Category: OKC Thunder Blog

OKC Thunder blog – Oklahoma City Thunder basketball blog

Thunder exercise contract options on Darius Bazley, Aleksej Pokusevski and Ty Jerome

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).

OKC Thunder waive Mamadi Diakite, Justin Jaworski and Oliver Sarr

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.

Thunder add Rob Edwards and DJ Wilson to training camp

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.

Thunder add Mamadi Diakite, waive Charlie Brown Jr.

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.

OKC Thunder sign Paul Watson Jr. to a two-way contract

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.

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.