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Eric Maynor remains forgotten weapon of Thunder arsenal

The 20th overall pick out of Virginia Commonwealth in 2009, Thunder guard Eric Maynor continues to see sporadic playing time in the team's crowded backcourt.

Tom Pennington - Getty Images

Once viewed as one of the most promising young point guards in the league, Oklahoma City's Eric Maynor continues to fight an uphill battle in his nonstop bid for consistent NBA playing time with the Thunder.

A lightning-quick scorer possessing legitimate three-point range and above average court vision, the 6'3 Maynor has yet to average more than 16.5 minutes per game in any of his first three seasons in the league. Even after a 2010-11 campaign where he suited up all 82 times and was statistically one of the best backup point guards in the NBA, Maynor was once again sporadically used the following year before going down with a severe knee injury after just nine games.

The 25-year-old point guard has played an average of 20.3 minutes per game this preseason, but has not necessarily been able to stand out from players like Daequan Cook, DeAndre Liggins, Reggie Jackson and Andy Rautins who are receiving similar minutes. Even though a largely untapped talent like Maynor still owns a viable role as starter Russell Westbrook's chief backup, the talented young guard looks like he may be rapidly approaching his glass ceiling in the organization.