The OKC Thunder... How to Get Past The First Round of The Playoffs.

The OKC Thunder made the playoffs for the first time in the young franchise's history.  It is a tremendous accomplishment by the youngest team in the NBA... who made a gallant run against the defending champs.  They fell short... this time.

I have been considering what must be done for this team to make it past the first round of the playoffs... next year.

****Lets consider the team assets....  (that would be reasonable to move)

the 21st, 26th, 32nd, and 51st overall picks in the 2010 draft

Nenad Krstic

a first and second round pick for the next five years

****And the team needs.... 

a solid all around center

upgrades off the bench

My proposal.  

We retain the 32nd and 51st overall picks... then use them to take C Solomon Alabi from Florida State and PG Demetri McCamey from Illinois.

Alabi will be a solid defender and backup center

McCamey has amazing court vision and will add depth to the PG position

We trade Nenad Krstic for a mid first round pick... probably to Minnesota at the #23 overall (where he can back up Al Jefferson).

With the #21, #23, #26, a 2011 and a 2012 fist round draft picks.

(yes this is a total pipe dream).....  we make the trade for Brook Lopez.

I LOVE this lineup.

PG Russel Westbrook / Eric Maynor / Demetri McCamey

SG James Harden / Thabo Sefolosha 

SF Kevin Durant

PF Jeff Green / Serge Ibaka / Nick Collison

C  Brook Lopez / Solomon Alabi

It isn't nearly as loaded as some of the other teams in the West... but this team did incredibly well before Lopez / Alabi / and McCamey (and will only do better with them).  All thats missing is a hardcore defensive guy to play behind Durant (similar to the situation with Thabo Sefolosha and Solomon Alabi). 

I think that New Jersey will accept this trade as a result of the tremendous bargaining power it gives them.  It costs nothing to own draft picks... and allows them to bring in Chris Bosh off a sign and trade.  Plus gives them the option of drafting whomever they want and trading up to get whomever.  They could potentially trade up with our picks and with their own picks to take Evan Turner.. John Wall.. and do a sign and trade of Chris Bosh.  That team would be deadly.

It is.... (like I said) a pipe dream.

Anybody think this could happen??  Is there a different route??  Or am I just an over-enthused Thunder fan with too much time on my hands??

best regards

-Shawn