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This season was a bit of a test run for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While they were expected to be better than they were last season, not many people thought they would end up with the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
They were in the mix for that spot during the entire season, and while there were some glaring needs, they didn’t want to make a big move at the trade deadline.
Sam Presti knew that this playoff run would expose their biggest needs and flaws, and they would have more than enough draft capital and money to address them in the offseason.
And address them they did.
As pointed out by Scott Van Pelt in his podcast, getting Isaiah Hartenstein was a major acquisition for this team, as it became painfully evident that they needed someone who could dominate the glass.
Isaiah Hartenstein fills a BIG void for the Thunder
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Van Pelt pointed out that the Dallas Mavericks kept getting extra shots until they finally made them because of the Thunder’s lack of an interior presence.
Hartenstein might not be the biggest name in free agency, and some felt like he was overpaid, but he was just the kind of player this team needed.
Also, getting another elite defender in Alex Caruso was a major move for Mark Daigneault’s roster.
Once again, the Thunder are going to be in the mix for the No. 1 seed next season, and they will continue to have the assets to keep adding more talent along the way if things don’t work out early in the season.
The post Analyst Says One Free Agent Acquisition Filled A Big Void For Thunder appeared first on The Cold Wire.