Category: OKC Thunder Blog

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Reflections from Chet Holmgren on Steph Curry

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

Chet Holmgren proved himself a worthy adversary for the Warriors on Friday night, but it wasn’t the first time the Oklahoma City Thunder phenom has impressed Steph Curry on the court.

After Golden State’s 141-139 victory over OKC at Paycom Center in the NBA In-Season Tournament opener, the 21-year-old reflected on facing Curry for the first time after attending the SC30 Select Camp as a high schooler in 2019.

“First time playing against him in the NBA, obviously touched on it earlier but great players over there, and he’s one of them,” Holmgren told reporters of Curry after the game. “Definitely got to know where he is at all times. It’s a cool first full-circle moment, I guess you could call it, you know, going to his camp however many years ago it was and now being in the league with him and playing and competing.”

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Thunder exercise contract options on five players

The Oklahoma City Thunder exercised their third-year contract option on forward Ousmane Dieng, forward/center Chet Holmgren, guard/forward Jalen Williams and its fourth-year contract option on guards Josh Giddey and Tre Mann.

Dieng appeared in 39 games (one start) during his rookie season with the Thunder and averaged 4.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.6 minutes. He was selected 11th overall in the 22 NBA Draft.

Holmgren is set to make his NBA debut during the 2023-24 season after missing last season with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. He was selected second overall in the 2022 NBA Draft after one season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs where he received AP All-American Second Team honors.

Williams was selected to the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after he appeared in 75 games (62 starts) last season and averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes. He was selected 12th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Giddey was named to the 2023 Rising Stars team this past season after he averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 31.1 minutes. The four-time Western Conference Rookie of the Month winner was selected sixth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mann has seen action in 127 games (31 starts) in two seasons with the Thunder and averaged 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.1 minutes. He was selected 18th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Rockets and Thunder complete Kevin Porter Jr., Victor Oladipo trade

The Houston Rockets have traded guard Kevin Porter Jr. and two future second round picks to Oklahoma City in exchange for guard Victor Oladipo and forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

Per the Thunder, Porter Jr. will be “waived immediately.”

Oladipo (6-4, 213) is entering his 11th NBA season with career averages of 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.60 steals and 1.6 3-pointers made in 504 games with 397 starts. He appeared in 20 games for the Rockets during 2020-21 prior to being acquired by Miami, where he spent the past two seasons.

The two-time All-Star is one of eight players in NBA history with career averages of at least 16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.50 spg and 1.50 3FGM joining LaMelo Ball, Stephen Curry, Paul George, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Oladipo was the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2017-18 while also earning All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive First Team honors.

Robinson-Earl (6-9, 240) was the 32nd overall pick by New York in the 2021 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by Oklahoma City. In two seasons for the Thunder, he appeared in 92 games with 56 starts while averaging 7.2 ppg and 4.9 rpg in 20.7 mpg.

Over the past two seasons, Robinson-Earl was one of eight players who averaged at least 7.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 1.0 3FGM in fewer than 21.0 mpg. In 20 games as a starter in 2022-23, he averaged 8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 1.2 apg along with 1.4 3FGM on 39.7% shooting.

In a related move, the Rockets have waived forward Matthew Mayer.

Thunder sign Olivier Sarr to two-way contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward/center Olivier Sarr to a Two-Way Contract.

Sarr (6-11, 240) appeared in 12 games (seven starts) last season for the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, and averaged 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.42 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game. During the 2022-23 season, Sarr saw action in nine games (one start) for the Thunder and averaged 4.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting to go along with 3.4 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game.

Thunder sign guard Lindy Waters III to Two-Way Contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed guard Lindy Waters III to a Two-Way Contract.

In two seasons with the Thunder, Waters III appeared in 66 games (one start) and averaged 6.3 points on 36.0 percent 3-point shooting to go along with 2.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game. Additionally, Waters III saw action in 29 games (26 starts) with the Oklahoma City Blue over the past two seasons and averaged 13.7 points on 42.7 percent 3-point shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 29.8 minutes per game.

OKC Thunder 2023-24 preseason game schedule

The Oklahoma City Thunder has announced its complete 2023 preseason schedule today. The Thunder will play five games, including one international game and three games in the state of Oklahoma.

The Thunder opens the preseason at home with a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, Oct. 9 before traveling to Montreal to participate in the NBA Canada Series against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, Oct. 12. The team then travels to Charlotte for a meeting with the Hornets on Sunday, Oct. 15 before returning to Oklahoma to play the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Paycom Center and the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, Oct. 19 at BOK Center for its 14th annual preseason game in Tulsa.

Thunder sign head coach Mark Daigneault to contract extension

The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday signed Head Coach Mark Daigneault to a multi-year contract extension.

During the 2022-23 season, Daigneault led the Thunder to a 40-42 record and an NBA Play-In game victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Thunder’s 16-win improvement ranked second in the NBA and at the conclusion of the season, Daigneault finished second in 2023 NBA Coach of the Year voting.

Daigneault was named the fourth head coach in Thunder history on November 11, 2020 after originally joining the organization in 2014 where he served as head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue for five seasons. With the Blue, Daigneault led the team to three straight division titles and four playoff appearances before joining the Thunder bench as an assistant coach in 2019.

Thunder sign Vasilije Micic

The Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, July 17 signed guard Vasilije Micić to a multi-year contract.

Micić (6-5, 203) joins the Thunder after a decorated Euroleague career where he won league MVP honors in 2021 and helped lead Anadolu Efes to a pair of Euroleague championships in 2021 and 2022. In 31 Euroleague games this past season, Micić averaged 16.0 points, 5.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 31.3 minutes before receiving Euroleague Final Four MVP honors.

In 2017 Micić helped lead the Serbian national team to a silver medal at EuroBasket 2017 after starting his involvement with the national team in 2011 where he also won a silver medal at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.

Oklahoma City acquired the draft rights to Micić from the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 8, 2020. Micić was originally selected by Philadelphia with the 52nd overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Thunder sign rookie forward Keyontae Johnson to two-way contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed rookie forward Keyontae Johnson to a Two-Way Contract.

Johnson (6-6, 235) was drafted 50th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Johnson spent three seasons at the University of Florida before finishing his four-year collegiate career at Kansas State University. In 108 career appearances, he averaged 13.1 points on 51.9 percent shooting, including 38.9 percent from 3-point range, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.08 steals per game.

The Norfolk, Va. native was named to the All-SEC First Team following the 2019-20 season and received All-Big 12 First Team honors following the 2022-23 season. Johnson helped lead the Wildcats to an Elite Eight appearance and became one of just 12 players in Kansas State History to score 600 points in a single season.

Thunder sign rookie guard Cason Wallace

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed rookie guard Cason Wallace to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Wallace (6-4, 193) was drafted 10th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and acquired from the Dallas Mavericks. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team this past season after averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.97 steals in 32 games at the University of Kentucky.

The Texas native was a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree and ranked second in the SEC in assists and fourth in steals. His 63 steals this past season represent the third most by a freshman in Kentucky history.