Category: OKC Thunder Blog

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Jaylen Hoard to a 10-day contract, via the NBA’s COVID-Related Hardship Allowance, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Hoard (6-8, 216) is currently playing in his second season with the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, appearing in 14 games while averaging 8.6 points on 50.5 percent shooting from the field along with 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 22.2 minutes per game.

The Le Havre, France native declared for the 2019 NBA Draft following his freshman season at Wake Forest and has played three seasons in the G League, owning career averages of 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 53 games.

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Rob Edwards, guard Scotty Hopson and center Olivier Sarr to 10-day contracts, via the NBA’s COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Edwards (6-5, 205) has averaged 12.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 21.2 minutes per game over two seasons (2020-22) with the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue. This year the Detroit native is averaging 12.3 points while knocking down a team-best 2.3 three-pointers and is second on the team with a 90.5 free-throw percentage.

Hopson (6-7, 204) has spent this season with the Oklahoma City Blue, appearing in 11 games (four starts) while averaging 6.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.5 minutes per game. The Tennessee product has played in 95 career G League games (75 starts) and owns career averages of 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.2 minutes per game.

Sarr (7-0, 240) has appeared in 14 games for the Oklahoma City Blue and is averaging 7.1 points on 52.2 percent shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists in 14.1 minutes of action. A native from France, Sarr played three seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to Kentucky and collected Third Team All-ACC honors and was named a runner-up for ACC Most Improved Player.

The Oklahoma City Thunder has exercised contract options for the 2022-23 season for forwards Darius Bazley and Aleksej Pokuševski and guard Ty Jerome.

Bazley has appeared in 119 career games (67 starts) with Oklahoma City and averaged 9.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24.6 minutes per game. Last season, the Ohio native was fourth on the team in scoring (13.7 points) and second in rebounding (7.2 rebounds) while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor.

Jerome has seen action in 65 games (one start) with the Thunder and the Suns and averaged 7.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc in 17.4 minutes per game. In his 33 games with the Thunder last season, he averaged career highs in points (10.7), assists (3.6) and field goal percentage (44.6).

In 48 games (28 starts) with Oklahoma City, Pokuševski holds averages of 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23.5 minutes per game. After his assignment to the G League last season, the Serbian native increased his scoring average (11.1 points), rebounds (5.4) and assists (2.7).

The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward Mamadi Diakite, guard Justin Jaworski and center Oliver Sarr it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Diakite appeared in two preseason games for the Thunder and averaged 4.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.2 minutes. He was originally claimed off waivers by the Thunder on Sept. 26, 2021.

Jaworski and Sarr did not appear in a preseason contest.

The Thunder roster now stands at 17.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed guard Rob Edwards and forward DJ Wilson.

The deals are for training camp purposes.

Edwards (6-5, 205) spent last season with the Oklahoma City Blue and in 15 games (3 starts), averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 21.3 minutes per game on 44.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Wilson (6-10, 231) split the 2020-21 season between the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets and appeared in 35 games (one start) and averaged 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game. In 142 career NBA games (five starts), he has averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game.

The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday claimed forward Mamadi Diakite off waivers from the Milwaukee Bucks.

And in a separate transaction, the Thunder waived guard Charlie Brown Jr.

Diakite (6-9, 218) appeared in 14 games (one start) last season with the Bucks and averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.1 minutes. Additionally, Diakite saw action in 12 G League games (three starts) during the 2020-21 season as a member of the Lakeland Magic where he registered averages of 18.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.08 blocks in 27.7 minutes.

A native of Guinea, Diakite played alongside Thunder guard Ty Jerome on the 2019 Virginia Cavaliers’ NCAA National Championship team.

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forward Paul Watson Jr. to a Two-Way Contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Watson Jr. (6-6, 210) has appeared in 37 games (two starts) and averaged 3.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 10.4 minutes as a member of the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors.

During the 2019-20 season, Watson Jr. appeared in 30 G League games (all starts) for the Raptors 905 and averaged 19.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 35.3 minutes per game.

The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward Josh Hall, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Hall appeared in 21 games (one start) with the Thunder last season and averaged 4.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 16.0 minutes per game.