Within the annals of NBA historical past, few executives have exhibited the outstanding foresight and bravado within the draft that Sam Presti has. His unparalleled achievement of drafting three consecutive future MVPs – Kevin Durant in 2007, Russell Westbrook in 2008, and James Harden in 2009 – set an unprecedented benchmark. This triumvirate not solely assured the nascent success of the Seattle SuperSonics, quickly transitioning to change into the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, but additionally offered the franchise, nestled within the NBA’s smallest market, with the star energy important for its monetary viability and aggressive edge. Regardless of this heralded begin, Presti’s report post-2009 has seen a conspicuous absence of drafting gamers who would go on to realize All-Star or All-NBA honors.
Shifting focus in direction of Presti’s cornerstone success story, Durant, Westbrook, and Harden reshaped the narrative of particular person accolades within the NBA. Their collective résumé boasts 33 All-Star appearances, 26 All-NBA picks, 9 scoring titles, and 5 season help championships. But, regardless of Durant’s back-to-back titles with Golden State, Presti’s lack of ability to encompass this triumvirate with the requisite expertise throughout their tenure with the Thunder invitations scrutiny – a missed alternative that many regard as one in every of sport’s best what-ifs.
Untangling Presti’s Draft Internet
Acknowledging Presti’s historic drafting acumen gives a window into his diminished success in subsequent years. The draft success between 2007 and 2009 set excessive expectations, however the shifting dynamics of the Thunder, coupled with the exit of its foundational stars, necessitated a recalibration of Presti’s drafting technique. Notably, between 2011 and 2017, Presti’s drafts, though frequent, didn’t yield the anticipated transformative expertise, apart from Steven Adams in 2013. This era underlines a big diminishment in drafting efficacy, punctuated by missed alternatives and questionable selections that will invariably form the workforce’s trajectory.
Lou Dort, an undrafted gem secured by Presti in 2020, who later signed a notable five-year, $82.5 million contract, stands as a testomony to Presti’s acumen in figuring out expertise past the draft’s standard radar. Nonetheless, the jury stays out on the high-profile collection of Josh Giddey in 2021 amidst off-court controversies, alongside a pivot to long-term initiatives like Ousman Dieng in latest drafts, pointing to a draft philosophy that oscillates between high-risk gambles and searches for undervalued belongings.
Contemplating Presti’s draft-day trades, a sample of missed alternatives emerges, with every transaction reflective of of venture that did not repay. These strategic strikes, from the failed wager on Alexey Pokusevski to the puzzling choice to commerce for Dieng, underscore a willingness to take dangers – a trait that, whereas sometimes yielding a Dort, has extra typically resulted in missed alternatives to consolidate expertise or safe transformative gamers.
In sum, whereas Presti’s early success in drafting future MVPs is plain, his subsequent report is mired in a mixture of occasional brilliance and missed alternatives. His drafting philosophy – marked by a mix of audacity and innovation – has reshaped the Thunder, for higher or worse. The narrative on Presti’s legacy, very like the drafts he navigates, is advanced and nuanced, a mirrored image of the unpredictable attract of potential that defines the NBA draft.
