This image is a derivative of 2013 Oklahoma Cuty Thunder 1 by Michael Tipton (CC BY-SA 2.0)

At 15-14 and 7th in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in no man's land. They're neither good nor bad, not contending nor tanking. Keeping things moving on the treadmill of mediocrity rarely gets anybody close to success, but it's not so easy to jump off, either.

Is it better to go back before going forwards, or roll the dice and set your sights for the sky?

It's a decision the Thunder are in the unexpected position of being forced to make.

Futures: NBA Championship Probabilities

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Their Over/Under total wins was 32.5 before the season tipped off. The expectation was to see the Thunder saunter through the season and finish well inside the lottery. Many claimed Chris Paul would be traded before the first game of the season, too.

Instead, we're two months in and fivethirtyeight.com projects the Thunder to finish the season with a 41-41 record.

Perfectly average.

So should they embrace the strong start and target a playoff berth? Or move a few pieces around and trigger a collapse with the draft in mind?

There isn't a wrong answer, but given their start to the season, the mix of talent and experience on the roster, and an appealing trade chip to offer the rest of the league, it appears as though Billy Donovan and the Thunder might do a bit of both.

Playing Above .500 Basketball

The Thunder ticked over .500 for the first time this season with an impressive 118-112 win over the LA Clippers before Christmas. Recently coming back from 24 points behind in back-to-back games, the Thunder kept in touch with the Clippers all the way through this one before using a 32-23 4th quarter to pull out the win.

Apart from the absence of Danilo Gallinari and his 18 points per game, this win over the Clippers goes a long way to summing up Oklahoma City's first 29 games.

Chris Paul finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists. They're certainly not numbers that jump out as those of a $38 million dollar man, but it's his leadership and the way he controls the floor that helps the Thunder. 

It's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who filled the box score with 32 points on 12-25 shooting. After only scoring 20+ points six times in 82 games with the Clippers last season, the 21-year old has already piled up 20+ points 15 times in 2019-20.

Dennis Schroder's surprise season off the bench continued with the German scoring 28 points, grabbing five rebounds and handing out six assists in 33 minutes.

Meanwhile, Terrance Ferguson finished with a donut in the points column - a perfect reflection of his role in this team. Despite not scoring a single point himself, Ferguson recorded a game-high +17 plus-minus while keeping Paul George to just 18 points and two assists. Ferguson is no longer merely filling in for the injured Andre Roberson; he's the new first-choice defensive specialist the Thunder are known to carry in their starting lineup.

Their toughness and resilience are reflected in their big Kiwi at the centre position. Steven Adams has returned to his best in recent weeks, putting 20 points and 17 rebounds on the Clippers in a season-best performance.

It sounds like an insult, but the pieces have come together nicely for the Thunder to be pleasantly average.

The Three Point Guards

Trading for Paul came out of nowhere and was met with plenty of questions given Gilgeous-Alexander and Schroder were already on the roster. However, the three have become one of the best back-court rotations in the league, to put the Thunder in a position to avoid blowing everything up and instead move forward with the trio.

The Chris Paul Conundrum

First of all, the elephant in the room.

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Chris Paul is 34-years old with $85,569,960 owed to him over two years after the 2019-20 season. He's going to be 37-years old by the end of 2021-22 and occupy over 30% of Oklahoma City's salary cap.

That's a nightmare scenario for a team at a crossroads and unable to decide which way to go. Realistically, the decision is being made for them at the moment. The Thunder are unlikely to find a trade partner for Paul. His contract, production, and somewhat unsavoury history as a lockerroom distraction will keep him in Oklahoma City until his expiring contract adds weight to a trade in 2021-22.

What's worse, he's actually playing pretty well.

Paul is averaging 16.6 points, 6.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game while leading the team in win shares (3.9).

The Thunder don't need to trade Paul to benefit. 

In the meantime, they can make the most of this new-look CP3 we saw against the Clippers. A veteran superstar happy to play the role of mentor and on-court coach can work wonders for the pieces of the future.

Dennis Schroder

It wasn't long ago that Schroder was putting up fairly empty stats with the Hawks. Not a lot changed in his first season with the Thunder in 2018-19 either. But now into the prime years of his career and thriving as the sixth man, Schroder is a valuable part of the team and a key contributor to their success.

He's come off the bench in all 29 games to register 18.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. A spark-plug off the bench and high-usage player to command the second unit, Schroder has carved out a helpful role on the team.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The future of the franchise, Gilgeous-Alexander is absorbing everything like a sponge. He's using his time playing alongside Paul to learn as much as he can with a Pascal Siakam-like elevation not out of the question.

He's well on his way, averaging 19.1 points, five rebounds and three assists per game. Already crafty with his 6'11" wingspan, the sky is the limit for Gilgeous-Alexander as a scorer. His defensive prowess is frequently on full display and is particularly effective in concert with Ferguson.

The 21-year-old was the critical piece in the Paul George trade, and, even with Paul and Schroder taking the ball out of his hands right now, he's finding ways to dominate games and make leaps in his development.

Steven Adams: Staying Or Going?

Adams looked a shadow of himself to start the season. His nonchalant superstrength appeared to have weakened over the summer, and his $25 million contract all of a sudden looked untradable. However, his numbers have improved as the season has progressed, giving the Thunder a serviceable centre, or, an appealing trade chip.

While the league moves away from the traditional big man, Adams is adding parts to his game to ensure he isn't left behind. He's attacking more on the offensive end and has become more than a strong screen setter and offensive rebounder. Displaying quick moves from the elbow and working to find his own shot or deliver crisp passes to teammates, defenses can't assume Adams will do little more than complete a dribble hand-off or set a screen anymore.

At 26-years old, Adams is young enough that he can still be considered part of the rebuild. He's worth holding onto unless GM Sam Presti is presented with an offer he can't turn down.

The Trade Chip

Gallinari is the carrot Presti should dangle in front of top teams looking to take the next step.

A dangerous scorer that wouldn't look out of place as the third or fourth option on a contending team, the Thunder are sure to take some calls about Gallinari.

He's averaging 18 points per game on 39.5% shooting from beyond the arc. His ability as a scorer has never been questioned, with his size and skill allowing him to create his own shot while providing teammates with a reliable catch and shoot option (59.3% eFG this season).

If a contender isn't interested, Gallinari's $22 million expiring contract is sure to appeal. 

As Presti's most tradeable asset and arguably the player furthest away from the Thunder's timeline, Gallinari is unlikely to finish the 2019-20 season on the roster.

Rising From The Middle

The middle is considered the worst place to be in the NBA. It's a tricky spot to get out of without the right pieces. Fortunately for the Thunder, they have the pieces to do it.

Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be an All-Star and player that attracts talent.

Paul is the leader that can guide the young core into the future while presenting the front office with a huge chunk of cap space when he's done.

Adams is a team man and tone-setter. There is a bit of the Grit 'n Grind Memphis Grizzlies about the Thunder at the moment - a style in which Adams can flourish.

In Schroder, Ferguson, Hamidou Diallo, Nerlens Noel, Darius Bazley, a war chest of draft picks, and whatever they can parlay Gallinari into, the Thunder have a collection of improving talent and numerous opportunities to roll the dice and find more.

There is a culture at the Thunder that lends itself to this group being one of the few to rise from the middle. Calculated and patient in their moves, expect to see the Thunder go about their rebuild the hard way unless an opportunity to wipe the slate clean is offered and can't be refused.

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