Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 Players that disappointed this season

Following a disappointing first round playoff exit the year prior, the Thunder seemed to have it under control through the most parts of this season. Paul George had returned and was dropping MVP-like numbers whilst Brodie was enroute to averaging a triple-double for the third straight season. OKC ended the regular season with a 49-33 (0.598) win-loss record.

They showed quality and resilience down the stretch and set up a fan-favourite matchup in the first round of the postseason against Damian Lillard and his Trail Blazers. And that is when their inconsistencies and roster imperfections magnified to an uneasy extent. The Blazers eliminated Oklahoma in just five games and humiliated them in the process as well.

In Melo's absence, Paul George and Russell Westbrook proved to be brilliant two-way players. Along with leading their team in scoring, PG and Brodie managed to punch their names amongst the league's leaders in steals. However, while they were busy making a difference on both ends of the court, some players on the roster did not deliver to their full potential.

Let's take a look at the three most disappointing performers from Oklahoma throughout their 2018-19 season.

#1 Alex Abrines

OKC GM Sam Presti believed Abrines will have a breakout season this year.

The Thunder selected Alex as the 32nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft and the 6-foot-6 shooting guard shot an impressive 38% from beyond the arc in his first two years with the franchise.

However, this year his long-range expertise was limited to barely 30% conversion from deep as he averaged just 5.3 points per game on around 20 minutes of playtime. Moreover, his 2018-19 campaign was marred by injuries and personal problems, restricting him to just 31 games. After the organisation waived the Spaniard, there was a noticeable void in OKC's wing which they couldn't seem to repair throughout the year.

#2 Terrance Ferguson

Terrance Ferguson was drafted 21st overall by the Thunder in 2017.

Since Andre Roberson never returned from injury, Ferguson was entrusted with the shooting guard role all season long. His minutes spiked from 12.5 last year to 26.1 per game this year as the franchise opted to not acquire any wing depth at the trade deadline and make do with what they had.

In his sophomore year, Ferguson averaged less than 7 points per game and shot an ordinary 36% from beyond the arc. Clearly, he wasn't the answer to OKC's wing issues but continued to play extended minutes and established himself for a permanent starter role.

Despite starting in 74 games this season, the 20-year-old took less than 4 shots from the distance and could only improve to 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

Thrown into an unexpected role, this might well have been a golden chance for Ferguson before Roberson gets healthy or the organisation plans to acquire a reliable wing via trade or free agency.

#3 Patrick Patterson

Patrick Patterson was added to the OKC roster in free agency a couple of seasons ago.

After Melo headed for the exits, Patterson had a chance to grab a spot in the starting lineup. Due to his characteristic slow start to the regular season, the 29-year-old lost his starting role to Jerami Grant who excelled at it as the season progressed and finished with 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Patterson's presence on the roster went unnoticed as he fell completely out of the rotation down the stretch when OKC signed Markieff Morris.

Patterson played 63 games for the Thunder (5 of which he started in) and ended the regular season with a subpar scoring average of 3.6 points per game on 33% shooting from deep.

Known and respected for his high basketball IQ, perimeter shooting and defense, Patterson failed to justiify his payscale by a huge margin. Currently, the veteran possesses the choice of opting into the final year of the contract which might fetch him another $5,711,200.