Category: OKC Thunder Blog

OKC Thunder blog – Oklahoma City Thunder basketball blog

OKC Thunder re-sign Mike Muscala

The Oklahoma City Thunder have re-signed forward/center Mike Muscala to a multi-year contract.

Muscala’s new contract with the Thunder is reportedly a two-year, $7 million deal.

Muscala has appeared in 389 career games (30 starts) and posted averages of 6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 15.7 minutes per game. Last season, Muscala averaged a career-high 9.7 points per game to go along with 3.8 rebounds in 18.4 minutes. During the past two seasons with the Thunder, Muscala shot 37.3 percent from behind the 3-point line (122-327 3FGs).

Oklahoma City originally signed Muscala on July 10, 2019.

Thunder sign rookie forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday signed rookie forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

Robinson-Earl (6-9, 230) spent two seasons at Villanova and during his sophomore season he posted averages of 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 34.4 minutes per game. As a sophomore, he led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding.

The Thunder acquired the rights to Robinson-Earl (No. 32 overall pick), from the New York Knicks on July 30, 2021 in exchange for the rights to the No. 34 and No 36 picks.

Thunder naming Nick Collison as Special Assistant to Sam Presti

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced today that Nick Collison will be named Special Assistant to Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

In his new role, Collison will continue to enhance his front office acumen while working closely with Presti and other key front office personnel on short-term and long-range initiatives and projects for the Thunder across many facets of basketball operations.

Prior to taking on his current position, Collison served the past two seasons as Basketball Operations Representative for the Thunder. In his previous role, Collison had touchpoints throughout the organization and the opportunity to develop his basketball operations skillset following his 14-season playing career with the Thunder franchise.

Collison is part of a group of other former Thunder players who are currently contributing to the organization as staff members, including Eric Maynor (Thunder Player Development Coach), Nazr Mohammed (Oklahoma City Blue General Manager/ Thunder Pro Personnel Evaluator), Mike Wilks (Thunder Assistant Coach) and Anthony Morrow, who will serve in the role of Lifestyle Services and Engagement Associate for the 2021-22 season.

OKC Thunder sign Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to contract extension

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a multi-year contract extension.

“We are excited to have Shai representing our organization for many years to come and couldn’t be happier for him and his family,” said Presti. “He is a tremendous basketball player, but is also a leader that infuses optimism, confidence and collaboration into all of his interactions professionally and personally. We are looking forward to watching his individual growth and the collective development of our team as we continue on our path toward sustainable success in Oklahoma City.”

According to the Oklahoman, it’s a “five-year deal worth $172 million in base salary — an average of $34.4 million per season.”

In three NBA seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has appeared in 187 games (178 starts) and registered averages of 16.3 points 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30.9 minutes.

During the 2020-21 season, Gilgeous-Alexander became the second player in NBA history (Larry Bird) to average at least 23.7 points and 5.9 assists on 50.8 percent shooting and 41.8 percent 3-point shooting. He is one of four third-year players in the last 20 years to average 22+ points on 50+ percent shooting (A. Stoudemire, C. Bosh and A. Davis). He finished the 2020-21 season with 25 20-point performances and 10 30-point efforts during his 35 appearances.

Dating back to 2019, Gilgeous-Alexander increased his scoring averages from 10.8 ppg as a rookie to 19.0 ppg during his sophomore season before leading the Thunder in scoring with 23.7 ppg this past year. Gilgeous-Alexander’s 12.9 point per game scoring increase during the first three years of his career is the second largest in the NBA (CJ McCollum) during the past decade.

A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Gilgeous-Alexander was selected No. 11 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft after one season at the University of Kentucky. He was later named to the NBA’s Rising Stars teams in both 2019 and 2020.

Oklahoma City originally acquired Gilgeous-Alexander from the Los Angeles Clippers on July 10, 2019.

Jazz trade Derrick Favors to Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired forward/center Derrick Favors and a future first-round draft pick from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a 2027 second-round draft pick and cash considerations, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Favors (6-10, 265) has appeared in 751 games (68 starts) with the Jazz, Nets and Pelicans and holds career averages of 10.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.23 blocks in 24.7 minutes per game.

The 2027 second-round pick the Thunder is trading to Utah is the least favorable of Oklahoma City’s four second-round picks.

Celtics trade Kemba Walker to Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired guard Kemba Walker, a 2021 first-round draft pick (16th overall) and a 2025 second-round pick from the Boston Celtics in exchange for centers Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-round pick, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

“Kemba is a true professional and a great teammate and player,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “I want to thank him for his tremendous impact, and the positive contribution he’s made both to the Celtics and the City of Boston.”

Per Boston.com, “Boston signed Walker to a maximum contract in 2019, but the 31-year-old has battled injuries in two seasons since. Limited in minutes, Walker averaged under 20 points per game for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.”

Per ESPN.com, “Celtics get significant financial flexibility as Stevens tries to retool the roster around young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Walker is owed roughly $73 million over the next two years, while Horford is owed $53 million — $41 million guaranteed — over the same two years.”

And also per ESPN.com, “that flexibility will give Boston the potential capability to re-sign guard Evan Fournier, whom they acquired at this year’s trade deadline and who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while also reuniting the Celtics with Horford, who spent three years with them before signing his current deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.”

Walker (6-0, 184) has appeared in 704 career games (659 career starts) with Charlotte and Boston and posted career averages of 19.9 points, 5.4 assists and 1.27 steals in 33.7 minutes per game.

A four-time NBA All-Star (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), Walker was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2019. Walker helped guide the Hornets to a pair of postseason appearances and he stands as the all-time leading scorer in Hornets’ franchise history (12,009 points).

Walker was the recipient of the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award in 2017 and 2018.

A 10-year NBA veteran, Walker was originally selected by Charlotte with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. During his junior season at the University of Connecticut, Walker led the Huskies to a National Championship after finishing the season as the second leading scorer in the nation.

“Al played a critical role both on and off the court during his time in Boston, and we’re excited to welcome he and his family back to the Celtics,” said Stevens. “His ability to elevate teammates with his experience and leadership make for a great addition. We also want to welcome Moses to Boston. He is a promising young player.”

Horford appeared in 28 games with the Thunder during the 2020-21 season and averaged 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 27.9 minutes per game.

Brown averaged 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds this past season in Oklahoma City, where he saw action in 43 contests, including 32 starts.

The 2025 second-round pick the Thunder is acquiring is the most favorable of Boston and Memphis. The 2023 second-round pick the Thunder is trading to Boston is the least favorable of Oklahoma City’s three second-round picks.

Thunder sign Charlie Brown Jr. to standard NBA contract

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

Brown signed his first 10-Day Contract with the Thunder on April 25 and a second 10-Day Contract on May 5. He has appeared in eight games (one start) with the Thunder this season, registering averages of 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 15.1 minutes per contest, shooting 100 percent from the free throw line.

Thunder sign Charlie Brown Jr. to second 10-day contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Charlie Brown Jr. to a second 10-Day Contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Brown signed his first 10-Day Contract with the Thunder on April 25 and has appeared in three games (one start), registering averages of 5.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.00 steal in 15.9 minutes per contest.

Thunder sign Charlie Brown Jr. to 10-Day Contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Charlie Brown Jr. to a 10-Day Contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Brown (6-6, 199) spent the 2021 NBA G League season with the Iowa Wolves where he appeared in 13 games (12 starts) and averaged 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a team-best 1.69 steals in 30.0 minutes per contest, shooting 44.7 percent from the field.

The Philadelphia native spent the 2019-20 season as a two-way player for the Atlanta Hawks where he appeared in 10 NBA games and totaled 20 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 40 minutes of action. With the College Park Skyhawks that season, he appeared in 29 games (all starts) and registered averages of 17.1 points, a team-leading 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.52 steals in 33.2 minutes.