Not long ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder were a mess. The year was 2007 and the franchise was still located in Seattle.
The star player was veteran guard Ray Allen, but he had very little help. The coach was Bob Weiss, but his team finished with an uninspiring mark of 31-51. And about the only thing a record like that is good for is a spot in the lottery.
And maybe, a little lottery luck.
The then-Supersonics got it, earning the No. 2 overall pick. Portland owned the No. 1 pick, and the Sonics knew the Trail Blazers would choose either center Greg Oden or forward Kevin Durant. The Sonics would take whoever the Blazers did not.
So there was little surprise when then-Sonics (and current Thunder) general manager Sam Presti drafted Durant. It was a no-brainer.
What was considerably more crafty was how Presti began to build a team around his new standout rookie.
First, forward Rashard Lewis was shipped to Orlando for a second-round pick. Then, Allen was traded to Boston in a deal that brought back Jeff Green, a rookie forward who had been selected No. 5 overall.
It didn't generate much hype initially, as the Sonics won even fewer games the next season (20-62) while Durant and Green learned about life in the NBA.
But that was OK; it was all part of a bigger plan.
The next year, the team moved to Oklahoma City and drafted point guard Russell Westbrook (No. 4 overall) and big man Serge Ibaka (No. 24). Then, in 2009, the Thunder selected guard James Harden (No. 3).
Along the way, Presti also landed center Nenad Krstic and guard Thabo Sefolosha through free agency and a trade, respectively. Eventually, Scott Brooks was hired as coach, and he quickly proved to be the perfect choice to lead this young-and-developing team.
That might seem like a lengthy process, but it really took only a little more than two years for the Thunder to become The Team of The Future.
And when the Thunder roll into Cleveland on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports Ohio), the Cavaliers and their fans will see a team that created a strong blueprint of how to build through the draft.
Today, the Thunder are one of the league's most exciting teams and coming off their first playoff appearance. Durant leads the NBA in scoring (28.1 points per game) and the Thunder own the fourth-best record in the Western Conference at 41-23.
Granted, Green and Krstic were traded to Boston in February for center Kendrick Perkins and guard Nate Robinson -- but little has changed. The Thunder still seem like the team that's most likely to replace the L.A. Lakers and San Antonio in the West. And soon.
Cavalier attitude
This isn't to say the Cavs intend to mimic the Thunder in every way. They have their own plans, which involved attacking the draft and free agency accordingly. In fact, you could make the argument that the lone similarities between Presti and Cavs GM Chris Grant is they both wear glasses and neither was well known before being hired to his current position.
But as the Thunder once did, Grant and the Cavs are aiming to strike gold in the lottery by compiling picks and giving themselves numerous chances.
That much was evident in the Cavs' trade-deadline deal in which they sent Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the LA Clippers for Baron Davis and a first-rounder. Unless the Clippers go on a shocking run to conclude the regular season, the Cavs will own two top-14 picks this summer.
If all goes well, both of those picks will be in the top 10. If all goes really well (and it could), both will be in the top five. There's also been talk the Cavs are seeking another first-rounder, perhaps one in the lottery. It wouldn't be impossible for them to nab one, either. Far from it.
That's the good news for the Cavs.
The realistic news is that, like the Thunder, the Cavs will need a little good fortune. For instance, Durant fell into the Thunder's lap when Portland chose Oden, who has suffered continuous injuries and is considered by some to be an early bust.
The Thunder are also lucky in that they possess stars like Durant and Westbrook, who have said they enjoy playing in a small market and the college-like atmosphere it provides. In other words, it's always helpful when your two best players aren't longing for the NBA's bright lights and big cities.
Can the Cavs become the Thunder of the Eastern Conference within the next three years? The true answer is the Cavs hope to become the Cavs of the East in that span. But the fact the Thunder improved as they did certainly gives the Cavs hope -- and offers proof that turning things around through the draft is undoubtedly doable.
