It wasn't always smooth during Year 1 in Oklahoma City, but the Thunder appear to be on the right track going forward with a talented nucleus and plenty of roster flexibility. The franchise has seven first-round picks in the next three years, including two this summer, and a ton of cap space.
Kevin Durant took a quantum leap from his Rookie of the Year campaign to establish himself as a budding All-Star. Rookie point guard Russell Westbrook took the reins and got better as the season went on. Jeff Green might have been playing out of position at power forward, but the second-year pro figures to be a solid rotation piece for years come. A few additions/reclamation projects made during the season also show promise moving forward. Nenad Krstic returned from Europe to give the frontline another scorer. Chicago castoff Thabo Sefolosha could have Bruce Bowen-like impact for the team's perimeter defense. One-time lottery pick Shaun Livingston looks to be working his way back to health and a prominent bench role.
The Thunder got off to a 1-12 start, fired coach P.J. Carlesimo and elevated Scott Brooks to the top job on an interim basis. The team continued to struggle before turning things around as the calendar flipped to 2009.
Brooks' patient approach and key position changes emphasized scoring and athleticism. Durant thrived as a small forward, opening up the floor for everyone else. The Ford Center, rocking all season, became increasingly tougher on opponents. Oklahoma City won 12 of its last 18 at home.
Brooks' status for next season hasn't been decided, at least not publicly. General manager Sam Presti, the man overseeing the rebuilding efforts, plans to address the coaching situation after the season. If Brooks doesn't return, expect a number of high-profile out-of-work coaches to be interested.
SEASON HIGHLIGHT: Kevin Durant was easily the star of the early portion of All-Star weekend. The sensational sophomore scored 46 in the Rookie Challenge game and won the league's first H-O-R-S-E competition. For those who doubted Durant's star potential, this was his time to shine.
TURNING POINT: The 1-12 start cost P.J. Carlesimo his job and morphed into a 3-29 record that had many wondering if the Thunder would post the worst record in NBA history. Oklahoma City then followed with a 6-3 stretch and stayed relatively competitive the rest of the season.
