a 15/10 season. So his value was pretty high...especially at only like 7 million a year.
Yeah, I know at one point a deal centered around us landing Gortat and Dudley was talked about a lot on the OKC message board, but it would've only worked if they took Perkins in return to make the money work. And that would've likely meant no draft picks in return, either.

Honestly, I'm not sure I could be happier with how things have worked out so far. Yes, we mihgt be a little too green in the supporting cast to win it all this year, but going forward this team could be scary good for the next 5+ years. I mean hell, we've got 3 players on our bench 23 years old or younger (Jackson, Lamb, Adams) that a lot of rebuilding teams would love to have to develop and make a part of their foundation; and two others in Roberson and Perry Jones who have some value and have shown flashes of good potential in terms of being very solid role players.

We've also got a couple of draft and stash players in Alex Abrines and Tibor Pleiss who I'm sure could be used in some sort of deal if need be. I'm kind of hoping if nothing else, though, we just let Thabo walk, move Lamb into the starting lineup, and bring Abrines over to be the back-up SG.

[DMAVS41]

Yeah, I know at one point a deal centered around us landing Gortat and Dudley was talked about a lot on the OKC message board, but it would've only worked if they took Perkins in return to make the money work. And that would've likely meant no draft picks in return, either.

Honestly, I'm not sure I could be happier with how things have worked out so far. Yes, we mihgt be a little too green in the supporting cast to win it all this year, but going forward this team could be scary good for the next 5+ years. I mean hell, we've got 3 players on our bench 23 years old or younger (Jackson, Lamb, Adams) that a lot of rebuilding teams would love to have to develop and make a part of their foundation; and two others in Roberson and Perry Jones who have some value and have shown flashes of good potential in terms of being very solid role players.

We've also got a couple of draft and stash players in Alex Abrines and Tibor Pleiss who I'm sure could be used in some sort of deal if need be. I'm kind of hoping if nothing else, though, we just let Thabo walk, move Lamb into the starting lineup, and bring Abrines over to be the back-up SG.

Yea. It just depends on how Presti wants to use that Dallas pick. I think it becomes unprotected after 2017...which could be the first year the Mavs are awful...so that pick might be hugely valuable for the Thunder to keep...or trade

If they include that in trades currently...they could definitely land a key player. I think I would probably use it now and go all in to win the title this year and next...and then you have space with Perkins finally expiring...

Presti might just keep it though...and that might be his only weakness...he might look to the future a bit too much rather than focusing on the present

[Cowboy Thunder]

Kinda sad lolz in here