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After suffering a disappointing first-round playoff defeat to the Utah Jazz back in April, the Thunder quickly focused on persuading Paul George to stay. They were, of course, successful as George signed a max deal, pledging his best years to the Thunder.
The retention of PG13 has put the Thunder in a position to compete for the next few years. However, the cap space is now maxed out, and the franchise will need to rely on a number of roster players stepping up. In the early stages of the 18/19 season, individuals such as Nerlens Noel and Hamidou Diallo have successfully demonstrated their ability to do this.
However, here are three players that the Thunder will need to improve over the next few months:
#3 Terrance Ferguson
Terrance Ferguson has been a surprise starter for the Thunder for the early part of the season. The 20-year-old has started the first 15 games of the season and the young shooting guard has increasingly grown in confidence.
Despite this, most Thunder fans agree that Ferguson is simply not ready for a starting spot. He has averaged just 4.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists despite playing 21.3 minutes per game. Ferguson was drafted as the 21st pick by the Thunder just a year ago, and while the Oklahoma native looks to have a promising future, he is not yet ready to start for a championship chasing team.
#2 Alex Abrines
Alex Abrines is on the Thunder roster due to his ability to knock down three's better than anyone else. The 25-year-old started the new season well, and he notably posted a career-high 25 points against the Hornets at the start of November. Despite this, the shooting guard's performances have been in decline since that big night in Charlotte, and his current three-pointer percentage of .319 is a career low.
It also doesn't help that Abrines is a defensive liability to the Thunder. The Spaniard always looks uncomfortable when defending, and he often commits unnecessary fouls as he tries to make defensive stops. The Thunder are sorely in need of shooters, so the team will be hoping that Abrines can find his form again in December.
#1 Patrick Patterson
Patrick Patterson was seen as a starter for the Oklahoma City Thunder when he was signed on in 2017. He had a reputation as a player who could shoot the ball well, in addition to being solid on the defensive end. The Thunder's late acquisition of Carmelo Anthony forced Patterson to the bench, although he played some big minutes in his first season.
The 29-year-old was adequate from the bench in his first year, although his performances were a long way off from those during his stint with the Raptors. With both Corey Brewer and Carmelo Anthony leaving over the summer, Patterson was expected to finally step up, but Patterson is still only playing 16.1 minutes per game.
The player is shooting .346 from three-point range, and for the first time in his career, Patterson is shooting below .400 from the field. Unless Patterson starts knocking down his open shots, he could be among the first to be traded away from the Thunder this season.
