Tre Mann a Pivotal Piece for Thunder Moving Forward
Tre Mann, the 2021 NBA Draft’s 18th overall selection, is a vital piece to the Thunder, who are currently under construction.
General manager Sam Presti’s roster design is not yet clear. While they’ve toyed around with three-guard and small ball lineups for awhile now, there’s still a chance the eccentric GM is biding his time until he can land the players he wants to fill those voids. And with two lottery picks in the 2022 Draft, he may soon do just that.
Mann, who averaged 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his debut season, is an extremely versatile piece in enhancing Oklahoma City’s rebuild.
In his last 23 games, Mann averaged 15.2 points in 30 minutes per game.
Mann isn’t versatile in the sense that he’s going to be able to guard one through five, or fly high above the rim and extend out beyond the arc. Mann is versatile in the sense he’ll be able to be plugged into a starting role, a sixth man spark plug role and anywhere in between.
With the roster configuration currently up in the air, Mann is an ace in the hole. Should any number of guards be dealt in order to move up for a forward or big, Mann will seamlessly be plugged into the starting lineup.
If Oklahoma City lucks out and doesn’t have to sacrifice any spots, Mann has already shown he’ll be capable of leading a second unit sometime in the near future.
But for now, Presti and the Thunder will hope the odds fall in their favor on May 17 at the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery.
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