One of the downsides of drafting well in a rebuild is having to pull the plug on young prospects sooner than anticipated. That’s been the case with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Tre Mann.
After being drafted No. 18 in the 2021 NBA draft, Mann’s been phased out of OKC’s rotation in his third season due to an abundant amount of talent added since then.
In his first two seasons, Mann averaged nine points on 39.3% shooting and 2.6 rebounds. He’s shot 33.8% from 3 on 4.2 attempts. This season, he’s tallied just 47 total minutes in six appearances.
Mann’s fall from the Thunder’s rotation speaks more about his teammates than it does him. The third-year guard has shown flashes of being a potent scorer, but the opportunities to develop simply aren’t there like they were his first two years.
It appears a divorce is inevitable between both parties, but that doesn’t mean Mann’s career is a lost cause. According to Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard, he still believes the 22-year-old can turn it around in a new setting.
“I don’t know if it’s gonna be in Oklahoma City but wherever he’s at, Tre Mann is nice,” Lillard said in a recent podcast appearance. “When he get an opportunity somewhere, I’m telling you… He reminds me like on how he do stuff and what he’s capable of, it reminds me of how (Anfernee Simons) is. Like the same thing I saw in Ant, is how I saw him.”
Damian Lillard with pretty high praise for Tre Mann:
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) December 1, 2023
The endorsement meant a lot to Mann as he reshared the quote on his Instagram story. Every rebuild has a few players who get away from a team, perhaps Mann can be that for OKC if/when he joins a new team.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article mentioned Anthony Edwards as the player Lillard referred to. It was not him. Instead, it was Lillard’s former teammate Anfernee Simons, who’s with the Portland Trail Blazers.
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