Thunder Season Preview: Key Additions and Losses

The second of a six-part series of previews leading up to the Thunder's Oct. 27 opener against Chicago.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:00 pm

By: News On 6

Thunder Season Preview: Key Additions and Losses

Originally Published: Oct 23, 2010 12:43 AM CDT

Oct. 22 – Position Breakdown
Oct. 23 – Key Losses and Additions
Oct. 24 – Top Five Moments of 2009-10
Oct. 25 – Breaking Down the Opposition
Coming Oct. 26 – Top Five Games to Look Forward To
Coming Oct. 27 – Vitals: Thunder vs. Chicago Bulls

Grant Belcher
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

Thunder general manager Sam Presti has repeatedly said that he is committed to building his team through the draft and not necessarily through more dramatic moves such as trades. Because of this strategy, Oklahoma City’s roster does not see the same stark changes from year-to-year that some rosters do. However, there are several additions and losses that could have an effect on the Thunder entering the 2010-11 season.

Additions

Daequan Cook

The Miami Heat would give anything for a sharp-shooting 3-point specialist right now after one of their starters, Mike Miller, had thumb surgery on Friday and will be out until January. Unfortunately for the Heat, Cook would fit that role perfectly, but they traded him away several months ago. The Thunder will now reap the benefits of Cook’s shooting services. Cook, the NBA’s 3-point shootout winner two years ago, should add a valuable role to OKC’s roster even if it’s not a major one. Cook’s best performance of the preseason came in a 16-point, seven-rebound performance against Memphis.

Cole Aldrich

Daequan Cook’s arrival from Miami also netted the Thunder another first-round draft pick, which it then combined and shipped off to acquire Cole Aldrich, a center from the Kansas Jayhawks. Aldrich fit the description of what OKC needed in the middle: a tough big who can simply take up space, defend and grab rebounds. As with any big man, however, Aldrich comes with a learning curve and should transition into more minutes later in the season. For now, Nenad Krstic still has his starting center spot secured in Oklahoma City’s lineup.

Morris Peterson

Peterson came over to Oklahoma City along with Aldrich as part of the deal with the New Orleans Hornets. At the time, it appeared Peterson was just a toss-in who might be cut or offered up as trade bait elsewhere, but the Thunder like his veteran presence among a still-young core. However, OKC does have to temporarily take on his $6.6 million salary, which is pretty steep for someone who won’t see very many minutes.

Losses

Kyle Weaver

When Kyle Weaver is a team’s biggest loss over the offseason, that team has done a pretty impressive job of keeping its core intact. Weaver was a promising point guard/shooting guard combo from Washington State that battled injuries throughout his short career with the Thunder. Weaver bounced back and forth from the roster to D-League affiliate Tulsa, but eventually found himself the odd man out when the roster filled to the brim. Though he was a true team player and fit the Thunder’s high quality standards as a person, his game will not be severely missed.

Etan Thomas

Thomas was another player whose production unfortunately did not live up to his quality attributes as a teammate. He quickly lost playing time when Serge Ibaka began his stellar play partway through the year, but accepted his role and stayed positive on the bench. Thomas’ salary, however, will not be missed, as the Thunder essentially paid him big bucks to sit on the bench toward the end of the season.

Look for more Thunder breakdown and previews in the days leading up to the Oct. 27 opener by using the links at the top of the story.