TANZANIAN NBA STAR TO JOIN OKLAHOMA CITY

The Oklahoma City Thunder made their first move of the 2012 offseason and agreed to a deal with center Hasheem Thabeet on July 4.The signing is a minor one that could pay dividends down the line.

The Oklahoma City Thunder made their first move of the 2012 offseason and agreed to a deal with center Hasheem Thabeet on July 4. The signing is a minor one that could pay dividends down the line. The Thunder wanted Thabeet when he came out in the 2009 NBA Draft but the Memphis Grizzlies drafted him one spot ahead of the Thunder. Instead, the Thunder grabbed James Harden with their pick. Meanwhile, Thabeet ended up a disappointment in the NBA. Standing 7-3, Thabeet has drifted through the league, leanding on three different teams before making it to Oklahoma City. Memphis traded him to the Houston Rockets for Shane Battier. After playing only seven games in Houston, they traded him to the Portland Trailblazers for Marcus Camby. Over his career, Thabeet has only averaged 2.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks a game. The contract is a two-year deal for league minimum. This means if he suddenly reaches his potential, it is a steal for the Thunder. If he does not, it costs very little. “Playing in that environment is positive,” Thabeet’s agent, Bill Duffy said. “Sam Presti has done a great job of not only building a winning organization but a culture that's conditioned to developing and nurturing. So we think it's a really good fit. So now the onus is on Hasheem to buy into that and to develop and to reach his potential.” The signing also means that Nazr Mohammed will not return after watching his contract expire. It is expected that Cole Aldrich will move into the immediate backup role behind Kendrick Perkins and Thabeet will take Aldrich’s spot as a third stringer.
The signing was cheap, so that helps leave some leverage open for the three players that Oklahoma City needs to re-sign before 2013, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor. Maynor should come at a discount following his ACL injury but both Harden and Ibaka will not come cheap.