Should Oklahoma City Thunder Go After Carlos Delfino?


Should Oklahoma City Thunder Go After Carlos Delfino

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

With shooting guard Kevin Martin signing a four-year, $28 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week, the Oklahoma City Thunder must find an inexpensive, veteran scorer who can bring some quality production off the bench. One player in particular that could handle this role with ease is shooting guard Carlos Delfino.

The 30-year-old has spent time with four NBA teams in his seven-year career, most recently with the Houston Rockets. The Rockets waived Delfino at the end of June, along with several other veterans, to make cap space for the possibility of signing free agent Dwight Howard to a maximum contract. Personally, I believe it was a huge mistake for the Rockets to cut ties with Delfino. However, the good news for the Thunder is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

The fact is Delfino is a solid threat from beyond the arc, something Oklahoma City desperately needs off the bench. It is not as if the team does not have players who are incapable of converting 3-point shots; it is more of the fact that Delfino specializes in that area. It is true there are several free agents who are capable of making long-ranged baskets, but none of them will come for less than $3 million. At least with Delfino the Thunder know they will not get a nut case, which is why they would be willing to pay a little extra.

Delfino is not a huge scorer as he only averaged 10.6 points per game last season. With that being said, he did convert 37.5 percent of Houston’s team-high 6.3 3-point field goal attempts per game last season. The fact is the Thunder do not need him to be a top-notch scorer, they just need him to be an outside threat who can draw out the defense.



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