Preseason NBA Power Rankings: Philadelphia 76ers look like Eastern Elite
10. Oklahoma City Thunder
While many teams in the NBA attempt to get better by, well, adding players, the Oklahoma City Thunder are a classic case of addition by subtraction after jettisoning Carmelo Anthony in a wonderfully inventive three-way deal that also just so happens to have included your hometown Philadelphia 76ers.
But unlike most additions by subtraction deals, this move also included a pretty substantial addition that could help to not only make the Thunder a better team in 2018 but for years to come.
After complaining about his playing time even before the Hawks surprising decision to trade Luka Doncic for Trae Young and a future first, the Thunder have acquired arguably Atlanta’s best player from their 2017-2018 squad to bolster their second unit in a very impressive fashion/
Dennis Schroder is far from a cap filler.
After experiencing some of their best success with Reggie Jackson running the second team, Schroder should allow the Thunder to roll with a solid point guard on the court at all times, and could even open up the door for Russell Westbrook to play off the ball as an end-of-game shooting guard.
Pencil in an expanded role for ex-Sixer Jerami Grant as an ultra-fast small-ball power forward and the Thunder could once again be one of the fastest and most lethal two-way teams in the NBA.