Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s face it — the Western Conference is really becoming a tough place to play in the NBA, and the newly re-decorated Oklahoma City Thunder must improve their bench play if they wish to have tremendous success in the future. Newly acquired rookie NBA head coach Billy Donovan has a lot on his plate this upcoming offseason, but he needs much better upgrades on the bench if management wishes for him to have a Steve Kerr-like debut.
Even though the entire roster is returning next year, OKC still has many decisions to make before the 2015-16 season. Dion Waiters, the one-on-one dazzling guard from Syracuse, has a team option on his contract for next year. But no worries, because that will be accepted given his extreme knack of knocking down difficult jumpers. The only issue, which can become a very big one if coach Donovan cannot handle his ego, is that the Thunder must move him to the bench.
Waiters may possess lightning in a bottle at times, but he needs to become that all-important sixth man if the team hopes to make serious noise in the playoffs. His lack of understanding this when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers led to his trade to OKC, but the team must rally around him so he can finally see the light. He definitely has sixth man of the year potential if he pushes himself. Moving Waiters to the bench will only be the first step to improving this team, but it will be a very successful one.
If they make that simple adjustment, mixed in with Donovan’s NBA coaching potential and the talents of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, they could hoist a championship trophy very soon in Oklahoma City.
Samuel Martell is Oklahoma City’s beat writer at www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @sram1027, or add him to your network on Google.
