OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti talks about depth of Western Conference
OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti talks about depth of Western Conference
This offseason is a big one for the OKC Thunder.
Despite entering the season as the second-youngest team in the NBA, OKC claimed the No. 1 seed and reached the Western Conference semifinals. And with approximately $35 million in cap space, the Thunder can make its roster even better by being a buyer in free agency.
Nothing is off the table for OKC, but some players should be. Here are five free agents the Thunder should avoid signing this offseason:
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Five players OKC should avoid signing during NBA free agency
1. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first.
James is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time MVP and arguably the best basketball player of all time. But at the age of 39, he’s not worth OKC breaking the bank. And it would have to.
James has a $51.4 million player option with the Lakers that he can accept or decline by June 29. If he goes with the latter, he’ll surely do so with the intention of signing a longer, more lucrative deal in free agency.
Assuming James doesn’t want to return to Los Angeles, which is unlikely, OKC would have to pull off a sign-and-trade to land him. And for a team that boasts the best young core and one of the most promising futures in the NBA, the Thunder would be wise to not disrupt that.
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2. Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
At first glance, a return of George to OKC sounds great.
The Thunder needs a two-way wing player with postseason experience. That could be George, who finished third in MVP voting with OKC in 2019 and is still a star in this league.
George has a $48.8 million player option for next season, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on June 12 that the 34-year-old wing and Los Angeles are “not on the same page” when it comes to contract talks. So, there’s a real possibility that he’ll sign with a different team this offseason.
But OKC would surely find itself in a bidding war with a team like Philadelphia, which is projected to have about $60 million in cap space. And, similar to the James situation, the Thunder shouldn’t break the bank and mess with its young core’s momentum by adding George.
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3. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
The idea of Thompson in an NBA jersey that isn’t Golden State feels illegal, but it could happen.
Thompson is an unrestricted free agent who’s fresh off a five-year, $190 million deal. And considering Golden State governor Joe Lacob said in February that the team’s “Plan 1A” is to get out of the luxury tax, it’s not hard to see why extension talks with Thompson have been dragged out.
Thompson would fit nicely with OKC, on or off the bench, as a 3-point specialist with championship experience. And even though the 34-year-old guard has lost a step on defense, he won’t be given the toughest assignments on a team that has Lu Dort.
But if Thompson is looking for a short-term deal in the $30 million range, he can likely get that by re-signing with Golden State. I’d imagine it’d take a long-term deal to pry him away, and that could create problems for OKC when it eventually has to pay guys such as Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
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4. DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
DeRozan is an unrestricted free agent who has been vocal about wanting to return to Chicago, but he could be looking for a new home if the team finally decides to rebuild.
DeRozan has six All-Star appearances under his belt at the age of 34. The veteran wing player has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the past 11 seasons, and he has finished top three in Clutch Player of the Year voting in each of the last two seasons.
DeRozan is also a class act who would fit in well with OKC’s culture, but it’s his fit on the floor that’s concerning. His lack of 3-point shooting would hurt the Thunder’s floor spacing, and defense is his biggest weakness.
NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson reported on April 21 that the Bulls offered DeRozan a two-year deal at a high annual salary, perhaps as much as $40 million per season, but DeRozan declined. Because of the poor fit and the price tag, OKC should stay away.
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5. Andre Drummond, Chicago Bulls
Another Chicago player who could be on the move this offseason is Drummond.
The 30-year-old center is unrestricted free agent, and he improved his value by playing well this season. He averaged 8.4 points and nine rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game.
OKC needs more size and rebounding, and Drummond certainly provides that. With a career average of 12.4 rebounds per game, the 6-foot-11 center is one of the most dominant players on the glass in NBA history.
It’d be fine if OKC signed Drummond on a budget deal. But he’s on this list because the Thunder should pursue better options such as Nicolas Claxton, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jonas Valanciunas instead.
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