Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti spoke with the media on Thursday for his annual preseason media availability.
This marks the unofficial beginning of the 2022-23 regular season as the Thunder kick off training camp next week. The Thunder open their season on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves in less than a month on Oct. 19.
Thursday’s availability covered a wide range of topics, spanning from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s injury update to discussing the possibility of a new arena.
Presti talked with the media for nearly two hours and answered every question. Here are some of the more notable quotes and paraphrases from that session.
Sam Presti said last year people were wondering if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was really hurt, now they’re wondering if he is injury prone “we can’t win” Said his ankle sprain in Boston was “wicked bad, I had a really good view of that, I had to turn away”
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: “We just want long term, overall improvement. I know that’s not the sexiest thing I can say to you.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti says he knows people have discussed how many wins Chet’s injury is going to cost OKC.
“Save your predictions and burn your assumptions.”
Also…
“We’ll punch above our weight.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti on Aleksej Pokusevski “he is a great underdog. He has had every opportunity to fold, and he hasn’t done that. And he is better. I think he has had a good summer. Development is a process and not an event.”
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) September 22, 2022
Kept a list of my favorite vocab words used by Sam Presti at his presser today:
Syncopated
Arduous
Catalyst
Deterministically
Reciprocity
Visceral
Burgeoning— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: "I think Chip (Engelland) is a really special talent and a special person… I think he does an excellent job at building relationships that allow for people to improve."
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) September 22, 2022
Presti on new shooting coach Chip Engelland: “Chip is a special talent and a special person.”
He didn’t mention whether or not Josh Giddey is going to become a 45% 3 point shooter.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti mentions the possibility of the double draft and then immediately stops himself so he can prevent being fined
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: “Shai is just entering his pre-prime years. Josh, Chet are still a few years from getting to that point.
But pretty soon here, those tenures are going to overlap. And that’s really exciting…
We can have a lot of fun with that.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti says that with this particular Thunder team, there is a high level of commitment and loyalty.
He mentions how SGA, Lu Dort, Mike Muscala and Kenrich Williams have committed long term in OKC.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: “This is our 15th season in Oklahoma City. We’re extremely grateful for the players we’ve had past & present. The community support, the fans. It’s been a remarkable journey. We had an 11 year run as the 2nd best record in the NBA. Made the postseason 10 of 14 years.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti on if SGA will be ready for the start of the season: “I don’t have the answer to that. Because the injury just happened.”
Presti then mentioned how SGA’s MCL is way more athletic than @joe_mussatto’s MCL.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: “I was at the airport the other day. Someone yelled at me ‘Thunder Up!’ God, that made me feel really good. I want the people here to experience another postseason here.”
Presti mentions “when” OKC makes the playoffs again… not “if.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti story when I asked him about getting a shout out from Eddie Vedder at the Pearl Jam show:
“It was my son’s first concert. He was late to school the next day. He told his teacher why he was late. She said she was there too.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Presti mentions that the Thunder having the toughest schedule will make them a better team
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti on longterm success:⁰
⁰“Scaling the second mountain, returning back to the playoffs isn’t going to happen because of one season."
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti on Lu Dort’s extension: “There’s a willingness for him to be a part of the team going forward. There’s a willingness for the organization for him to be a part of the team going forward.
He wanted to be here.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
"Save your predictions, burn your assumptions"
Sam Presti
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) September 22, 2022
Presti says SGA got the injury working out in the gym. He finished the workout but felt it the next morning.
“I don’t think it’s a massive deal. It’s a set back. I’d rather it happen now than the middle of the year. It’s unfortunate but he’ll be fine.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
GM Sam Presti on the Thunder's standard of play:
“We have to have a standard of play because that will allow us to determine our progress. We have to play physical, we have to be committed to a style of play that can be scaled, adapted and modified as time goes on.
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti quotes former Thunder players Royal Ivey and @KendrickPerkins.
Presti says Perk said: “You can’t get bored with the process.
Those guys are scholars of Thunder University.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
"As far as Chet, the thing we lose more than anything is tactically being able to see him and how he interacts with the rest of the guys. We won't get that exposure. I can't sugarcoat that."
Presti said he isn't worried about a developmental setback for Chet.
— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) September 22, 2022
Presti on Vasillije Micic: "We intentionally wanted the rights for him because he's a really good player. I thought we were pretty close at one time. I wouldn't rule anything out. It's a year-to-year thing."
Tune into the Micic saga next year. Same bat time, same bat channel.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: "Seattle will have a basketball team again. That's a positive thing, we want that to happen."
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti said that everybody's opinion on whether or not a new arena should be publicly funded should be heard
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) September 22, 2022
Sam Presti: "We love Shai. He's going to be such a good player. He's got so much room to improve. And he's already really good."
Here's Presti's full answer on SGA's name being brought up in trade speculation: pic.twitter.com/CxRMigmmWK
— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) September 22, 2022
