Stephen A. applauds Sam Presti for his assembly of the OKC Thunder 👏 | NBA Countdown

Stephen A. applauds Sam Presti for his assembly of the OKC Thunder 👏 | NBA Countdown

Out the Thunder they have big winds over Denver they have big winds over the Timberwolves most recently the Celtics it feels like OKC is on the cusp of something and then they have all these assets so the questions are starting to come well do you expect them to make a

Move Oklahoma City is the best story in the NBA right now and what they have done to develop this young group uh they went into a rebuild and got out of it pretty fast they are playing as well as anybody in the league right now offensive defensive efficiency only

Boston Philadelphia Oklahoma City in the top five they don’t have to do anything with this roster except let it grow let it develop they don’t know how good they can be yet but they believe in this young group and I think the one thing Sam prey is not going to do is just

Because he’s got 15 first round picks that I have to go use them this is a chemistry is fragile and grow growth with a young team is fragile and even if they bring in an older player yeah an older it doesn’t make their 21 and 22

Year old guys 25 years Chad holgren and Jaylen Williams uh and Josh giddy they have to go through it they haven’t been in the playoffs yet and this is a team right now you are crazy to mess with them San presty is not going to and they’re going to host the home playoff

Series nobody thought that before the season at times in the past I’ve looked at Sam presy who obviously is a damn good executive and I’ve lamented the fact that Kevin Durant Russell Westbrook James Harden Serge Baka Reggie Jackson the plethora Paul George melow all of these folks no

Championship he is doing such an excellent job I want to look on national television and apologize to that man for any questions I’ve had about how exceptional he is as an executive I’m dead serious I don’t apologize often yeah I but Sam pry on National Television I’m going to say this I

Stephen A Smith owe this man an apology I don’t give a damn about the Championships right now I can’t when I’m a Nicks fan I can tell you this to have 15 picks to have that roster to have them this young playing at this level this man is the man is a special

Executive and he you won’t hear any questions about him from about him from me again well then you should treat me better that’s how you feel about pre got four we played we we beat PR we did beat PR it wasn’t me but the team Bob when you’re looking at the the Western

Conference and we just laid it out looking a little bit different than the Warriors being at the top the the your warriors being at the top like they have been in years past who who do you feel the best about representing the West about coming out of the West this year

Can I do can I talk about Oklahoma City for a minute first so it’s not Oklahoma City you’re tipping your it’s not coming out of the West no not for me um but look tremendous job uh but I will say this and he’s done it twice this he

Built up a great team Sam did uh that didn’t quite get there and now he’s doing it again which is really hard to do right and it’s on the cusp I caution these things we talked about in the break Memphis a few years ago was this team understand that with Jah with jiren

Jackson with Desmond Bane second in the West Young team and you see how fast things can change so Sam doesn’t have to do anything I agree but eventually he might right because you’re not as with a championship this year probably not okay I don’t think that’s news to anybody

But if they don’t win it this year and they don’t win it next year then the pressure starts coming to do something for the players not just for the GM for the players so Malik I’m G question let’s see the star let’s see how can I

Say who’s coming out of the West yeah uh Denver Nugget thank you for that how about that by the way Oklahoma City just to go back for a second they got what could be the MVP and the Rookie of the Year yes how often does that happen when

It’s not the same person like West MPS thater two different guys to have that it’s speaks a roster superiority and the one guy nobody talks about Mark dagnell their coach he’s a coach of the a candid without question without comes up through their g- league becomes a head

Coach of the team this is a great organization right now and I’ll tell you what Sam he climbed Mount Everest but he he saw the summit 5et he’s seen it he’s been to the finals he wants to climb that mount right and that’s why he said

We need to make that’s why he might be [Applause] aggressive NBA is

Stephen A. Smith, Adrian Wojnarowski and Bob Meyers join Malika Andrews on NBA Countdown to discuss the bright future ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder at the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference standings headlined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie sensation Chet Holmgren.

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