Tre Mann needs a new team: NBA Trade Deadline 2/8 (Updated -- Traded)

Tre was not terrible at OKC, he didn’t get a real opportunity. I’m not mad, I just think your assessment that he is not a complete player is incorrect, and he is proving it night after night. He does need to improve, in general, but only in the same context as every young player that needs to improve.

 

This is completely false. His teammates in OKC loved him and he was a great locker room guy... ultimate team player on and off court from everything I've seen. The fanbase was somewhat cold to him the first year or so, but this year they were very sad to see him go because of what he meant to his teammates and how he cheered them on.

The sentiments you hear about Tre is either that OKC was too deep with talent for him to get playing time, or that they should have traded Giddey and kept Tre. Those are basically the two camps that OKC fans fall in with regards to Tre. Personally, I think he was good enough to be a starter alongside SGA, or at worst 6th man, but the Thunder didn't feel the same way and now the Hornets have embraced him.

 

He barely played. When you don't get consistent minutes, your true game cannot be unlocked. Look at him in Charlotte and he is assisting like crazy. Advanced metrics are useless without context, which is why I'm not a fan of analytics as a primary explanation for what is happening on the court.

 

I think that the Thunder are going to regret this, and their current success is making them and their fans come to some inaccurate conclusions. I read a lot of forum postings, social media, comment sections, etc...
Many Thunder fans are very happy for Tre, but a common theme is, "OKC was too stacked", "Cason Wallace is better", or "Isaiah Joe is better". I think Cason is a solid guard and tough defender. He is nowhere as skilled as Mann. They are in different leagues, talent-wise. Isaiah Joe... nice player, but again not even remotely close to Mann's skill. I get it... these guys are all great pieces for the Thunder and why fix it if it isn't broken, but Wallace and Joe are simply not better than Mann.

But... I understand what OKC did, and I think they have a very strong team. Tre was more of a competitor to SGA with respect to team needs and we all know that Mann isn't and shouldn't be taking one second from SGA's floor time. SGA is playing at an MVP level.

 

If I'm on a team and getting low minutes, I look like a completely different player than when I'm the starter and a key piece. I was on a men's league championship team several months ago and was a role player off the bench who rarely touched the ball on offense. That team saw me as a guy to give some good minutes off the bench. I'm now on another really good team, but as a starting guard and a main contributor. I usually play about 33-35 minutes out of 40. When I'm a role player and my teammates don't pass me the ball, you'd get a very skewed understanding of my playmaking skill set and abilities.

I'll get at least one "funny" or "come on man" for this... because anytime I relate my playing experience to a D1 or pro I get clowned, but organized basketball is organized basketball. Only difference is the athleticism and skill level of the players.

 

They had him in and out of G-League and also had a lot of DNP’s. He didn’t play a lot and was buried on their bench. Advanced stats are not a good measurement of ability. You didn’t use advanced stats to tell us Ques was good… you went with your gut.

 

Short leash, plus coaches and fans hating leads to issues. Good players need to be given a long leash and treated like the star that they are. Tre is just not a bench level talent… he is an NBA starter and his career was being artificially stalled by OKC.