Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 Players that disappointed this season
Following a disappointing first round playoff exit the year prior, the Thunder seemed to have it under control through the most parts of this season. Paul George had returned and was dropping MVP-like numbers whilst Brodie was enroute to averaging a triple-double for the third straight season. OKC ended the regular season with a 49-33 (0.598) win-loss record.
They showed quality and resilience down the stretch and set up a fan-favourite matchup in the first round of the postseason against Damian Lillard and his Trail Blazers. And that is when their inconsistencies and roster imperfections magnified to an uneasy extent. The Blazers eliminated Oklahoma in just five games and humiliated them in the process as well.
In Melo's absence, Paul George and Russell Westbrook proved to be brilliant two-way players. Along with leading their team in scoring, PG and Brodie managed to punch their names amongst the league's leaders in steals. However, while they were busy making a difference on both ends of the court, some players on the roster did not deliver to their full potential.
Let's take a look at the three most disappointing performers from Oklahoma throughout their 2018-19 season.
#1 Alex Abrines
The Thunder selected Alex as the 32nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft and the 6-foot-6 shooting guard shot an impressive 38% from beyond the arc in his first two years with the franchise.
However, this year his long-range expertise was limited to barely 30% conversion from deep as he averaged just 5.3 points per game on around 20 minutes of playtime. Moreover, his 2018-19 campaign was marred by injuries and personal problems, restricting him to just 31 games. After the organisation waived the Spaniard, there was a noticeable void in OKC's wing which they couldn't seem to repair throughout the year.