Throughout the summer the work gets done behind the scenes, both in Oklahoma City and all over the country. After Labor Day, players and staff begin reuniting informally at the INTEGRIS Thunder Development Center and by late September it’s in the air. NBA basketball is back.
On Wednesday, Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti held his annual preseason press conference, 48 hours before Friday’s Media Day and 72 hours ahead of the Thunder’s first official practice of the 2016-17 season. Entering the team’s ninth season in Oklahoma City, it’s clear to Presti that fans have embraced the fact that Thunder basketball is a 12-month, 365 day entity, and one that carries along uninterrupted in its march from season to season.
“I feel like the Thunder is at this point like one continuous experience that everyone in Oklahoma and around the world has been able to associate with,” Presti said. “I think that's part of what makes this time of year so exciting around here and both within the building and also around the city.”
“There's a real positive energy and enthusiasm amongst the players, the staff in general, and I've picked that up around the city as well, which is so great,” Presti added.
This team’s roster will be a combination of the familiar and the new. Russell Westbrook, the ferocious and tenacious point guard who guides and directs his cohorts will be at the helm. Veteran forward Nick Collison remains as one of the organization’s most crucial figures, and a representation of the values of the team. Surrounding them are veterans like Steven Adams and Andre Roberson, who have furthered the standards set by young players on the team to elevate their craft each and every day.
“This is another moment in time for the Thunder to build on the vision and the values that we've become known for, the energy that we've become known for,” Presti reflected.
Up and coming big man Enes Kanter and sharpshooting guard Anthony Morrow have been wonderful additions to the locker room and impactful players on the court, and they’ll be competing in training camp not only with the newcomers, but with other young veterans like Cameron Payne, Kyle Singler, Josh Huestis and Mitch McGary.
WATCH: Presti on Upcoming Season
What will be intriguing not only for Thunder fans, but for Presti and Head Coach Billy Donovan, will be the integration of diversely talented players that the team acquired this offseason. The aggressive and athletic Victor Oladipo is sure to be a fan favorite, according to Presti and NBA veterans Ersan Ilyasova, Joffrey Lauvergne and Ronnie Price will be in the mix to impact winning.
Spanish marksman Alex Abrines and rookie lottery pick Domantas Sabonis will help the Thunder sustain its continual influx of young talent, as Semaj Christon and Daniel Hamilton (second round draft selections from 2013 and 2015) fight to show off their talent. With a month’s worth of training camp ahead of the Thunder, including a trip to Spain, there’s a chance for every man to step up and an opportunity for the coaching staff to begin learning about the team’s highest performing combinations and lineups.
“The work that we put in each day isn't going to necessarily give us immediate results, but we're working towards building the best team and finding the best version of ourselves every year,” Presti explained. “We want to create a great environment for our players, our coaches, our staff to do their best work and allow them to leverage their strengths with one another so that we can really have a great year and an enjoyable season.”
“We as an organization relish that opportunity to continue to come into each season knowing that the only thing we're entitled to or promised is the opportunity to lineup every day, have the best day we can and find ways to get better individually and collectively,” Presti continued.
It will take time for this version of the Thunder to take shape, and it will be a process of self-evaluation over the course of training camp and the season as whole that allows the team to flourish. The start of the year, however, is an enormous opportunity. It’s a chance for the Thunder players, the coaches, the staff to solidify the organization’s reputation as resilient, focused and committed to competing at a high level. Just as importantly, it’s also an opportunity to cement the city’s reputation as having the most fervent and loyal fan base in the entire league.
“Anybody that comes in contact with the Thunder is part of Loud City, and I think we all feel that way, which is why it's great to be around basketball this time of the year,” Presti concluded.