NBA Free Agents 2011: Why the Thunder Should Stand Pat

A free-agent flurry will soon sweep through the NBA, but there will be one team immune to it all. The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the few teams in the league that will likely never be mentioned in any free-agent or trade rumors during this short preseason.

In today’s win-now, buy-the-right-guy environment, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been put together the old-fashioned way. They’ve used solid draft picks and a few well-placed trades to become a top contender in the Western Conference. All they need to do this offseason is lock Russell Westbrook into a long-term deal and re-sign veteran sharpshooter Daequan Cook.

Here’s why they should continue doing things their way.

All the Right Pieces

What position do the Thunder need to reinforce by signing a free agent? Unlike most NBA teams, Oklahoma City has no personnel weaknesses.

They have a perennial MVP candidate in Kevin Durant and a perennial All-Star in Russell Westbrook. James Harden will likely be a strong Sixth Man of the Year Award contender (if not a starter), and Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins are among the best defenders at their positions in the NBA. Not to mention that Serge Ibaka is becoming the most dominant shot-blocker in the game today.

They also possess one of the best benches in the league and have just two players in their 10-man rotation that have hit the 30-year-old mark. Each player has a role on the team, and each continues to understand it better with each passing game.

The Thunder don't need to add anyone, especially when it would likely require them to lose younger talent.

Keep What You’ve Got

However, it is imperative for the Thunder to keep who they have. They need to give Westbrook an extension as soon as they possibly can. He and Kevin Durant have the potential to become the best duo in the NBA (and yes, I do mean even better than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade).

Cook is one of the most dependable long-range shooters in the NBA and was key in the development of the Thunder last year. He helped make the second unit the dangerous group that it was, and he’ll continue to do so if the Thunder re-sign him.

Neither of those objectives is likely to be difficult. However, the overall objective will become more difficult as the years go by. Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka all appear to be headed toward stardom. It will be difficult for the Thunder, a small-market team, to keep that nucleus together.

If they can, it could mean a dynasty that no one has seen since the Lakers and Celtics of yesteryear. But those worries are for the future.

Stay True to the Identity You’ve Created

Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has done a great job of responsibly putting a team together. He has assembled the best group of young talent in the league, and one of the best in NBA history.

He must keep doing what he’s been doing. The Thunder can’t get caught up in the free-agent frenzies that now seem to come around like clockwork every couple of years.

They’ve built a strong, young core that will stand the test of time if the good management and coaching that they’ve had continue in the future.

In an era of big money wasted on “big” talent, the Thunder must continue to be the antithesis of the common NBA management culture. Responsible management, good coaching and solid player development will always be big in the game of basketball. The Thunder must continue to be the model of all three.