Thunder Rumors

And-Ones: NBA Cup, Timma, Trade Candidates, Flagg

December 17th, 2024 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

While the NBA Cup figures to be a regular part of the league’s schedule going forward, there will likely still be some tweaks to the format and the schedule in future seasons, according to stories from Joe Vardon of The Athletic and Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Managing the schedule for both the knockout round games and the extra regular season contests for teams not in Las Vegas is a challenge, but Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault isn’t thrilled that his team will play a road back-to-back set on Thursday and Friday on the East Coast after its Cup final in Vegas on Tuesday, as Vardon relays.

“We’re basically on a six-day West Coast road trip right now, and our next game coming out of this is three time zones away, four-hour flight to Orlando and then a back-to-back against Miami — which if you look that as a road trip, is an unprecedented road trip,” Daigneault said. “The NBA would never schedule that. They would never put a team a on six-day West Coast road trip, and then fly them east for a back-to-back.”

Besides considering potential scheduling tweaks, the league may explore a new location for the final four of the NBA Cup. According to Vardon, Abu Dhabi’s public investment fund has expressed interest in hosting the event, though that would create more significant scheduling issues. Cities like Mexico City, Nashville, Tampa and San Diego have also inquired about hosting, per Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal.

As for for the format, the NBA and Amazon – which will broadcast the NBA Cup knockout round beginning next season – have discussed possible changes, including possibly moving the tournament later in the regular season, says Bontemps.

Sources who spoke to ESPN cautioned that there’s no guarantee the format will look any different next season, but Bontemps suggests expanding the group-play stage from four games to eight is one idea the NBA may explore, since it would increase the odds of the league’s top teams advancing to the knockout round and create more marquee matchups.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Veteran Latvian forward Janis Timma has been found dead in Moscow, according to a report from the Russian news agency TASS (via Eurohoops), who say that authorities believe it was a suicide. Timma was selected by the Grizzlies with the No. 60 pick of the 2013 draft and had his rights traded to the Magic in 2015 but never signed an NBA contract, having spent most of his career competing in European leagues — in addition to playing in Latvia, Russia, Spain, Greece and Turkey, he also had stints in the G League and in Puerto Rico. Timma won Baltic League and Latvian League titles and was named an All-Star a total of five times in Latvia and Russia.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has published his first “trade board” of the 2024/25 season, identifying 30 of the most notable players who are candidates to be on the move by February 6. Vecenie’s list is headlined by Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Cameron Johnson and includes three or more players apiece from the Bulls, Nets, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Wizards, and Jazz.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) spoke to NBA executives and scouts about Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, exploring his strengths and weaknesses, what makes him a unique prospect, and why he’s the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Andrei Kirilenko, Jayson Tatum, Franz Wagner, Aaron Gordon and Grant Hill are some of the current and former NBA players Woo’s sources referenced as comparables for Flagg.“I don’t think he’s a generational guy — I think that word started getting used too frequently,” one executive said. “(But) when you look back at this draft, if he goes at 1, regardless of if other people end up better, nobody is going to say that was a bad pick.”

And-Ones: Top Front Offices, Daniels, NBA Cup, Rookies

December 13th, 2024 at 9:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Sam Presti and the Thunder were voted as the NBA’s best front office by a panel of 40 executives (team presidents, general managers, VPs, and assistant GMs) across the league who were polled by Sam Amick, John Hollinger, and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

As The Athletic’s trio explains, each respondent picked their top five NBA front offices and points were awarded in the same way they are in the MVP vote – 10 points for first place, seven points for second, five points for third, three points for fourth, and one point for fifth – in order to determine the rankings. The only rule was that execs couldn’t vote for their own team.

The Thunder were a runaway winner with 354 points, showing up on 39 of 40 total ballots and earning 29 first-place votes. The Celtics (250 points; nine first-place votes), Heat (114 points), Grizzlies (64 points; one first-place vote), and Timberwolves (54 points; one first-place vote) rounded out the top five.

A total of 21 front offices received at least one vote. The nine who didn’t were the Lakers, Suns, Kings, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Bulls, Pistons, Hornets, and Hawks.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Dash Daniels, the younger brother of Dyson Daniels, has committed to joining the Melbourne United as part of the Australian National Basketball League’s Next Stars program, report Shams Charania and Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The younger Daniels, who is considered one of the top international prospects of the 2026 draft class, is considered a standout defender like his brother, having averaged a tournament-high 3.6 steals per game at this year’s FIBA U17 World Cup.
NBA executive VP of basketball strategy Evan Wasch referred to Las Vegas as a “fantastic home” for the NBA Cup semifinals and final, but indicated this week in a Zoom call that the league isn’t necessarily committed to Vegas as the in-season tournament’s long-term host. “We’re very open to all sorts of different formats for the future,” Wasch said, per Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. “That could mean taking the tournament on the road. It could mean taking it to different markets in the U.S. It could mean exploring international markets. It could mean, for example, having the semifinals in home markets like we have for the quarterfinals to build into the local fandom and exciting arena atmospheres. I would say everything is on the table for the future.”
While most of the top picks in the 2024 draft haven’t come flying out of the gate this fall, there are plenty of second-rounders and undrafted free agents from the ’24 class who are making positive early impressions. John Hollinger of The Athletic highlights several of them, including Jazz forward/center Kyle Filipowski, Suns big man Oso Ighodaro, and Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells.
The Athletic’s NBA writers identified the biggest need for all 30 teams, with good health coming up for a handful of clubs, including the Sixers, Bucks, and Magic.

Five Players On Two-Way Deals Who Could Be Promoted

December 13th, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Rory Maher

As Luke Adams explains in our glossary entry, the two-way contract was introduced in the NBA’s 2017 collective bargaining agreement, with additional changes ratified in the 2023 CBA. Players who signed two-way deals before the season began will earn $578,577 in 2024/25, half of the rookie minimum.

There are certain stipulations for players on two-way contracts. They are not eligible for the postseason, and if a team has a full 15-man standard roster, they can only be active for up to 50 games. In cases where a team has fewer than 15 players on standard contracts, two-way players are even more restricted in how many games they’re permitted to be active.

Three players on two-way contracts have already been converted to standard deals in ’24/25 — Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jay Huff each received four-year deals from the Grizzlies, who used part of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to complete the transactions. The Knicks also promoted rookie big man Ariel Hukporti a two-year standard contract using the minimum-salary exception.

Here are five more players on two-way deals who are candidates to be promoted to standard contracts.

Ajay Mitchell, G, Thunder

Mitchell is arguably the strongest candidate to be converted to a standard deal. There’s also a straightforward pathway for Oklahoma City to complete the transaction — the team would only need to waive rookie big man Branden Carlson, who is on a non-guaranteed standard contract.

A 6’5″ guard from Belgium, Mitchell was the No. 38 overall pick of June’s draft after starring in college at UC Santa Barbara. Not only has the 22-year-old been active for every game thus far for the Thunder, who lead the Western Conference with a 19-5 record, he has also appeared in all 24 contests as a rotation regular, averaging 5.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.7 APG and 0.9 SPG, with a shooting line of .478/.418/.800 in 16.0 MPG.

Brandon Boston, G/F, Pelicans

The No. 51 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Boston spent his first three seasons on a standard deal with the Clippers, who let him walk in free agency over the offseason. He wound up signing an Exhibit 10 deal with San Antonio for training camp, was released before the season started, and was claimed off waivers by New Orleans and converted to a two-way deal.

It turned out to be a shrewd decision, as the 23-year-old has played a significant role for the injury-ravaged Pelicans, averaging 12.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.3 APG and 1.5 SPG in 23 games, including 10 starts (27.5 MPG). While Boston hasn’t been the most efficient scorer — his shooting slash line is .436/.323/.851, with a 53.8% true shooting percentage — he’s one of the few (active) players on the roster who can create offense for himself and others.

New Orleans only has 14 players on standard contracts right now and has shown a reluctance to carry a 15th man due to luxury tax concerns, so the Pelicans are unlikely to consider a promotion for Boston until he has reached his game limit or the team has ducked below the tax line with a trade.

Jamison Battle, F, Raptors

An undrafted rookie out of Ohio State, Battle has been active for 25 of Toronto’s 26 games, averaging 5.8 PPG and 2.0 RPG while shooting 44.0% from long distance in 24 appearances (13.6 MPG).

Although there’s a pathway to convert the 24-year-old sharpshooter, it would require the Raptors to cut a veteran — perhaps big man Bruno Fernando, who is on a non-guaranteed contract. There’s no rush for Toronto to make a decision on Fernando until the Jan. 7 deadline though, so if Battle does get promoted, I’d expect it to occur later in the season.

Dru Smith, G, Heat

At first glance, Smith doesn’t seem like the most obvious candidate to have his two-way contract converted. The 26-year-old missed most of last season with a torn ACL, and has only appeared in 10 games thus far in ’24/25.

However, he has played a major role off the bench lately. As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes, Smith logged a career-high 34 minutes in Thursday’s victory over Toronto, including the entire fourth quarter for the third straight game, earning praise from team captain Bam Adebayo.

“He’s just making the right plays every time down the court,” Adebayo said of Smith’s impact.

The tricky part about converting Smith is the Heat have a high payroll, which is why they’re only carrying 14 players on standard contracts. They’ll likely wait until after the trade deadline so that they don’t surpass the second tax apron and limit their trade options, but if Smith keeps playing like he has been lately, it seems like a matter of when, not if, he gets promoted.

[UPDATE: The Heat’s impending trade of Thomas Bryant could open the door for Smith to be promoted sooner rather than later.

Jordan Miller, F, Clippers

Second-year forward Miller rounds out our five-player list. In 14 appearances in ’24/25, the 2023 second-round pick has averaged 7.9 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 1.3 APG in 16.3 MPG, with a shooting line of .467/.304/.773. Those numbers might not jump off the page, but Miller is a solid, versatile defender who can drive, draw fouls, and create for himself and others.

With Derrick Jones (hamstring strain) out for at least a couple weeks and Kawhi Leonard (knee) still ramping up to make his season debut, Miller has a major opportunity to make himself an indispensable part of head coach Tyronn Lue‘s rotation.

In order for Miller to be promoted, the Clips would need to either waive someone from their standard 15-man roster or make a trade. P.J. Tucker is the team’s most obvious candidate to be traded or released.

Some other two-way players to keep an eye on:

Isaac Jones, F/C, Kings
Jared Butler, G, Wizards
Jamal Cain, F, Pelicans
Trey Jemison, C, Pelicans
Quenton Jackson, G, Pacers
Enrique Freeman, F/C, Pacers

Northwest Notes: Braun, Nuggets, R. Williams, Thunder

December 12th, 2024 at 6:37pm CST by Rory Maher

In an lengthy interview with Spencer Davies of RG.org, Nuggets wing Christian Braun says he has learned from a number of veterans over the course of his three NBA seasons, including Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. Braun, who is posting career highs in several statistics, will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason.

“I mean, I’ve learned a ton in my years, not just from [Jokic]. Each player I’ve played with, I think, has done a good job of helping me out,” Braun told RG. “Just watching KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] and Bruce [Brown] and how they played off of [Jokic] helped me a lot, and they were always quick to reach out and tell me what they thought or what they saw.

” … You can take a little bit from each person. I think I’ve tried to take a little bit from each of the guys that have been in the league for a long time. Whether it was Ish Smith, DJ [DeAndre Jordan], they all do little things. Jeff Green. Just watching each person’s routine and try to take a little part of each of their routine that I like and make it mine and do it my way.

“But just watching [Jokic’s] approach and the way he was in the training room, the way he’s on the court, the way he approaches each game, his routine, his consistency. Each person, like I said, has good parts of their routine that I try to put into mine, but I’m still learning every day and trying to implement different things.”

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Tony Jones of The Athletic takes a look at the Nuggets‘ “confusing” and “inconsistent” start to the season, with Denver currently holding a 12-10 record despite regular “herculean” efforts from three-time MVP Jokic, who may be having the best season of his career. According to Jones, while depth has been an issue, the biggest concern for the Nuggets has been the play of Murray, who hasn’t looked like the same player who helped Denver win its first NBA championship in 2023.
Big man Robert Williams is nearing a return for the Trail Blazers following a six-game absence while in the league’s concussion protocol, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. As Highkin notes, Williams has been sidelined by numerous injuries throughout his career, but a hard fall vs. Memphis on Nov. 25 resulted in his first concussion. “I was in a daze,” Williams said. “Nausea, headaches, stuff like that. I didn’t feel terrible. I’ve seen people with worse concussions than mine, for sure. But it slowed me down.” Williams, who was a full practice participant on Thursday, needs to pass one more computer-based test before being cleared by the medical staff — that could come on Friday vs. San Antonio. “I’m tired of dealing with all this s–t, man,” said Williams, who also missed several weeks early in the season due to a hamstring injury. “I miss the game so much. Trying to have fun with my teammates on the court, not just in practice.”
Unlike some teams, who watch film as a whole group, the Thunder split into subgroups for their sessions, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman, who details how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams have grown comfortable using game tape to learn and grow from their mistakes. “Film, for me, opens my eyes,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s right in your face. The writing is on the wall. If I should’ve been in this spot, it’s right in front of your face that you should’ve been in that spot. If I should’ve took a shot and I was passive-aggressive, it’s right in front of my face.“

Northwest Notes: Henderson, SGA, Dort, Wallace, Murray

December 12th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers second-year guard Scoot Henderson believes his team is ready to blossom, as he told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

“I think we’ll pan out to be one of the top teams in the league pretty soon with the young core that we have and the dogs on our team,” he said. “You’ve got Donovan Clingan, who’s shown little glimpses of what he can do, and Shaedon (Sharpe). I try to get those guys the ball, and I try to do my thing. My main thing is getting guys the ball, letting them rock out, and letting the world see their talent.

“I’m trying to be a leader on and off the floor and get to know the guys a little bit more. I think we’re a core that plays hard and is going to shock a lot of teams throughout the season.”

Portland has a lot of ground to make up, as the Trail Blazers are 8-16 after losing six of their last seven games.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander readily accepts his role as a team leader, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I embrace it for sure,” he said. “It comes with a burden. It comes with the crown. It comes with all the things you dream about as a kid being a superstar in the NBA. I definitely dreamed about being this as a player and these things come with it. And I knew that. So, I definitely embrace it.”
The combination of Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace held Mavericks superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to a total of 33 points in the Thunder‘s NBA Cup quarterfinal win on Tuesday. It was the lowest combined scoring total for the backcourt duo in any game that both Doncic and Irving appeared in since they became teammates. “Hell of a job by Lu and Cason,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “It’s more impressive to hold them that low than it is for me to get 39 points. I think to hold those two that low really gave us a chance to win the game. We felt like we had control of the game because of that. Keeping those two in check like that is very rare.”
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is dealing with some hamstring irritation and it’s uncertain whether he’ll play against the Clippers on Friday. “He was able to go through portions of practice (Wednesday), which was great to have him out there,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “He got some good work in yesterday in terms of treatment and player development. And then we’ll see how he feels from his work today. I’d say for Friday night, he’s still going to be listed as questionable.”

NBA Cup Semifinals Set; Sunday Games Scheduled For Eliminated Teams

December 12th, 2024 at 6:41am CST by Luke Adams

Following Atlanta’s and Houston’s wins in Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal matchups, the semifinals for the NBA’s second annual in-season tournament have been set, with the Hawks, Bucks, Rockets, and Thunder advancing to the final four.

Both games will be played on Saturday, December 14, and the matchups and tip-off times are as follows, per the league (Twitter link):

Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks (3:30 pm Central time)
Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (7:30 pm CT)

Both games will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the winners squaring off in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday.

Players on the team that win the NBA Cup will be awarded $514,970 apiece in prize money, while bonuses for the runner-up team will be worth $205,988 apiece and the semifinal losers will receive $102,994 each. In each instance, the bonuses for players on two-way contracts will be worth half that amount.

Players on the Knicks, Magic, Warriors, and Mavericks will receive bonuses of $51,497 apiece ($25,749 for two-way players) after being eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Those four teams have also had an extra game added to their regular season schedules to ensure they get the necessary 82. Those games will be played on Sunday, Dec. 15 and are as follows:

New York Knicks at Orlando Magic (5:00 pm CT)
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (7:30 pm CT)

Since both Dallas and Golden State played on the road in the NBA Cup knockout round, the Mavericks will be the unlucky team that ends up with 42 road games and 40 home games on its schedule this season, since they were the lower-seeded quarterfinalist. The Magic played on the road in the quarterfinals, while the Knicks lost at home, so the home/road schedules for the Eastern clubs will be evenly balanced.

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Pelicans, Udoka, Wells, Smart

December 11th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans were upset about the play that caused Brandon Ingram‘s ankle injury, according to Rod Walker of NOLA.com, who says the team sent video of the play to the league office to review. They hadn’t heard back as of Tuesday, per head coach Willie Green.

The injury occurred after Ingram attempted to rise up for a shot over Luguentz Dort (Twitter video link). Ingram’s elbow appeared to make contact with the Thunder defender, causing him to fall backwards to the floor. When Ingram landed, he came down on Dort’s foot, twisting his ankle. An offensive foul was called, with the Pelicans arguing that Dort didn’t give Ingram enough room to make a normal shot attempt or to land after his jump. However, their challenge was denied.

“If you go back and watch that play, he (Dort) got up under B.I,” Green said on Tuesday. “They called an offensive foul and we didn’t agree with that.”

It’s unclear what the Pelicans hope to accomplish by getting the league office involved, but regardless of whether anything comes of it, Ingram will still be sidelined indefinitely. It’s the latest health issue for a player who has missed between 18 and 37 regular season games in his previous three seasons.

“Mentally, having the injury has been tough for him,” Green said. “I’ve had a chance to talk with him. It’s going to be something that he has to continue to try to take some positives out of it, take it day-by-day and attack each day. The good news is it’s not career ending. It’s not career threatening. It’s not season threatening. It’s just a matter of how soon can he get back to himself.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Will the Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram? Trade Zion Williamson? Trade both? Keep both and run it back next season? William Guillory of The Athletic considers the paths available to New Orleans and weighs the likelihood of each outcome. In Guillory’s view, an Ingram trade seems likely to happen by February 6, but the franchise still seems committed to making things work with Williamson.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN outlines how Ime Udoka‘s ornery, hard-nosed personality has bled into the Rockets‘ culture since his arrival in Houston in 2023 and how the head coach’s high standards for his players have helped fuel the team’s turnaround after several seasons in the lottery. According to Udoka, veteran point guard Fred VanVleet sometimes “goes against his natural inclination” and plays “good cop” to Udoka’s bad cap since the Rockets coach can be so harsh on his young players.
Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells, who is making a case for Rookie of the Year consideration this fall, spoke to Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda about his strong start, his “learning moments,” and the impact Marcus Smart has had on his development as a veteran leader. “Marcus has been huge for me,” Wells told Afseth. “He talks to me during walkthroughs, in the locker room, and on the court. He’s always giving me tips, whether it’s about tendencies or how to play tough without fouling. Watching how he sets the tone defensively has taught me a lot.”

Western Notes: Flagler, Durant, Leonard, Ingram

December 9th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder two-way player Adam Flagler will miss four-to-six weeks due to a right fourth metacarpal fracture, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman tweets.

The 25-year-old guard out of Baylor has appeared in 11 games with the Thunder this season. He’s averaged 1.4 points and 0.5 rebounds in 3.4 minutes per contest, having played almost exclusively in garbage time.

Flagler is a holdover from last season, as he originally signed his two-way deal in February. He was a critical contributor for the Oklahoma City Blue’s championship squad in 2023/24. In three G League contests this season, he has averaged 25.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.7 APG and 2.3 SPG.

We have more from the Western Conference:

The Suns are 11-2 with Kevin Durant in uniform and 1-9 without him. Phoenix should be able to overcome Durant’s absences better than that, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com writes. Their futility in the games he’s missed is due in large part to Devin Booker‘s subpar efficiency and spotty defense, as well as Bradley Beal‘s inability to step up his game to fill the void, according to Bourguet.
Kawhi Leonard appears to be progressing toward a return this month and it would be an ideal time to ease him back into the Clippers‘ lineup, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The Clippers don’t have back-to-back games until New Year’s Day and will only play six games in the 21-day window that begins on Monday, which should help their injured players heal up. “He’s a defensive-minded guy who can guard the basketball, guard five different positions,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Leonard. “For him coming into what we’re doing, it shouldn’t be hard for him to get involved.”
Brandon Ingram‘s ankle injury, which will keep him out of action indefinitely, means the floundering Pelicans must soon make some difficult decisions, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. They must decide what to do with Ingram, a free agent after the season, and whether there’s still a trade market for him. They also must figure out what to do with their other oft-injured star, Zion Williamson.

Northwest Notes: Jokic, Nuggets, Edwards, Jazz, Thunder

December 9th, 2024 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Nikola Jokic‘s 56 points on Saturday weren’t enough to get the Nuggets a win in Washington, but his 48-point, 14-rebound, eight-assist performance in Atlanta just 24 hours later did the trick, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Denver bounced back from a disappointing loss to the lowly Wizards by blowing out the Hawks 141-111, which head coach Michael Malone called “the response that was needed.”

According to Malone, Jokic – who joked after Saturday’s game that “a paycheck that is a little bit less than usual” might help motivate Nuggets players – was “vocal” with the team on Sunday morning, Durando details in a separate story.

Jokic’s comments seemed to make an impact on his team. As good as the three-time MVP was vs. the Hawks, the Nuggets got production from players up and down their lineup, including second-year guard Jalen Pickett, who was a +18 in 17 minutes in perhaps his best game as a pro. Jokic suggested that sort of effort is what the team needs from everyone.

“When I was coming off the bench, when I was like playing small minutes, my goal was: ‘When I sit on the bench, I’m going to be so tired that I cannot breathe,'” Jokic said. “So just give 100% those three, four, five, six, seven, whatever minutes you have.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was fined $25K by the NBA on Monday for using profane language during his post-game media session on Friday (Twitter video link), the league announced (via Twitter). Edwards, perhaps aware that announcement was coming, declined to talk to reporters after Sunday’s loss, citing his history of being fined for cursing, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
The Jazz‘s bench has been ineffective since John Collins moved into the starting lineup nearly a month ago, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who states that the team has neither a source of consistent offense or defense in its second unit right now and suggests it might make sense to move Collins back to the bench until Jordan Clarkson is healthy. Utah’s bench has a -7.5 net rating since Collins’ first start on November 12, the worst mark in the NBA during that time.
The Thunder, whose 103.3 defensive rating and 12.1 steals per game comfortably rank first in the league, have been playing historically effective defense so far this season, proving Sam Presti right, as Rylan Stiles of SI.com observes. “I think defensively we have the opportunity to have a lot of compounding talent that can make it very hard for us to play against,” the Thunder’s head of basketball operations said before the season began.

Thunder Notes: Hartenstein, Dort, SGA, MVP Chances

December 6th, 2024 at 1:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

For much of Isaiah Hartenstein‘s NBA career, it didn’t look like he had an $87MM contract in his future. That’s the amount the Thunder gave him in free agency following a breakthrough season in New York, but Hartenstein wasn’t always on a path to stardom. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, he talks about trying to establish himself as an NBA center while playing for five teams in his first five seasons.

“At the moment I signed the contract (with Oklahoma City), it was special,” Hartenstein said. “Just grinding through the NBA. Going from the G League with the Rockets and being sent back down consistently kind of proving myself. It was never easy. It wasn’t like a relief, but it was an excitement. I didn’t feel like I could let off the gas. The hard work finally paid off even if it was a little longer than I thought it would take. I was excited yet motivated at the same time that I had proven myself.”

The Knicks were hoping to re-sign Hartenstein, Spears states, offering a four-year contract worth $72.5MM. However, that couldn’t compete with the offer from the Thunder, which included a $30MM starting salary that exceeds what he made in his previous six seasons combined.

“It was hard to leave. It wasn’t easy. I loved being out there and I loved my teammates,” Hartenstein said. “If I couldn’t go to a place like OKC, I don’t think I would have left. But you also have to think about it being a business at the end of the day. It wasn’t like I’ve had a whole bunch of $100 million contracts before this. I had to make sure my family was straight. It was a crazy experience going from minimum deals and a training camp deal with the Clippers. Going from that to this, it’s a good little journey. A lot of times you don’t get what you’re going through. But now looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing on and off the court.”

There’s more on the Thunder:

Luguentz Dort has been playing with a “mallet finger” after injuring his right pinky during a scramble for a loose ball in a November 17 game, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. He’s been wearing a splint on the finger around the clock and has experimented with tapes and wraps to help ease the pain from tendon damage. “I’m doing this for the team,” he said. “That’s the confidence that this team has put in me from when I first started here, and that’s the approach that we had. Every time you healthy, you got to go out there and play. And that’s my mentality, that’s my approach. Especially when we having a great season, like we are right now, I just got to keep my foot on the pedal.”
The Thunder are creating more three-point opportunities for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s taking a career-high 6.3 shots per game from beyond the arc this season, Lorenzi notes in a separate story. Thursday at Toronto, SGA attempted six three-pointers in the first quarter and was two short of his career-high of 12 when he was removed from the game in the third quarter because OKC had a huge lead. “It’s very fun,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Like, the process of getting better and adding something is the best feeling for me. … When it’s all said and done, I want to be a basketball player with no holes in my game.”
Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca examines Gilgeous-Alexander’s chances to be named MVP after finishing fifth and second in the voting the past two seasons.

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