In this continuing series, Thunder Wire assigns three goals to each of the 21 players, per Spotrac, that make up the Oklahoma City Thunder roster.
The Thunder’s season kicks off on Oct. 25 against the Chicago Bulls. After a surprising 40-42 campaign that ended a win shy of the playoffs, OKC enters this year with playoff aspirations.
Buy Thunder TicketsLet’s assign three goals for Aleksej Pokusevski, who is entering a make-or-break year. The 21-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which means he’ll be eligible to be a restricted free agent next summer.
After struggling with health last season, the injuries look like they’re starting to pile up as an ankle sprain will force him to miss at least the first week of the regular season.
Stay healthy
Pokusevski is already off to a bad start in this category as an ankle sprain will keep him out throughout training camp and at least the first week of the regular season.
This is the latest addition to a recent trend where Pokusevski struggles to stay healthy. An arm injury in the offseason forced him to miss over a month. Last season, a leg fracture cost him three months.
Pokusevski was limited to just 34 games last season. But in that sample size, he looked like he graduated to a rotation player with a tamed brand of basketball. This will be a make-or-break year for him and staying on the court is a must.
Earn a second NBA contract
Pokusevski is playing the final year of his rookie deal. He’ll be eligible to be a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason. In all likelihood, the Thunder won’t extend him during training camp, which means he’ll have to earn his next contract this season.
Whether it’s with the Thunder or another team, Pokusevski must show signs of progress and play consistently like an actual rotation player. He’s only 21 years old, but if his development has stagnated four seasons in, then his time in the NBA could be near its end.
Prove last year's 3-point shooting wasn't a fluke
One of the biggest reasons why Pokusevski had a career season last year was because of his 3-point shooting. In his first two seasons, he shot 28.5% from 3 on 3.8 attempts. Last season, that number was at 36.5% from 3 on 3.1 attempts.
If Pokusevski is a respectable outside shooter on decent volume, then there’s definitely a role for him in the NBA as a seven-foot spacing big who can defend the rim.
