I thought Chet looked good even though he struggled in the first period against an inferior level of bigs from the Utah Jazz. His body looks better. It looks to me like he’s added around 20-22 pounds of muscle mass in his arms and legs.
I don’t want or think Chet needs to be Hulk Hogan to be an effective NBA big man in this contemporary style of ball which is now played, but I think as he moves along here with the Thunder’s nutritional staff he should hopefully put on another 10-15 pounds of muscle mass in the next 18 months. I would think 227 lbs. or so would be a good weight for Chet so as not to diminish his mobility.
He clearly has the skill set to be a unique offensive player in ‘this’ NBA. On the defensive side of the ball….I think as his body continues to morph he’ll become a better and better rim protector.
If he stays healthy he clearly along with SGA and J-Dub gives the Thunder a legit top three core from which to build an interesting ten man rotation.
I don’t have Josh Giddy in my top three for two simple reasons. He defends and shoots the ball at substandard levels for me to make him a top two or three core guy. I think he would be a fabulous Sixth Man. His court vision and passing skills are top tier though. We’ll see.
Staying healthy will be the thing for Chet. Making those bones stronger, more durable. I would guess he’s under some sort of calcium regime program as well. Avoid the Bill Walton, Sam Bowie, and Greg Oden scenarios at all costs. It’s uncanny how Portland drafted all three of those guys, lucky for Sam Presti the Blazers took Oden and Kevin Durant fell to the Thunder for a decade of excellent basketball. Any blind fool would have taken Durant at that point.
It’s time for Presti to show me all this Savant Status bullshit he’s given by the weak Oklahoma sports media is earned. Sure….J-Dub has turned out to be a great pick, but what about some of the other first round flameouts like Micth McGary, Josh Huestis, Terrance Ferguson, Darius Bazely, Alex Abrines (2nd round), and of late Poku.
What I want to see from Sam Presti is the ability to take the Thunder franchise firstly to a single first round playoff series advance without Kevin Durant carrying his lunchpail. Westbrook, Paul George, Chris Paul, and SGA haven’t been able to lift that lunchpail past the first round. Just sayin’.
I’m not not talking about a ‘championship in Oklahoma City or even a Northwest Divisonal title. I just want to see with all this ‘basketball’ genius Sam Presti is given credit for by the very weak Oklahoma City sports media if Sam Presti can lead this frachise to ONE single playoff series triumph without Kevin Durant and Wanda Pratt.
It would seem to me with all the parity in the NBA….that shouldn’t be too much to ask given the fact the Denver Nuggets just this week lost two core players off their championship bench in Bruce Brown and Jeff Green. I hate to see Jeff Green leaving Denver, but that’s the nature of the beast in the NBA. Hopefully, Coach Malone has sobered up from the parade and huddled with GM Calvin Booth to remake the Nugget bench with Christian Braun becoming the new Sixth Man.
Have a great Fourth of July.
Peace.