Tre Mann Moves Onto My Thunder Rotation

I’m very much enjoying the Summer League as I’ve watched all four of the Thunder games so far. I’ve watched some other teams as well, but clearly from my view when the Thunder allow J-Dub to play with Chet, J-Will, Tre Mann and rookie Cason Wallace these Thunder by far are the most talented group I’ve seen so far in the Summer League.

I mean…wow. I don’t won’t to hyperbolate…but Fab Five, maybe.

There is some real talent with these five guys and their skill sets interchange where a basketball person looking ahead to various combinations in game situations in the real league games could see all five of these guys paired with SGA, Lu Dort, and Josh Giddy in various situations depending on opponent, score, and time.

With the improvement of Tre Mann what Sam Presti now has are top eight players who can all play defense in a versatile manner and switch as the other team’s lineups change. Plus, all eight can score the ball from anywhere on the court. Not an Andre Roberson to be seen.

Add these eight guys to my original list including both Aaron Wiggins and KenrichWilliams and that’s nine out of the Thunder’s top ten on my list so far into this evaluation who can defend and are not a defensive pylon in any way.

Josh Giddy’s defense and his footwork concern me, but that’s what coaches are for…to ostensibly challenge their players to make their weakness a strength.

My No. 11 right now is the kid…Ousane Dieng. He could conceivably be the third ‘modern day’ big to go along with Chet and J-Dub. I would think eventually the Thunder will need a banger and we’ll see if Keontae Johnson can evolve in that role.

That puts me at thirteen and I know Presti added the injured Victor Oladipo and the vet point guard Patty Mills if I read that right. I don’t see Victor playing anywhere for awhile given his serious injury and I’m not sure I know enough about Patty Mills’ contract situation to comment on his presence as of now.

*Oops…just traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

I mean…there’s going to be some tough decisions for the Thunder to make coming out of camp in October.

Isiah Joe, JRE, Lindy W, Poku, and Jared Butler just to name five. Plus, a couple of these other guys on the Summer League roster I’d never seen before. Plus, the two Euros Presti picked up. It’s going to be interesting for certain. But if they don’t use Keontae as their banger, they need to add a banger with some physical moxie to the group.

So….with me hyperbolating like this on July 8th, which btw is my mom’s birthday, could this Thunder group possibly challenge for a top six spot in the uber, uber tough West?

Yeah, the Thunder could be the Sac Kings or the Minny T Wolves, but when you start really looking at rosters in the West it’s going to be so very tough to crack the top six.

Just looked at the weather radar it appears more rain just about to hit Deer Creek, Kaui.

Aloha and peace.