Isaiah Blakely

If that were the case, we wouldn't need to vote. You could just plug it into a spreadsheet. The fact that the Thunder are also the best team in the West by a good margin, and he's putting up the numbers he is. The results matter to me. Denver's kind of depressed win total right now is factoring in for me. But again, a lot of season left to go.

If that were the case, we wouldn't need to vote. You could just plug it into a spreadsheet. The fact that the Thunder are also the best team in the West by a good margin, and he's putting up the numbers he is. The results matter to me. Denver's kind of depressed win total right now is factoring in for me. But again, a lot of season left to go.

If that were the case, we wouldn't need to vote. You could just plug it into a spreadsheet. The fact that the Thunder are also the best team in the West by a good margin, and he's putting up the numbers he is. The results matter to me. Denver's kind of depressed win total right now is factoring in for me. But again, a lot of season left to go.

I just want to quickly footnote here because we were talking about the history of the Thunder and this version of them that has the best chance to go and win it all or at least get back to the finals since the peak Westbrook-Durant years. I think this is one of the best, quickest, maybe the best, quickest rebuild I've seen in the 28 seasons that I've covered the NBA. Quick review.

I just want to quickly footnote here because we were talking about the history of the Thunder and this version of them that has the best chance to go and win it all or at least get back to the finals since the peak Westbrook-Durant years. I think this is one of the best, quickest, maybe the best, quickest rebuild I've seen in the 28 seasons that I've covered the NBA. Quick review.

I just want to quickly footnote here because we were talking about the history of the Thunder and this version of them that has the best chance to go and win it all or at least get back to the finals since the peak Westbrook-Durant years. I think this is one of the best, quickest, maybe the best, quickest rebuild I've seen in the 28 seasons that I've covered the NBA. Quick review.

2016, they win 55 games, lose to the Warriors, Durant leaves, as we know. The next three seasons with Russ as their centerpiece, they win 47, 48, 49. They never win a playoff series. 2019, they trade Paul George and Westbrook. Um, just pull the plug entirely, but they end up with Chris Paul who gets them to 44 wins in the COVID season.

2016, they win 55 games, lose to the Warriors, Durant leaves, as we know. The next three seasons with Russ as their centerpiece, they win 47, 48, 49. They never win a playoff series. 2019, they trade Paul George and Westbrook. Um, just pull the plug entirely, but they end up with Chris Paul who gets them to 44 wins in the COVID season.

2016, they win 55 games, lose to the Warriors, Durant leaves, as we know. The next three seasons with Russ as their centerpiece, they win 47, 48, 49. They never win a playoff series. 2019, they trade Paul George and Westbrook. Um, just pull the plug entirely, but they end up with Chris Paul who gets them to 44 wins in the COVID season.

So that's a, that's a 50, that's actually a 50 win equivalent, which is a damn good season. 50 is really good in this league. 2020, they trade Paul George to Phoenix, uh, Paul, uh, Chris Paul to Phoenix, uh, I hope I said Chris Paul the first time. With Chris Paul, they won the 44 games. I'm like, I've got too many notes in front of me.

So that's a, that's a 50, that's actually a 50 win equivalent, which is a damn good season. 50 is really good in this league. 2020, they trade Paul George to Phoenix, uh, Paul, uh, Chris Paul to Phoenix, uh, I hope I said Chris Paul the first time. With Chris Paul, they won the 44 games. I'm like, I've got too many notes in front of me.

So that's a, that's a 50, that's actually a 50 win equivalent, which is a damn good season. 50 is really good in this league. 2020, they trade Paul George to Phoenix, uh, Paul, uh, Chris Paul to Phoenix, uh, I hope I said Chris Paul the first time. With Chris Paul, they won the 44 games. I'm like, I've got too many notes in front of me.

Great. 2020, they trade Chris Paul to Phoenix to really start the rebuild, right? Yeah. So they've not really had a down year yet. No. They've been petering out. Durant's gone. It's just Westbrook. That's Westbrook and Paul George. Now they get rid of both of them. They win 22 games in a 72-game season in 2020-21. 22 wins, then 24 wins, then 40 wins, like just shy of getting to 500 in 2022-23.

Great. 2020, they trade Chris Paul to Phoenix to really start the rebuild, right? Yeah. So they've not really had a down year yet. No. They've been petering out. Durant's gone. It's just Westbrook. That's Westbrook and Paul George. Now they get rid of both of them. They win 22 games in a 72-game season in 2020-21. 22 wins, then 24 wins, then 40 wins, like just shy of getting to 500 in 2022-23.

Great. 2020, they trade Chris Paul to Phoenix to really start the rebuild, right? Yeah. So they've not really had a down year yet. No. They've been petering out. Durant's gone. It's just Westbrook. That's Westbrook and Paul George. Now they get rid of both of them. They win 22 games in a 72-game season in 2020-21. 22 wins, then 24 wins, then 40 wins, like just shy of getting to 500 in 2022-23.

They had only three losing seasons after that, and only two that were truly awful, right? Because 40 and 42 is at least competitive. And they go from 40 wins to 57 last season. Now here they are on pace for 66, despite not having Chet and Hartenstein play together yet. Only 11 games from Hartenstein, only 10 from Holmgren. Um, like this is just a absolutely fucking masterful rebuild.

They had only three losing seasons after that, and only two that were truly awful, right? Because 40 and 42 is at least competitive. And they go from 40 wins to 57 last season. Now here they are on pace for 66, despite not having Chet and Hartenstein play together yet. Only 11 games from Hartenstein, only 10 from Holmgren. Um, like this is just a absolutely fucking masterful rebuild.

They had only three losing seasons after that, and only two that were truly awful, right? Because 40 and 42 is at least competitive. And they go from 40 wins to 57 last season. Now here they are on pace for 66, despite not having Chet and Hartenstein play together yet. Only 11 games from Hartenstein, only 10 from Holmgren. Um, like this is just a absolutely fucking masterful rebuild.

And I know Presti gets praised plenty. He doesn't need more, but they've done all this and they still have like 800 draft picks to deal and plenty of flexibility, optionality, however you want to refer to it. Uh, Caruso and Hartenstein were incredible offseason pickups, and yet we're still sitting here going, ah, they could use more shooting. Well, guess what?

And I know Presti gets praised plenty. He doesn't need more, but they've done all this and they still have like 800 draft picks to deal and plenty of flexibility, optionality, however you want to refer to it. Uh, Caruso and Hartenstein were incredible offseason pickups, and yet we're still sitting here going, ah, they could use more shooting. Well, guess what?